Job fears at Morecambe Visitor Information Centre

This comes as Lancashire County Council looks to save an extra £7m over the next three years.

Full time jobs could go at the centre if councillors agree to the planned cuts at the budget meeting on Thursday.

Morecambe VIC at the Platform provides local visitor, tourist and transport information to the community. The centre employs two full time and three part time, Lancaster City Council staff and two members of county council staff who work 32 hours per week.

“This is unnecessary and wrong,” said Lizzi Collinge, Labour county councillor for Lancaster East.

“Of course, councillor Geoff Driver’s (leader of the county council) administration are merely implementing their Whitehall bosses’ plan of starving local services of funding.

“The Government has an ideological agenda to cut and privatise public services.

“Local economies and services need investment and care to grow.

“Under the Conservatives, both locally and nationally, our economy is stagnating, services are creaking, and wages and living standards are falling.”

Lancashire County Council say the cuts are necessary as they are in a position where they need to make substantial budget savings.

The proposals have been recognised as having a negative impact on older people and the disabled.

A Lancaster City Council spokesman said: “We are aware of the proposals from the county council and currently working to determine what impact they will have on the centre and how this will be dealt with if the need arises.”

The transport information centre at Carnforth Railway Station is also under threat.

Its lease could be terminated, which would stop the popular service providing travel information and tickets.

The proposals are set to go under consultation with users, staff, district and parish councils and other affected stakeholders before the final decision is confirmed.