Burnley party leaders have their say on Local Government Reorganisation for Lancashire

Burnley Council leader and leader of the Burnley Independent Group, Coun. Afrasiab Anwar, the leader of Burnley Labour, Coun. Mark Townsend, and the leader of the Burnley Green Party, Coun. Jack Launer, have all had their say on the proposed Local Government Reorganisation.

Remarkably, given the historic and wide-ranging impact these local government changes would have, the Burnley Express has received nothing back from the leaders of Burnley Reform UK or the Burnley Liberal Democrats when asked for their views.

The Pendle Lib Dems, however, have expressed their opposition to the plans.

The independent leader of Burnley Council, Coun. Anwar, has already spoken frequently on the subject, emphasising his strong opposition to the plans, misgivings shared by the local Green Party.

Coun. Anwar has even launched a petition calling on residents to fight against proposals for a new East Lancashire authority, containing Burnley, Blackburn, Pendle and Rossendale, warning the move amounts to “a political takeover disguised as local government reorganisation.”

Political takeover

He said: “LGR as is currently being pursued via the ‘super council’ model is not the answer. The people of Lancashire deserve councils that are local, accountable, and connected to their communities, not disconnected “quasi regional mega-councils” that centralise power and weaken local voices.

“The government’s ‘super council’ model risks repeating the mistakes of the failed NHS mergers, which have been disastrous for patients.

“Bigger is not better. Evidence shows that unitary councils with populations of 250,000 to 350,000 perform better and are more efficient. The proposed 500,000 population benchmark is a disaster waiting to happen.”

However, local Labour leader, Coun. Townsend branded such views as “scare stories”, although did admit as small a unitary authority as possible would be the preferred outcome and that having the necessary economic influence might be possible without Blackburn and Burnley being in the same authority.

Devolving power is chance for Burnley to get its voice back

Coun. Townsend said: “Devolving power from Whitehall and Preston to East Lancashire is a good thing that is long overdue.

“The current model, established in 1974, has failed Burnley with its voice and standing sidelined over many years and exacerbated by the recent establishment of a Lancashire Combined Authority that only allows LCC, Blackburn and Blackpool to participate.

“Talk of Burnley being taken over and the town being run-by politicians from other towns in a new unitary model of governance are just scare stories. In reality the takeover has already happened and needs to be put right. All communities in whatever unitary amalgamations are put together will have equal representation and a voice on a new unitary council.

“The decision on which areas come together to work in partnership must be based on what will work and be sustainable for the next 50 years.

“We need as small a unitary council as possible but it has to have the financial strength and economic power to compete and influence or we condemn our area to under performance again for the next 50 years. The outcome cannot be driven by short term political game playing by politicians trying desperately to protect their own positions.

“This is a chance for Burnley to get its voice back and regain its influence at the top table in Lancashire. More importantly though it’s an opportunity to deliver better and more efficient services for residents.

“On top of this a new unitary model will give local representatives the means to set policy in areas such as the local economy, housing and transport and not have policy imposed like we do now by faceless bureaucrats who don’t know us or live here.

“A new unitary council will make Burnley stronger in a stronger East Lancashire.”

Greens want smaller combined authority

The Burnley Green Party leader, Coun. Jack Launer, said that if unitary authorities had to happen they should be formed from a lower population base than has been touted.

He said: “If we have to have these unitaries, then something like Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale is the largest it should be, we can’t risk creating a county where we have some ‘Unitaries of Deprivation’ and some ‘Unitaries of Wealth’.

“Our position is LGR should mean more decentralisation, not more upwards centralisation. We dislike the idea that we must have unitaries, and the Burnley Green Party would be happy with a combined authority for East Lancashire, where districts remain with a smaller combined authority as the umbrella organisation, but if we have to have unitaries, then around 200,000 is the ideal number, we can look at Greater Manchester where most unitaries are around that mark.

“Removing the local link we have between ward councillors, and replacing that with one councillor serving a much larger area, dealing with everything, means that link is lost.

“By having a 500,000 unitary, it will mean more of the same. Preston and Blackburn are a long way from Burnley and we have been unable to build the necessary relationships to improve our deprivation ranking. Each of the towns in East Lancashire deserve a better deal than this.

“Rather than cost savings in the sector, we perhaps should be looking at solutions to build a new economy and a targeted approach for each district. This would require more localised working and a better say for residents. Local government has been cut enough from austerity and broad-brush policies designed far away from Burnley Council’s chamber.”