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Burnham urged to 'supercharge' devolution plans

Gina MillsonLancashire political reporter
News imageANTBEX74 A red road sign with the words Lancashire, The Red Rose County on it in white letters.ANTBEX74
All of Lancashire's 15 councils are due to be scrapped within the next year

Calls are growing for Lancashire's devolution plans to be accelerated.

The current proposal is for the Red Rose county to have an elected mayor in 2028 following a major shake-up of local government in which all 15 councils will be scrapped and replaced with two to five new authorities.

Two senior figures at Lancashire County Council (LCC) have now joined a similar call made last year by Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council leader Phil Riley.

While Reform UK's council leader Stephen Atkinson and the Independent opposition leader Azhar Ali do not agree about how devolution should be speeded up, they are united in wanting it to happen before 2028.

News imageAn image of Councillor Azhar Ali. He's standing in front of a white wall, with the Lancashire flag to his left and the Union Flag to his right. He is smiling and wearing a navy suit and white shirt.
Councillor Azhar Ali is calling on Andy Burnham to take action if he becomes PM

Ali has written to Andy Burnham - soon widely expected to become prime minister - to ask for the devolution process to be "supercharged".

He suggests "creating the Mayor next year, so we [can] have the infrastructure and the decision-making body to make decisions for Lancashire".

In May 2027 elections will take place for Lancashire's new councils.

Ali believes the county's first mayor should be elected at the same time.

He said: "Otherwise we're going to have three, four or five unitary councils with all their leaders sat around trying to fight among themselves.

"Let's have a mayor, let's have the powers, let's have the money."

News imageLCC An image of Councillor Stephen Atkinson standing in front of County Hall. He is wearing a navy suit and white shirt with a red tie and a lapel badge of the Lancashire red rose.LCC
Councillor Stephen Atkinson believes Lancashire should receive additional funding immediately

Lancashire already has a Combined County Authority, which is a partnership between Lancashire County Council, Blackburn with Darwen Council and Blackpool Council.

It has some devolved powers from central government, but fewer than if it were operating under a mayoral model.

Atkinson does not believe having a mayor is necessary for Lancashire.

"We have a County Combined Authority that's ready now," he said. "Give Lancashire the money it deserves to get on and deliver better services and better infrastructure for Lancashire residents."

Disagreeing, Ali said: "Without a mayor we're never going to get the devolution that we desperately need.

"We desperately need the money - he's right there - but the way to do it is ask the government to give us the money and the powers.

"Let's have an elected mayor next year."

With a decision due in the coming weeks about how Lancashire's new councils will look, Atkinson thinks more time should be taken.

"This has never been attempted before and it puts a serious risk to vulnerable adults and children and will also take up all the capacity of local government over the next two years and for the following three years to make this happen.

"It will mean that full devolution won't take place across the country until 2028-29 - the county's screaming out for investment and it's not getting it because we're putting local government reorganisation in front of devolution."

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