I see Lancashire County Council has been ordered to up its game when it comes to looking after young people with special educational needs or disabilities.

The councillor with special responsibility for this area is my ward councillor, Cosima Towneley, who according to official figures, received £22,732 for the role in "allowances".

This on top of the basic allowance of £13,777 and bumped up with £3,030 in mileage, meaning a grand total allowance of £39,539.

No one is disputing councillors should get some renumeration for giving up their time, but this sum, which appears to be the biggest behind the actual council leader, is outrageous, when you consider the cuts being made to vital services that children with special needs or disabilities need to survive daily.

placeholder image — County Hall, Preston

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Councils hide behind the fact that the figures are decided by an independent pay body, same as the MP's do, but really is this on, when councillors don't have to have any experience to become the person who has special responsibility and in all honesty, probably just follow what the officials tell them anyway.

And while Coun. Towneley is juggling this job, where is she when it comes to local issues in Cliviger and Worsthorne. The state of our roads, overgrown verges and lack of resources in the town's highest precept area, is the telling answer.

Time for a local Government re think and to re look at our priorities, I would suggest.

David Innes

Cliviger