LANCASHIRE County Council's Conservative leadership has been accused of putting museums ahead of schoolchildren by Labour.

This week it announced it would spend £1.2milion over two years to keep Burnley's Queen Street Mill and Helmshore Mills Textile Museum open.

It also confirmed it would end subsidies to 10 school bus services from September next year to save cash, including routes connecting the Ribble Valley to the outskirts of Blackburn and in Hyndburn.

County council Labour group deputy leader Cllr John Fillis said "This increase in funding for museums would of seen the bus services for these school children continue for at least a further two years if not longer. It also adds to the sustainability of these bus services.

"This Conservative administration clearly thinks more about the past, than the future of our children. The past is important, but it's more important that our children make their own history.

"They have once again completely ignored their own consultation undermining the reputation of Lancashire as a democratic institution."