Blackpool Council boss breached rules over Pleasure Beach passes

Mr Blackburn was given four passes in 2019 and three in 2020

A seaside resort's former council leader has apologised after being found to have breached authority guidelines by not declaring a gift of free passes for its theme park.

Simon Blackburn breached Blackpool's code of conduct by not declaring he received free season tickets for the town's Pleasure Beach in 2019 and 2020.

Gifts worth more than £25 must be declared within 28 days of receipt.

The standards board found him guilty of failing to register the £125 passes.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said the board was told Mr Blackburn, who resigned from the role of council leader after being suspended by the Labour Party over an unrelated matter in June 2020, was given seven passes, four in 2019 and three in 2020.

Simon Blackburn stood down as council leader in June

Documents published along with the board's decision stated that he had "explained his longstanding relationship with the Pleasure Beach and the importance of the Pleasure Beach to the economy of the town" and had said building good business relationships with such organisations was important while working as council leader.

The board, which found him guilty of breaching the council's code of conduct, heard Mr Blackburn used the passes on just one occasion in 2019 with two family members.

Following the hearing, Mr Blackburn said that with "the benefit of hindsight, I should have declared the Platinum Passes, and will do so in future".

"I am pleased that my apology was accepted by the board," he added.

Councillor Tony Williams, leader of the council's Conservative group, said the "real irony here is that when Councillor Blackburn was managing Labour's last local full election, he promised to give every resident free attraction tickets as part of their campaign".

"Two years on, Labour still haven't delivered and shockingly the only person to get free attraction tickets is Councillor Blackburn himself," he said.