THE Conservative leader of Lancashire County Council has dismissed Labour concerns over the failure of any outside applicants to respond to an advertisement for its £200,000 a year top job.

Only current interim postholder Angie Ridgwell is seeking the role as the authority's chief executive and director of financial resources.

On Monday Labour opposition leader Cllr Azhar Ali expressed concern over the failure to attract other candidates.

He warned last year's restructuring which created the new combined job and lead to former chief executive Jo Turton and three other senior staff leaving the county council was putting off outside candidates for senior posts at the authority.

Yesterday county council leader Cllr Geoff Driver, speaking after a private meeting of its Employment Committee to consider the new steps in the recruitment process, hit back saying council taxpayers were not interested in the processes of senior appointments and structures.

He said: "The people of Lancashire will look for the outcomes.   They will want to be sure that Lancashire County Council is going to provide services for the people of Lancashire – particularly those for our more vulnerable fellow citizens – and that they are going to be financially sustainable.”

The outcome of the committee, whoch Labour boycotted, has not been disclosed.

Cllr Driver said uncertainty about the future of local government is likely to have led to a lack of interest in the position.