No focus on climate change in new cabinet's responsibilities

A FOCUS on climate change will no longer be amongst the responsibilities of any of Lancashire County Council's cabinet after the new Reform administration took control of the authority.

- BY PAUL FAULKNER

New leader Stephen Atkinson who was officially installed on Thursday — has revealed the nine Reform councillors who will sit around the cabinet table with him at County Hall.

The majority of the portfolio titles have remained unaltered with members appointed who will have responsibility for major service areas including adult social care, children and families, and highways and transport. However, the post for environment and climate change — introduced by the previous Conservative administration — has been axed. The holder of the role had overseen a raft of initiatives, including tree-planting and electric vehicle charging point installation. The authority even staged its own climate summit back in 2022.

Under the new Reform group, climate change has disappeared from the cabinet briefs, while “environment” is now incorporated within a new portfolio for rural affairs, environment and communities.