ALMOST 800 jobs were to be slashed in Lancashire while council tax bills rocketed by up to 20 per cent following £33 million cuts in Lancashire County Council's budget.

At a stormy meeting, finance chairman John West, of the ruling Labour group, said the budget gave him no pleasure and was the result of the Tory Government's restrictions.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.