URL: https://wyre.moderngov.co.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=805

Decision Maker: Chief Executive

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: No

Is Callable In?: No

Purpose: Purpose This report sets out Wyre Council’s response to the Government’s statutory consultation on the proposals for Local Government Reorganisation in Lancashire. Background At the end of November, five separate proposals for Local Government Reorganisation in Lancashire were submitted to Government. These were proposals for a: 1. Two Unitary Authorities (Lancashire County Council); 2. Three Unitary Authorities (Blackburn with Darwen, Fylde, Wyre, Hyndburn, Rossendale); 3. Four Unitary Authorities (Chorley, South Ribble, Preston, Lancaster, Ribble Valley, West Lancashire); 4. Four Unitary Authorities (alternative model) (Blackpool); 5. 5 Unitary Authorities (Pendle, Burnley) The Government consultation on Local Government Reorganisation in Lancashire was launched on 5 February 2026 for a period of seven weeks. The consultation invites responses from named stakeholders and is also open to residents, businesses, parish and town councils, and local authorities affected by the proposals, up to the closing date of 26 March 2026. The consultation asks for responses to the following seven questions, against each of the five proposals: 1. To what extent do you agree or disagree that the proposal suggests councils that are based on sensible geographies and economic areas? 2. To what extent do you agree or disagree that the proposed councils will be able to deliver the outcomes they describe in the proposal? 3. To what extent do you agree or disagree that the proposed councils are the right size to be efficient, improve capacity and withstand financial shocks? 4. To what extent do you agree or disagree that the proposed councils will deliver high quality, sustainable public services? 5. To what extent do you agree or disagree that the proposal has been informed by local views and will meet local needs? 6. To what extent do you agree or disagree that establishing the councils in this proposal will support devolution arrangements? 7. To what extent do you agree or disagree that the proposal enables stronger community engagement and gives the opportunity for neighbourhood empowerment? Following the consultation period the Secretary of State will assess the merits of each of the proposals and make a decision, subject to approval by Parliament, which proposal (or modification of a proposal) to implement. It is anticipated that such a decision will be reached and communicated to councils in the summer. Following a decision the anticipated timeline is for transitional arrangements, including shadow elections to new authorities in May 2027, with the new unitary councils taking on full council responsibilities from April 2028. Response Summary The consultation response in Appendix A sets out Wyre Council’s response to the Government’s consultation on Local Government Reorganisation and the options for Lancashire. It should be noted that this does not indicate support for Local Government Reorganisation; rather, it reflects Wyre Council’s understanding that it needs to be involved in the process to achieve the best outcomes on behalf of its residents. The consultation response provides the Council’s assessment of the merits and challenges of each option included in the Government’s consultation and explains Wyre Council’s rationale for supporting the three-unitary model. Wyre Council has several concerns about the other proposed models, and these concerns are captured in the responses below. The responses consider the structural arrangements of the proposed authorities, assess them against the established criteria, and set out the potential impact on Wyre and its residents. For each question, the response needs to state whether we strongly agree, somewhat agree, neither, somewhat disagree, or strongly disagree. The table in the cover report attached summarises these responses; the narrative explanation is contained within the full response document in Appendix A.

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Date of Decision: March 23, 2026