Burnley Express readers' letters: Lancashire devolution would work better if Burnley Council accepts all-party working group
I have long been a supporter of Lancashire devolution and was one of the first leaders in Lancashire 10 years ago to say we needed a ‘Manchester like’ mayor for the county, a democratically elected figurehead who had similar influence to that of Manchester to attract investment for jobs and prosperity as well as fight for the other causes that makes Burnley and Lancashire unique.
I am delighted that the government has indicated that a directly elected mayor may happen as early as 2026.
This week’s first meeting of the Lancashire County Combined Authority (CCA) marked the end of a decade of trying to get additional powers, resources and decision making from Whitehall into Lancashire. Unfortunately this disastrous first step on the road to devolution condemned the county to the national slow lane and left places like Burnley with no voice and no influence in how those new powers and resources are to be used. It is still unfathomable to many, including myself, that Burnley Council and its Independent leader Coun. Afrasiab Anwar naively supported the establishment of a Lancashire CCA on this basis even though Burnley residents rejected the proposal when formally consulted on the proposal in January 2024.
This disastrous decision made the future reorganisation of Lancashire councils inevitable if Burnley and the surrounding area were ever to get their voice and influence back in any future Lancashire devolution settlement.
Going forward, the government has now announced that all 15 upper and lower tier councils in Lancashire will be scrapped, including Lancashire County Council and Burnley Council. They will be replaced with a small number of unitary councils that will combine all services into one single tier council. No longer the confusing set up of trying to understand which council does what and which council residents should contact for different services.
This simplification is good news and through efficiencies gained should allow more resources to get to the front line to enable better delivery of services. The system we have now might have made sense in 1974 when it was established, a time before mobile phones and personal computers, but it doesn’t now and needs to change.
The 71p in every pound in council tax that currently goes to County Hall in Preston for them to decide how to spend it will be kept in the local area for local priorities set by local people. Burnley and the surrounding area will also get its voice and influence back on a new Strategic Authority for Lancashire working alongside a powerful directly elected Mayor with devolved powers.
It is now vitally important for Burnley residents that the right early decisions are made as to how this will all work and who will work with who in these new arrangements to make them a success.
These are decisions that will shape the next 50 years for Burnley residents and should not be based on short term populist agendas where the next election in May or protecting personal status and self interest become the overriding influencing factors.
Unfortunately the first decisions by the coalition running Burnley Council and the statements from its Independent leader in this respect do not augur well. Instead of systematically and diligently exploring options the council is imposing knee jerk and populist red lines with no analysis and no evidence to back them up.
Coming up with arbitrary proposals for the number of unitary authorities and not thought through resolutions as to who should not be working with who across East Lancashire are not helpful at this stage and just exacerbates Burnley’s isolation from serious discussions taking place across Lancashire.
Nothing should be ruled out at this stage to allow all options to be reviewed and analysed fully ahead of a wide public consultation and final decisions that need to be taken in November.
This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Burnley to ensure its voice is heard and influence felt across Lancashire for the long term benefit of local residents. The opportunity cannot be lost because of petty political game playing and personal protection agendas currently at play in the coalition of Independents, Greens and Lib Dems led by Coun. Anwar at Burnley Council.
It’s time for those at the top of the council to recognise that all political groupings on the council need to work together to get the best deal for Burnley. This could start immediately by taking up the Labour Group offer made at the last Full Council meeting of an all party working group to steer this much needed reorganisation smoothly into reality for the long term benefit of residents.
Coun. Mark Townsend Burnley Labour Group Leader