LANCASHIRE County Council staff have suspended industrial action over pay and conditions to consider proposals put forward by the local authority.

Up to 10,000 Unison union members and thousands more non-teaching school staff have been taking part in ‘action short of a strike’.

They were refusing to work overtime, use their own cars for work and cover for vacancies in protest at the equal pay review carried out by bosses.

But Unison Lancashire branch secretary Carol Lukey said that following a ‘special branch committee meeting’, the action was being suspended ‘to allow for full consideration of proposals arising from discussions’.

The controversial new terms and conditions of employment include an end to an allowance for staff who use their cars for work, no extra pay for working weekends, and charges to park at County Hall.

A statement from Burnley resident Ms Lukey said: “Members are assured that no agreement will be made with the County Council unless that is supported by the outcome of a consultative ballot of all members.”

LCC welcomed the decision, which it said followed ‘constructive negotiations’ that have resulted in a set of proposals which ‘may form the basis of an agreed settlement’.

Phil Halsall, executive director for resources, said: "I am delighted that Unison has agreed to suspend the industrial action while it considers our proposals.

"We have a good working relationship with Unison and the other trade unions in the county, which has enabled us to conduct these negotiations in a business-like and professional manner.

"I would like to thank staff who have gone the extra mile to maintain council services over the past six weeks."

More than 9,000 of County Hall’s 30,000 non-teaching staff live in East Lancashire, and Unison has more than 12,000 members.

Unison is the county council’s biggest union with a strong representation in most departments.