THE new leader of Lancashire County Council today vowed to bring the authority closer to the people.

Hazel Harding said she wanted people to go into the council's district offices with the problems and not leave feeling they have been "shunted off".

Coun Harding, the representative for Rossendale West, was appointed new leader after the elections along with Accrington councillor Doreen Pollitt, who takes up the deputy leader post.

"People as a rule, are happy with the services we provide," said Coun Harding. "They like the schools, libraries, community centres and so on. But if you ask them if they are happy with the county council, they just shrug.

"People don't make the direct link between county council and the services we provide and that's something we need to tackle.

"We need to get ourselves into a position where people can come into one of our district offices and be offered everything they need, instead of being shunted off to another department somewhere else.

"We know how important services are to people and that is why they deserve a say."

Coun Pollitt added: "Some borough councils have area councils. I am a co-optee of the Accrington Area Council and although I can't make the decisions, I can sit and listen to people's concerns and then work on their behalf.

"I know there were problems in Oswaldtwistle with new bus stops and Dorothy Westell, the area's county councillor, was at a meeting about the issue. She heard the complaints and got things changed. If the boroughs and county work together, we can improve things." The arrival of this duo at the head of LCC comes at a time when things are changing all around.

Out go the traditional council meetings, replaced by an all-Labour cabinet with scrutiny committees to make sure the cabinet, who will make most of the decisions, do not over-step the mark.

Coun Pollitt said: "We believe it will make things more democratic. Each councillor in the cabinet has a certain area to work on and they will report to cabinet. Their decisions can be questioned by scrutiny panels and by the full council. It speeds things up and makes us more accountable."

Coun Harding added: "It was time for a change and it is ideal that we have taken over when we did. Although it is the same party in charge, everyone is in a different role making it easier to shift to the new system."

"We strive towards making things move quickly and become more accountable. It is the very reason I became a councillor.

"I never wished to be the leader, but now I am I will make sure we connect with the public."