THOUSANDS of council jobs will be axed in the run-up to Blackburn town hall winning independence, county hall chiefs announced today.

More than 8,000 jobs look set to be cut when Blackburn and Blackpool finally break away from county council control.

And Labour leaders have warned savings will come from all departments from "top to bottom" and department heads also face losing their jobs.

Some of the staff made redundant will find work with the new single status councils but thousands of workers are facing the dole queue.

County hall bosses are planning to hold talks with union leaders before any final decisions are made.

There will also be a major shake-up of administration with the axing of eight departments and the creation of four new directorates.

The county council's budget of £1 billion per year will also be slashed with around 30 per cent of the funds being shared out between Blackburn and Blackpool.

John West, the deputy of the ruling Labour group, said: "When Blackburn and Blackpool become unitary authorities we will lose around 20 per cent of our population. "The finances of the county council will be down-sized and we are looking at cuts of around 25 per cent."

He added: "Where reorganisation has taken place in other parts of the country the end result has always been job losses.

"This is going to be a very costly exercise for Lancashire, the cost will not just come in the first year but will be ongoing."

Councillor West concluded: "Jobs will have to go right through every department from the top to bottom and we will be losing senior managers.

"I am very sorry about the whole affair. If this would result in better services for the people of Lancashire I would have some sympathy.

"Sadly that will not be the case and it will be the public who suffer."

Council leader Louise Ellman added: "We anticipate the county council will need to make reductions in expenditure not only as a direct consequence of this reorganisation, but also because of the year on year reductions in funding which continue to take place.

"We believe this new structure will protect services to the public in these difficult circumstances and provide cost effective, efficient and sensitive services."

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