Today (28 November) we have reached a milestone in the process of Local Government as Lancashire’s proposals to government have been submitted.
These proposals outline how the current two-tier model of local government could be replaced with fewer, larger unitary councils.
The proposals consider a range of options and are available to view at www.lancashirelgr.co.uk.
Four Lancashire – rooted in communities, kickstarting economic growth
It’s important to note that we have not asked for this to happen. We are proud to serve South Ribble however, if this is to happen, we need to make sure we are backing the best possible outcome for our residents.
We are proposing a four unitary model for Lancashire which will see the region split into four unitary authorities:
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Chorley, South Ribble, West Lancashire (South Lancashire)
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Fylde, Wyre, Blackpool (Fylde Coast)
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Lancaster, Preston, Ribble Valley (North Lancashire)
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Blackburn, Hyndburn, Rossendale, Pendle, Burnley (Pennine Lancashire)
We’ve done extensive work to figure out what the future of Lancashire should look like, making sure our economies can continue to thrive, our communities can be supported and that residents can have unitary authorities dedicated to delivering excellent services locally – and that is the Four Lancashire model.
This model is the most supported across existing councils. It’s financially stable and most importantly, it makes sense for our residents and our communities.
We know people want access to excellent and reliable services from councils which are dedicated to making the region thrive. They want their local authority to understand them, their areas and the opportunities and challenges they face, and the Four Lancashire model will deliver this.
We believe that Four Lancashire is the option that best balances councils being of sufficient size to be financially efficient and sustainable, whilst also being close enough to understand our communities.
South Lancashire Council, which under this model will comprise areas of Chorley, South Ribble and West Lancashire, will provide a hub of connectivity and will be home to global manufacturing, set amongst a network of vibrant communities, historic market towns, and villages.
Transport links to neighbouring city regions of Liverpool and Manchester also allow more people to call these areas home, offering vibrant towns with tight-knit communities along with natural landscapes to enjoy.
It’s truly an exciting time for Lancashire and we’re proud to be proposing Four Lancashire model as the obvious choice for the future of the region.
Next steps
We now await feedback from government and will keep you posted as things progress
Next steps will include a period of consultation in the spring, and a final decision is expected in summer, before the school holidays.
For now, it’s very much business as usual and we will continue to provide excellent services to our residents and businesses.
Thank you for your continued commitment and we will keep you updated as we find out more.