Councils urged to work together on how and what will replace them

Overhaul would see an end to current system, but plans are divisive

- BY PAUL FAULKNER

LANCASHIRE'S 15 main councils have been urged to work together in order to agree a vision for what will replace them when they are all abolished.

That was the overarching message from the government in response to the county's initial thoughts on how to reshape the local authority landscape.

Council leaders had to submit an “interim plan” back in March in answer to a call from ministers to set out how they see the future of local government in Lancashire after a radical overhaul that will result in the creation of just a handful of new, standalone authorities for the entire county.

In a “feedback” letter from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government - seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) - the county's constituent councils have been told “effective collaboration” between them will be “crucial” to the ongoing process, ahead of a deadline for final proposals in November.

“We would encourage you to continue to build strong relationships and agree ways of working, including around effective data sharing,” the correspondence advises, noting the need to provide “evidence” for any suggestions that are ultimately put forward.

It also presses councils to consider how any proposed changes would “deliver high-quality and sustainable public services” - and to focus on the potential implications for adult and children's social care.

The government plans to end the current 'two-tier' system, whereby responsibilities are split in most parts of Lancashire between the county council and the 12 more local, district authorities like Preston, Chorley and Burnley.

A so-called 'unitary' model already in operation in Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen, where a single council delivers all local authority services in those two areas would then be rolled out countywide, via the creation of just a few new authorities covering larger patches than the traditional council geographies.