A LEADING Lancashire county councillor has hit back at claims that residents of Pendle are being short changed for highways services.

The county council was criticised by Pendle Boro-ugh Council's Brierfield and Reedley Committee after it voted to buy extra grit bins, claiming not enough were provided by Lancashire.

County Coun Tony Martin, cabinet member for sustainable developm-ent, said: "Since the highways management came back to the county council Pendle has had an excellent highways service. The same money is being invested as before.

"But we target our cash at the areas of most need to make sure local taxpay-ers get the best value.

"The county council spends £1,804,000 on highway maintenance in Pendle, of which £373,000 is spent on the winter service. Another £3.5million is going into the Nelson Interchange project from us.

"This is a major investment and is hardly short-changing anyone.

"All the sites where we have bins meet specific countywide criteria and no money is being wasted.

"When the Pendle area committee decided it wanted to spend money on grit bins I did not object.

"However, they will not be located according to any criteria. It has also been claimed that Pendle people suffer because the borough council gets a smaller share of the council tax. The truth is that Lancashire County Council provides a mass-ive 85 per cent of services, and provides them to an exceptionally high Four Star' standard."