The big council carve-up: how you can influence radical revamp

Lancashire residents, businesses and community groups are being invited to have their say on the biggest council shakeup in the county for more than 50 years.

- by Paul Faulkner

The government-ordered overhaul will see all 15 main local authorities in Lancashire scrapped and just a handful of new ones created, covering much larger areas than most of the bodies they will replace.

A survey has now been launched to get the thoughts of the public and other interested parties on the plans.

It is part of a nationwide local government reorganisation (LGR) programme that will bring to an end the so-called 'two-tier' arrangement that exists in places like Lancashire where responsibility for different services is largely split between county and district councils.

The revamp will sweep away, by 2028, Lancashire County Council and the dozen district authorities - in Preston, South Ribble, Chorley, West Lancashire, Fylde, Wyre, Lancaster, Ribble Valley, Burnley, Hyndburn, Rossendale and Pendle - as well as the two small standalone councils covering Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen.

As is already the case with that latter pair, the newly-created 'unitary' authorities will be responsible for delivering all local services in their area.