FOUR trade union officials at Lancashire County Council will lose paid time off for their duties representing 12,000 staff, it was decided yesterday.

The authority’s Employment Committee approved the proposal by its Tory leader Geoff Driver despite opposition from Labour group boss Cllr Azhar Ali.

Cllr Driver, who chaired the meeting, said ending the system of paid secondments for trade union duties would save £153,682 a year from April 1 next year,

The payments are currently made to four officials - three from clerical staff union UNISON and one for UNITE representing other workers.

Nelson East’s Cllr Ali said: “This is a short-time measure that will cost money in the long run.”