Cross-party support grows for Lancashire Mayor – but questions remain

Blackburn with Darwen’s political boss has warned that the creation of a powerful elected Metro-style Mayor for Lancashire is essential to ensuring the borough and county get the full benefits of devolution.

Cllr Phil Riley told the authority’s annual Policy Council on Thursday night that only such a figurehead like Greater Manchester’s Andy Burnham could unlock the millions of pounds of government cash the area needed.

His plea was backed by Conservative group leader Cllr John Slater.

Introducing his report on ‘National policy reflections, corporate plan update and working on local government reorganisation’ Labour politician Cllr Riley turned to the future of Lancashire after devolution.

He told colleagues: “We really do need to continue to try and press people for a Mayor of Lancashire.

“Whatever people think of the idea of a Mayor, given that everybody in the North of England has got one and increasing numbers of counties are lining up for pieces of work in this direction it just makes no sense at all not to.

“And anyone who followed the Budget will have noticed that there was a number of the major pronouncements that were only for mayoral authorities including £9 billion for affordable housing.

“So if there are people who think this is not a good idea whatever their own personal views – and I’m having a conversation about the Reform group who run Lancashire County Council – they’re not doing the residents of Lancashire any good at all by standing on the sidelines and watching everybody else –  particularly our neighbours in terms of Greater Manchester, Liverpool and West Yorkshire – just get more and more chunks of money to get ahead of us.

“I think it is an important thing that we should take every opportunity to try and put the pressure on to just do the obvious and sensible thing.

“We could get back into the fast track in terms of a 2027 election for a Mayor which might fit well with the government’s priorities in the sense that that would be elections on the same day for both the Mayor of Lancashire and the new unitary authorities.

“That would be a neat way of tying it together. That’s what we are trying to achieve.”

Cllr Slater said: “The first thing is to agree about the Mayor.

“I want this done as soon as possible.

“The amount of money that went to the combined mayoral authorities in the Budget was phenomenal and the people of Lancashire are missing out.”

Cllr Suleman Khonat of the main 4BwD opposition group endorsed Cllr Riley’s call.

Lancashire County Council’s Reform UK leader Cllr Stephen Atkinson said after the meeting: “Lancashire residents want to understand if additional funds will be delivered by a mayor – we are waiting for government to confirm if there are additional funds and if so, how much.

“Mayors like in Manchester charge households’ additional council tax. We always need to put residents at the forefront of our decision making.”