Blackpool formally confirms proposals to merge with Preston

Blackpool Council has formally confirmed its proposals to merge with Preston to form a new council.

- by Richard Hunt

The Labour-led authority has opted for the creation of a new local authority which would also include Fylde and western parts of Wyre - and serve 475,000 people.

A meeting of Blackpool's Executive committee last night ratrified the propsals and now local authorities across th country must wait for the process to enfold.

It is all part of the Local Government Reorganisation proposals, the biggest shakeup of loacl governments since the dramatic upheaval of 1974.

The proposal has been put forward by Blackpool Council in response to a government call for suggestions about how to streamline the local authority system right across Lancashire.