COUNCIL bosses have agreed a new management structure, which could see the current chief executive forced out.

Plans put forward by County Cllr Geoff Driver to streamline the number of senior bosses at the authority have been passed at a meeting of the cabinet and will now go out to consultation.

The new chief executive role includes financial and ‘section 151’ accounting responsibilities for which Jo Turton, who currently holds the post, is not qualified for.

A report into the new structure states the council is facing ‘serious financial problems’ with a deficit of £398million expected by the end of 2020/21.

However Labour opposition councillors said the plan could end up costing taxpayers even more.

The proposals mean there will be a reduction of three posts at director level and one additional post at executive director level.

The developments come after Cllr Driver banned Ms Turton and four other senior staff from all briefings that he attended after the Tories took control at County Hall in May’s local elections.

Cllr Driver was one of four people arrested and interviewed by police in May as part of the long-running One Connect inquiry into county council contracts.

He is on police bail ‘on suspicion of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and witness intimidation’ pending investigations.

Cllr Azhar Ali said: “The chief executive will be made redundant and an interim will be brought in if the consultation process is completed in a month’s time.

“We are talking at a cost of £1,500 to £2,000 a day. There are no savings. This could cost millions in compensation and legal costs and it is the taxpayers who will end up picking it up.

“The whole process has been shambolic and chaotic. In one fell swoop Cllr Driver and the cabinet have damaged the reputation of Lancashire County Council and it’s now affecting morale.”

Peter Britcliffe, county council Conservative group chairman, said: “It is vital that we put the county council in the right shape to face the on-going problems.”

Cllr Driver was unavailable for comment.