JULY’S one-day strike cost more than 5,000 Lancashire County Council workers almost £225,000 in lost pay.

Out of 38,678 County Hall staff, a total of 5,018 took part in the national protest action.

LCC bosses have so far deducted £222,866.85 wages from the strikers. Union chiefs said the money should be put into services for staff.

Sam Ud-Din, the National Union of Teachers divisional secretary and Lynn Collins, North West TUC regional secretary, said this was appropriate use for cash saved.

LCC deputy leader and finance chief David Borrow said: “That money will remain in the general pot unspent, to be spent on other things that the council feels necessary.

“I am aware that in other authorities where a request was made for money not paid out to be used for a good cause, but am not aware that this has happened in Lancashire.

“If a request was made by staff reps, we would look at it.”

LCC needs to save around £300m from its budget in the next four years and is set to cut 2,500 jobs by April 2016.