Blackpool Council leader: This is not the Local Government Reorganisation we wanted

The leader of Blackpool Council has expressed disappointment at today’s decision on Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) in Lancashire – and fears the town will ‘lose its identity’.

Cllr Lynn Williams did not hold back on her views about the new unitary council for West Lancashire – which will see Blackpool joining with Fylde and Wyre. This is not the version Labour-led Blackpool Council wanted, having previously expressed a preference for a merger with Fylde and Preston councils, along with the western half of Wyre borough up to the River Wyre.

This decision, subject to Parliamentary approval, represents the biggest change in local government in more than 50 years.

Under the plans four new unitary councils will be created, replacing all 15 existing councils.

The new authorities – whose names will be agreed at a later date – will provide all council services in their area. The changes, which are subject to Parliamentary approval, will formally come into effect on April 1, 2028, but will exist in shadow form from May 2027 when their first elections will be held.

Cllr Lynn Williams, Leader of Blackpool Council, said: “We know most people in Blackpool don’t want this to happen. There is a real risk of losing Blackpool’s identity in reorganisation. But the government has decided on a process and rather than bury our heads in the sand we worked hard to find what we felt was the best solution.

“I’m disappointed that our proposal hasn’t been brought forward. We put forward a case that was the most difficult to do, by suggesting to change the boundaries at the River Wyre.

“We felt that if the government was looking at reorganisation then it may as well do the job properly and fix the boundary anomalies drawn in the seventies that mean people in rural areas near Lancaster were having decisions made in Preston and Poulton-le-Fylde.

“This outcome isn’t the best one to deliver services to people on the Fylde coast in my opinion. Delivering services to people either side of the River Wyre isn’t the best use of public money. However, we are public servants and the decision has been made.

“Our duty now is to make sure that when the new councils come into force in 2028, they are set up with residents at the heart of them.

“We will also work extremely closely with our new partners to make sure that the new council is first and foremost set up to do the processes that keep children and adults safe, that continue to fix roads, improve housing and create jobs for local people.

“Blackpool is the geographic centre of the new council and the biggest economic area, so I will now be working hard to ensure that Blackpool voices are heard and can shape the future direction of the new authority.

“It is hard to receive this decision with anything but sadness. Since becoming a unitary authority in 1998, we have done things with Blackpool people first. We’ve regenerated the town centre to bring thousands of workers in and create jobs for young people.

“We’ve created six council owned companies to make sure things that are important like housing, public transport and bin collections are done with people first, not profits. And we’ve set up our tourism industry to be run by local people, ensuring that every penny that a holidaymaker spends in our attractions stays in the town.

“I’m not sure any of that would have happened if Blackpool was still part of Lancashire County Council, so the next challenge is to make sure that Blackpool’s voice is heard very loudly in the new council, at the Combined County Authority and at the heart of government.”