New Labour-Liberal shared administration sets out plan for Pendle

The two groups have laid out a Plan for Pendle outlining the main goals and objectives for the borough in the coming year.

Among the top priorities for the shared administration are to:

Protect the area’s leisure services - especially the future of its three Sports Centres in the light of the previous administration’s report on their viability - and to seek the views of residents and other bodies on how best to protect them

Create a new Local Plan with reduced housing development to protect our green spaces - and to fight to keep decision-making in the hands of local people

Step up the action on making the area’s homes more energy-efficient, especially our many terraced houses

Press to make more social housing available - and step up action to cut the number of long-term empty properties in the area

Strengthen controls on rogue landlords and their sub-standard properties

Put priority on projects like rescuing the renewal plan for Colne Market Hall and keeping up the fight for a Health Centre for Barnoldswick

Facilitate the provision of proper youth services throughout the borough and help to tackle issues of antisocial behaviour among young people.

Coun. Asjad Mahmood, the Labour leader and set to become Leader of the Council at Thursday’s meeting, said: “We now have the chance to work together with new priorities and new aims and goals for the area and all of its people and to put right some of the problems that the past administration has left in its wake.

“Thirteen years of Conservative cuts to Pendle Council has crippled many services and we will work with the Liberal Democrats to find out the extent of the damage the Tories have caused and repair the reputational damage to Pendle over the last few years.”

Coun. David Whipp, Liberal group leader and deputy council leader elect added: “Residents in Pendle have more than their fair share of problems, with some of the poorest housing conditions in the country, ill health and low average wages. The Government’s funding fails to meet the needs of local people and the council is between a rock and a hard place when it comes to having enough money for vital services.

“After two years when the previous administration has been treading water and failed to make any significant savings, there’s a desperate need to make ends meet and achieve budget reductions without slashing services. We hope to make a start in repairing the damage that 24 months of Conservative rule has done in Pendle.

“We also want to open up the council to Pendle’s citizens and give people a real say in what the council should be doing. We’ll make a start by resuming having meetings streamed online by the council. It’s a small step, but an indication of our commitment to being open and transparent.”

The joint administration’s initial Plan for Pendle includes:

Prioritise closing Pendle Council’s budget gap. Reduce reliance and spending on outside consultants.

Achieve real budget savings to plug Pendle's financial black hole, work throughout the year via an all-party Budget Working Group, to seek savings and alternative means of provision including through sharing services with other councils.

Restructure senior management team, with a view to joint working and shared services with neighbouring authorities.

Work to maintain front-line local services including working with town and parish councils to transfer services and facilities to them by agreement. Complete the programme of Park transfers and look to extend this initiative to outdoor sports and other appropriate service areas.

Make sure all parts of Pendle receive fair treatment from the Council.

Maximise opportunities for future Levelling Up Fund bids.

Publish the report into sports’ centres commissioned under the previous administration; carry out a comprehensive consultation with residents, users and town/parish councils about the future of leisure service provision in order to find a way of maintaining accessible local leisure facilities in Pendle's townships.

Progress publication of a new Local Plan with reduced housing numbers to protect Pendle’s green spaces without further delay.

Press for a massive initiative to improve energy efficiency for homes, with terraced houses a particular priority.

Launch a new drive to increase the supply of social housing.

Continue action to reduce the number of long-term empty houses, with priority targeting of individual long-term empties.

Strengthen controls on landlords failing to meet required housing standards.

Give priority to creating new housing on brownfield sites.

Review policies around extending existing houses.

Vest Gibb Hill with the town councils in Nelson and Colne in order to establish the area as a nature reserve in perpetuity.

Continue to work to strengthen and support all our town centres.

Priority projects to include rescuing the scheme to renew Colne's Market Hall together with creating improved event space in collaboration with Colne Town Council.

Support renewal of Earby's public realm, including improvements to accessibility and creation of event space, and completion of work in Barnoldswick.

Facilitate provision of youth services throughout the borough, including supporting skatepark provision at Victory Park, Barnoldswick.

Prioritise Street Level Issues including dogs and dog dirt, street cleansing, litter, and anti-social behaviour, including the increased use of community protection notices and the use of fixed penalties for fly-tipping.

Implement previous decisions on Northern Forest initiative.

Implement roll-out of ev chargers.

Implement new taxi safety measures.

Work to carry out Phase 3 of Earby flood alleviation work, with funding from Frequently Flooded Communities programme.

Press for provision of a new health centre in Barnoldswick.

Undertake urgent review of contract with District Enforcement.

All party briefings on issues, ensuring involvement of all elected members.

Development Control to remain with Area Committees as at present.

Executive to comprise groups in shared administration.