Lancashire Leaders to continue working together

LEADERS across Lancashire’s councils met for the first time since the local and General elections this week and have committed to continue working together as part of a formal body.

Moves to progress to a Lancashire Combined Authority were put on ice earlier in the year due to a lack of clarity from Central Government as to what the next steps were going to be and with the county council elections on the horizon in May.

Following a shake-up of political leadership in the aftermath of the district and county council elections the Lancashire authorities are looking forward to having a stronger voice in the region by working together.

Councillor Simon Blackburn, chair of the shadow combined authority, said positive progress was being made and that the councils will now go back to the Government and press them on what their plans are for Lancashire.

“We had a really positive meeting and there’s a real will among the councils to work together for the benefit of residents and businesses in Lancashire,” he said.

“Following the General Election we are now going to take soundings from the Government as to whether a Combined Authority is what they want to see in Lancashire or whether they’d prefer us to go down a different route.

“We’ll see what they get back to us with in the coming weeks and we’ll take a decision as to where we go from here when we meet in September.”