Burnley Council Leader Afrasiab Anwar: Not participating in devolution discussion is not an option and failure to engage means that Burnley and Padiham will miss out

However, despite this shared sentiment, the realisation of devolution has remained elusive, primarily due to persistent disagreements over governance models. At the December full council meeting, members decided to defer their response to the proposals for a County Combined Authority presented by Lancashire County Council and the two unitary authorities, Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool Councils. The rationale behind this decision was a collective belief that expressing a standpoint prematurely would be unfair before gathering the opinions of residents and stakeholders.

The proposals outlined the establishment of a County Combined Authority without an elected mayor. This means that there will be no alteration to the functions of Burnley Borough Council, and no local government reorganisation across Lancashire. In recent weeks, active engagement with the community has taken the form of consultation events, community meetings, and discussions with local businesses. There has been a consensus at these engagements that the proposed deal falls short when compared to counterparts in Manchester, Liverpool, or West Yorkshire. However, local businesses and partners have emphasised the imperative need for a unified voice in Lancashire to effectively compete with other regions.

Residents have unequivocally voiced their desire for Burnley Council to remain unchanged, explicitly stating their opposition to an East Lancashire unitary run from Blackburn Town Hall. Nevertheless, there is a widespread acceptance and approval of the concept of devolution, and this deal aligns with that sentiment. As politicians we have shared our dissatisfaction with the way the deal came about and openly expressed concerns around transparency, the administration of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund by the upper-tier authority, and notably, the absence of voting rights for districts.

But leadership is about listening. Therefore, despite personal reservations, at full council we made the decision to endorse the proposals because rejecting them could risk Lancashire being left even further behind. The endorsement comes with a commitment to persistently advocate for a governance model that ensures district representation and voting rights. It has taken many years to get to this point and if we don’t start the journey now, we run the risk of being viewed by central government as lacking serious commitment, potentially resulting in missed

opportunities for another decade. This deal needs to be viewed as an initial step in a potential journey toward securing a better deal over time.

There is still a long way to go. Should the deal progress, it becomes imperative for all district leaders, particularly those in the east of the county, to champion the best interests of their respective areas. I am committed to ensuring that the voice of Burnley and Padiham is heard loud and clear. Not participating is not an option and failure to engage means that Burnley and Padiham will miss out. My focus remains on rising above political point-scoring and collaboratively working towards the improvement of Burnley and Padiham. As Lancashire moves forward in this critical juncture, a collective effort is essential for the collective betterment of the county.