COUNCIL services across East Lancashire will be disrupted next week when public service workers go on strike over pay.

Members of the fire brigades union are joining local government unions UNISON, UNITE, and the GMB in the national day of industrial action on Thursday, July 10, after the Local Government Association refused to increase its one per cent pay offer.

Civil servants in the Public and Commercial Services union, school support workers and the National Union of Teachers will take part in the strike.

It will affect Lancashire county, Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Pendle, Ribble Valley, Hyndburn, Rossendale and Chorley councils.

Bosses have promised to try to maintain services but some will close offices, maintaining emergency services only.

Blackburn with Darwen chief executive Harry Catherall said: “We have plans to make sure we are able to provide as many services possible. Our priority is supporting the most vulnerable.”

An LCC spokesman said: “While it's difficult to tell what impact this will have, it is inevitable there will be some disruption. We have well-established procedures to ensure that we will continue to provide services for vulnerable people.”

Pendle borough chief executive Stephen Barnes said: “Council offices will be closed to the public and the majority of services will be unavailable.

“We are negotiating over which staff can be made available for health and safety reasons. Our contact centre will be taking telephone calls, there may be a delay.”

Ribble Valley chief executive Marshal Scott said: “Our offices will be open as normal and disruption will be kept to a minimum.”

UNISON spokesman John Lewis said: “Our staff are predominantly low-paid. Frozen public sector pay impacts on many households across Lancashire. The real value of local government pay has fallen by a staggering 20 per cent since 2010. Industrial action is a last resort.”