‘Collaboration’ key to a devo deal says County Hall

County Council leader Phillipa Williamson has stressed that “close collaboration” between Lancashire’s 15 local authority leaders will be key to securing a devolution deal.

She was speaking after Michael Gove unveiled the government’s White Paper on levelling up and its aim to “transform the UK” by spreading opportunity and prosperity to all of it.

At its heart is a complete “system change” of how government works, with the “biggest shift of power from Whitehall to local leaders” and it will offer regions the chance to get ‘London style’ powers, and a mayor, if they want.

Nine areas are being invited to agree new county deals. Negotiations will begin with Cornwall, Derbyshire and Derby, Devon, Plymouth and Torbay, Durham, Hull and East Yorkshire, Leicestershire, Norfolk, Nottinghamshire and Nottingham, and Suffolk.

The White Paper also announces an expanded Mayoral Combined Authority deal for the North East, as well as negotiations for ‘trailblazer’ devolution deals with the West Midlands and Greater Manchester to extend their powers - with these deals acting as blueprints for other Mayoral Combined Authorities to follow.

By 2030, every part of England that wishes to have a ‘London-style’ devolution deal will have one.

The county’s 15 local authorities are currently working towards the goal of striking a ‘Greater Lancashire’ devolution deal with Westminster, which would not include an elected mayor.

Cllr Williamson said: “We welcome the White Paper and its vision to give powers back to local areas. For too long decision-making in England has been seen to be remote from local people and the White Paper sends the clearest signal yet that government is willing to radically change that power dynamic.

“Here in the county, I have been working closely with local leaders to put a clear proposition to government about how Lancashire can take more control of its own destiny. That close collaboration will be key in ensuring that we seize the opportunities the White Paper sets out.”

However, there was a strong warning that Lancashire faces a decade of being ‘levelled down’ following the publication of the White Paper.

It came from Frank McKenna, the group chairman and chief executive of private sector lobby group and business networking club Downtown in Business.

He is also a former deputy leader of Lancashire County Council and leader of the Northwest Regional Assembly.
Mr McKenna, a Lancashire Business View columnist, said: “We have been consistently calling on the county’s politicians to get their act together, come up with a vision and a plan that creates a modernised local governance structure that is fit-for-purpose for the 21st century.

“What Levelling Up minister Michael Gove has made absolutely clear in his White Paper is that there is an opportunity for all places to benefit from devolved structures – and with that will come extra cash.

“If we maintain our current three-tier council structure in Lancashire, then we will be relegated from the slow lane to the hard shoulder as far as economic development, inward investment and regeneration is concerned.

“It is simply not good enough, and it is time now for the private sector to step up our efforts and demand long overdue change.”

Mr McKenna pointed out that Greater Manchester is in line to become a ‘trailblazer’ Combined Authority, providing local mayor Andy Burnham and local authorities in the region additional powers and resources.

As part of this new deal, Greater Manchester will receive £100mn of new government funding to turbo-charge local growth through an innovation cluster, which will look to replicate the success from the MIT-Boston and Stanford-Silicon Valley models.”

He said that Lancashire was now on the periphery of the ‘levelling up’ agenda.

And he added: “The White Paper offers an opportunity for areas to get a devolution deal if they want one. That must now be Lancashire’s aim. If our politicians fail to take that opportunity, then the county will fall further behind its neighbours in Manchester, Liverpool, and across the Pennines in West Yorkshire.”

• For further Lancashire business news, advice and analysis subscribe to Lancashire Business View or join the LBV Hub from just £2.50 per month. Click here to subscribe now.