Council shake-up decision early next year

The government today announced it has withdrawn its chosen option of dividing Lancashire into four new council areas.

It will now look at all the options that were put on the table for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) in the county and come to a decision on the future political map of Lancashire early next year.

The government announced in September it was putting the process on hold and planned a review to ensure it was ‘robust, legally sound and aligned with its priorities’.

Announced in July, the plans were described as the biggest change in local government in more than 50 years. Four new unitary councils were unveiled, replacing the current 15 authority setup and covering North, West, East and South Lancashire.

In a statement today the government said it remained committed to the LGR programme and withdrawing its decision did not mean reorganisation had been cancelled. It added that “all options and proposals remain under consideration.”

Those options, put to the government by Lancashire’s existing local authorities as part of the original process, included two, three and five new council areas, along with two versions of a four-authority set-up.

The four-council option that the government decided on was the most widely backed in the county.

In its statement today the government said that local elections will go ahead in May 2027 on existing council boundaries. New councils will be established for 2029, with elections to shadow councils in May 2028.

Local government minister Jim McMahon told the Commons today: “The decisions that we take now will be the building blocks for how this country is governed for generations to come.”

Mark Wynn, the senior responsible officer for LGR in Lancashire, said: “It's helpful to now have confirmation from government of the timetable for its review of LGR in Lancashire.

“Since the review was announced, the Programme Delivery Office and councils across Lancashire have reviewed implementation plans to identify the activity that can continue while the review is undertaken.

“This includes work that is not dependent on a particular future council structure or implementation timetable, helping to ensure that progress continues while avoiding unnecessary expenditure or abortive work.

“By focusing on these priorities, Lancashire will remain in a strong position to respond quickly and effectively when the outcome of the government's review is known.

“We will continue to work collaboratively with councils, elected members, staff and partners to ensure that we are well prepared for the next stage of the programme.”