Lancashire devolution: Councillor wants deal to secure funds

Lancashire County Council proposed creating three large councils in a devolution deal

Lancashire can "no longer afford to keep missing out" on the funding a combined authority would bring, a senior councillor has said.

Lancashire County Council's deputy leader Alan Vincent said a devolution deal must be struck as "every penny" of government funding was needed locally.

The county's 15 local authorities voted for "the principle" of a combined authority and an elected mayor in 2020.

The proposal would need government approval to go ahead.

Lancashire currently has one county council, two unitary authorities and 12 city or borough councils.

In July, the prime minister pledged to hand more power to local leaders, though full details of the "county deal" proposals are yet to emerge.

'Increasingly clear'

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said several of the county's authorities made submissions to the government about how to redraw the area's complicated council map.

The county council suggested introducing standalone councils serving three large areas - Preston, Chorley, South Ribble and West Lancashire; Blackpool, Fylde, Wyre, Lancaster and Ribble Valley; and Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Hyndburn, Rossendale and Pendle - while Preston City Council put forward a four-way solution for Central Lancashire.

Preston was left out of a submission by Chorley, South Ribble and West Lancashire councils, which sought to create a single authority without their city neighbour.

Ribble Valley was against the idea of any reorganisation and Burnley and Pendle wanted more detail on the government's policy intentions before committing to a position.

Mr Vincent said it had become "increasingly clear [Lancashire] could no longer afford to keep missing out on the funding opportunities provided by having a combined authority".

"We are under no illusions and realise the next two or three years will be difficult, so we must help ourselves to help our area by accepting every penny we can get from government," he said.

"That means forming a joint co-operative committee of those councils in Lancashire who know that it's a vital tool in the Lancashire local government box."