Plans for local government reorganisation in Lancashire paused

Plans to abolish Lancashire’s 15 councils and replace them with four new authorities have been put on hold by the Government, pending a future review.

Amid concerns that this new council would have to either cut jobs or reduce services to balance its books, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Angela Rayner stood up in the House of Commons this afternoon and announced that the plans were being put on hold.

In a pre-announcement briefing, the Government stated that reorganisation plans in Essex, Hampshire, Norfolk and Suffolk were being fully withdrawn following new legal advice sought by Andy Burnham’s government.

Meanwhile the reorganisation of 14 further areas including Lancashire, announced at the tail-end of the previous government of Sir Keir Starmer, are now being paused pending a future review.

The briefing stated that this delay was ‘to ensure the process is robust and aligns with the new government’s plans’ for devolution, which are being laid out in their Rewiring the State policy White Paper.

However, the Government’s announcement did not make clear what would happen to the mountain of preparatory work currently ongoing within Lancashire’s councils, which were operating on the understanding that there would be elections in May 2027, before Pennine Lancashire took over in April 2028.

The Burnham administration did say that elections to these new authorities are still expected to go ahead next May, but how that would work while the plans are under review was not explained.

In her first speech in the House of Commons since being appointed, Secretary of State Rayner said: “As we are now more determined than ever to devolve power closer to the people we represent, it’s only right that as a new Secretary of State I make sure that everything we do is working towards that plan to change Britain, without delay.

“The Prime Minister told the House last week, he was ‘prepared to look at local government reorganisation’ and he asked me as his Communities Secretary to ‘do that’.

“[..] In that context, in light of legal advice, I want to satisfy myself firstly that the right process is in place, that it is robust, and of course complies with the law.

“And secondly, I want to fully test whether our proposals for local government reorganisation meet the priorities of a new administration and a new Prime Minister and any additional considerations.

“[..] I do not take this lightly. I recognise the huge amount of work that has already gone into progressing reorganisation in each of these areas, and I am very grateful for it.”

Mark Wynn, the Senior Responsible Officer for Local Government Reorganisation in Lancashire at the County Council, said: “We note the government’s announcement that plans for local government reorganisation in Lancashire will be reviewed and paused.

"Collectively we will consider the detail carefully and continue to work together while the review takes place.

"In the meantime, the focus of all of Lancashire's councils remains firmly on delivering services and supporting residents and communities across the county.”