Lancashire will get elected mayor, deputy prime minister says
After almost a decade of political wrangling, Angela Rayner appears to have confirmed Lancashire will be getting an elected mayor within the next 18 months.During a question and answer session at the Convention of the North in Preston, the deputy prime minister said she understood "the perception" that places without an Andy Burnham-style figurehead may feel left out."I've been really straight that we want mayors," she said, "and with the new [devolution] priority programme, by May 2026, the whole of the north will have mayors, which is fantastic."Lancashire local authority leaders had previously been asked to come up with proposals for "deeper and wider devolution" by this autumn.
All of Lancashire's 15 councils have been asked to submit initial plans for how they will reorganise themselves into new authorities.The government wants councils to merge to create single unitary authorities to provide all the services in their area under an elected mayor.Devolution minister, Jim McMahon, told the conference: "It's about giving local leaders the power to get on and do the job and a mayor is really important in that, they do make a difference."The devolution white paper, published two months ago, stated that it was the government's "strong preference" that local areas opted for mayor if they did not already have one – but it also held out the alternative prospect of a non-mayoral "strategic authority", like the Lancashire Combined County Authority (CCA) that came into being last month, to oversee its existing devolution deal.That "level two" agreement gives Lancashire powers including control of the adult education budget and some aspects of local transport, as well as a one-off £20m innovation fund.
However, a top-grade "level three" deal would see the creation of a long-term investment cash pot, with an agreed annual allocation, along with a say over local rail and greater control over brownfield regeneration.The leaders of Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen councils, Lynn Williams and Phil Riley, two of the three current devolution deal signatories, have previously expressed hope and confidence that Lancashire would end up part of the government's devolution priority programme of places where mayors would be in place by next May. Lancashire County Council leader Phillippa Williamson, the other devolution partner, has previously stressed the lack of local agreement over a mayor, but had not ventured a particular preference on behalf of her own authority.However, district council leaders are openly split over the issue – with the likes of Chorley's Alistair Bradley and Preston's Matthew Brown having come out in favour of a mayor, but others including Wyre leader Michael Vincent and Ribble Valley's Stephen Atkinson staunchly against.
Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on BBC Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
Minister says spending review will mark ‘end to austerity', as Home Office yet to agree deal
Update: Date: 2025-06-09T08:32:22.000Z Title: Angela Rayner, the deputy PM and housing secretary, settled with the Treasury late last night. Content: Good morning. In theory spending review negotiations can go up to the wire, with the final talks to resolve sticking points taking place late at night, only hours before the final decisions, and documents, are presented to MPs. In practice, it does not really happen like that now, last-minute haggling is no longer routine, and, with two days to go beofre the spending review that will settle government spending until 2019, only one cabinet minister has not yet settled. Here are the key developments this morning on the issue that will dominate the week. The news was broken by Arj Singh from the i, who reports: The i Paper understands that Rayner and Reeves agreed a deal just after 7.30pm after marathon talks on Sunday. But Home Office and Treasury sources were tight lipped on Sunday, in an indication that negotiations over police funding are also going to the wire. That means Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, is the only minister yet to agree a spending settlement with the chancellor, Rachel Reeves. In the Times Chris Smyth says police budgets are expected to rise by more than inflation, but other parts of the Home Office budget may face cuts. He reports: It is understood that Reeves has insisted that policing budgets will rise in each year of the spending review, which sets funding up to 2028-29. However, it remains unclear if the boost will match the more than £1 billion extra officers say is needed to cover existing shortfalls. Cooper is also expected to have to find deeper cuts elsewhere to boost police budgets. The Border Force has warned of longer queues at airports as it faces cuts to its £1.2 billion budget, saying there would be a 'threat to national security' if it lost frontline staff. Two police unions have launched a last-minute bid for extra money. In an article in the Daily Telegraph, Nick Smart, president of the Police Superintendents's Association, and Tiff Lynch, acting chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, say: Police are being asked to do more with less – again – as pressure mounts on already overstretched budgets. Why? Policing faces a £1.2 billion shortfall. This is before it is asked to deliver the ambitious pledges of the new government. Police forces across the country are being forced to shed officers and staff to deliver savings. These are not administrative cuts. They go to the core of policing's ability to deliver a quality service: fewer officers on the beat, longer wait times for victims, and less available officers when a crisis hits. As a practical lobbying exercise, this is fairly pointless, because it comes too late, but the two unions are making their case to the public. Chris Bryant, the culture minister, has said that the spending review will mark 'an end to austerity'. He told Times Radio: We know from running the government that spending money of itself isn't an achievement. Spending money and getting results is an achievement and that's why we are saying now with this spending review on Wednesday it's an end to austerity … That period of austerity where I think previous governments simply cut all public service budgets just because they believed that was what you had to do is over. But he also said some budgets would be 'stretched'. He said health and defence spending would rise, but added: There are going to be other parts of the budget that are going to be much more stretched and be difficult. Ministers have been promising the end of austerity at least since Theresa May was in office. Labour defend using the term on the grounds that overall government spending is going up in real terms. But there is no agreed definition of 'austerity' and, if spending is falling in certain areas, that may feel like austerity, and so using the term does not contribute a lot to public debate. What it does mean, though, is government not wanting to be associated with George Osborne. Here is our overnight story about the spending review. Here is the agenda for the day. Morning: Keir Starmer gives a speech at a London Tech Week event. 11.30am: Downing Street holds a lobby briefing. Noon: Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, gives a speech at Port Talbot in south Wales. 2.30pm: Angela Rayner, the deputy PM and housing secretary, takes questions in the Commons. Also, Starmer is meeting Mark Rutte, the Nato general secretary, in Downing Street today. If you want to contact me, please post a message below the line when comments are open (normally between 10am and 3pm at the moment), or message me on social media. I can't read all the messages BTL, but if you put 'Andrew' in a message aimed at me, I am more likely to see it because I search for posts containing that word. If you want to flag something up urgently, it is best to use social media. You can reach me on Bluesky at @ The Guardian has given up posting from its official accounts on X, but individual Guardian journalists are there, I still have my account, and if you message me there at @AndrewSparrow, I will see it and respond if necessary. I find it very helpful when readers point out mistakes, even minor typos. No error is too small to correct. And I find your questions very interesting too. I can't promise to reply to them all, but I will try to reply to as many as I can, either BTL or sometimes in the blog.
Telegraph
5 hours ago
- Telegraph
Rayner housing blitz will flood Britain with ‘soulless settlements', Tories say
Labour will create 'soulless settlements' and encourage urban sprawl with its plans to overhaul the planning system, the shadow housing minister has said. Kevin Hollinrake said that Angela Rayner's plans will strip local residents of power over their own communities, and risks the proliferation of ugly 'cookie-cutter homes'. The Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which returns to the Commons this week, aims to speed up planning decisions in part by stripping local authorities of some decision-making powers. Labour plans to build 1.5 million new homes over the course of this Parliament, which they say will be possible in part with construction on poor-quality green belt, dubbed 'grey belt'. The Government has also reintroduced mandatory housing targets, totalling 370,000 homes a year, for local authorities. The Conservatives claim that the new legislation lacks sufficient protections for the character of England's smaller towns and villages, which could end up merging into the areas with the new settlements. 'Must build homes people want' Writing in The Telegraph, Mr Hollinrake said that the Bill 'starts by blatantly encouraging urban sprawl, increasing housing targets for councils outside of towns and cities whilst easing targets for cities like London'. He said: 'This will just create new, soulless settlements, take away our green belt, and make residents feel trapped and isolated hours away from their friends, work, and the amenities they need.' The shadow housing secretary also pointed to the Government scrapping the Office for Place, which was founded to devise how to make attractive and well-designed housing. 'Without the Office for Place, there is nothing protecting communities from the bland, cookie-cutter houses that foster isolation. 'One and a half million new homes is an admirable ambition, but it means nothing if you don't build the communities and homes people actually want.' 'We are taking decisive action' The Tories have tabled an amendment designed to enshrine in law the preservation of the historic character of historic villages and prevent them from merging with other settlements. The legislation will also see more powers given to Natural England, a quango, which will be tasked with drawing up 'environmental delivery plans' for new proposed developments. But Mr Hollinrake said that the organisation is 'grossly underprepared for such a nationally significant mission' and risks 'wasting taxpayers' money in the process'. A Government spokesman said: 'We completely reject these claims, which simply do not acknowledge the scale of the housing crisis [we] inherited. 'Through our Planning and Infrastructure Bill, along with our wider reforms, we are taking decisive action to speed up every stage of the planning process and deliver the homes and infrastructure we need. 'The Bill creates a win-win for nature recovery and development, including a new Nature Restoration Fund, which unblocks building by funding large scale protection of precious habitats and species.' Labour isn't creating greener, cleaner communities you're proud to be a part of – Conservatives are by Kevin Hollinrake Every person in Britain deserves a place they can call home. A community they can be proud to return to after a hard day's work. One that is safe, connected and prosperous, embodying the green and pleasant land that our nation should stand for. Without this, we cease to be a united community and a United Kingdom. We have forgotten this. Our communities have never been more divided. Never felt more hopeless and isolated. And people are crying out for change. We cannot afford to fail them. Labour doesn't understand this. And, as the Planning and Infrastructure Bill returns to Parliament, it clear to see. In its current state, the Bill will encourage isolation and break up communities. It won't connect or empower people. It won't help nature flourish or build beautiful houses that people are proud to call home. It starts by blatantly encouraging urban sprawl, increasing housing targets for councils outside of towns and cities whilst easing targets for cities like London. This will just create new, soulless settlements, take away our green belt, and make residents feel trapped and isolated hours away from their friends, work, and the amenities they need. 'Labour doesn't care for creating beautiful communities' Instead, we should be gently densifying our existing towns and cities to resurrect lost communities. This requires beautiful new homes and developments that bring nature and the life it brings back into the hearts of our towns and cities. Look at some of the most beautiful parts of our great cities, like Marylebone in London, with mid-rise, six-storey mansion blocks. No one would complain if this beautiful architecture were repeated elsewhere. But Labour showed it doesn't care for creating beautiful, connected communities when they shut the Office for Place. With Nicholas Boys Smith at the helm, it made sure new developments focused on building beautiful, green and connected communities. Without the Office for Place, there is nothing protecting communities from the bland, cookie-cutter houses that foster isolation. One and a half million new homes is an admirable ambition, but it means nothing if you don't build the communities and homes people actually want. Building beautiful also means reviving nature within communities, and that starts by empowering local residents. They know what they need, not mandarins in Whitehall. But once again, Labour doesn't understand how to revive lost communities. For generations, Labour has wanted weak communities dependent on the state, and this continues today. They are stripping local communities of autonomy by backtracking on their promise to slash quangos and putting taxpayers' money and the responsibility of local nature in the hands of Natural England. Natural England is grossly underprepared for such a nationally significant mission. And we have seen too many times centrally controlled quangos struggle with the basics whilst wasting taxpayers' money in the process. 'Conservative MPs are taking action' To its credit, at least Labour's Bill will bring some good news for smaller house builders. Cutting and simplifying planning and biodiversity red tape will make it much easier for them to compete with the volume house builders. That is why Conservative MPs are taking action, amending this Bill to ensure Britain gets the empowered, connected and beautiful communities you deserve. Whether it is David Simmonds – my fellow shadow minister for housing, communities and local government – enshrining the right to preserve the special character of historic villages and preventing them from merging with other towns. Or encouraging more sustainable drainage so we have cleaner rivers and communities. Or Rebecca Smith, MP for South West Devon, and her amendment to end ridiculous red tape on creating ponds, empowering local communities to breathe life into local nature whilst protecting their areas from drought and flooding. Or Aphra Brandreth – a former councillor and now MP for Chester South and Eddisbury – whose amendment will make it easier for local communities to plant more trees, creating a greener, more pleasant environment. That is just to mention a few, because my colleagues have been working tirelessly to hold Labour to account. We rightly lost the last election because we failed to listen to the British people and deliver on their priorities. There is a long road to regaining your trust – we know that. But in opposition, we are taking the fight to Labour and delivering for Britain. We are listening. And with our amendments to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, we will deliver a more connected, prosperous and greener country that you can once again feel proud to be part of.
Daily Mail
14 hours ago
- Daily Mail
As Rachel Reeves prepares to splurge billions on NHS and tech... will she stick to her promise NOT to raise taxes?
was last night urged to keep her promise not to hike taxes again amid fears more raids are on the way. The Chancellor will unveil big spending cuts to some departments on Wednesday as she looks to plug a black hole in the public finances of as much as £60 billion. But there are growing fears that the cuts, part of her spending review, won't be enough and she will be forced into another round of tax hikes this autumn. Ms Reeves has already come under fire for hiking employers' National Insurance in last year's autumn Budget as part of a wider £40 billion tax raid. It came as she was still locked in talks with Home Secretary Yvette Cooper about planned cuts. Ms Cooper's department is among those expected to take the brunt of this week's cuts despite police chiefs warning of 'far-reaching consequences' on their ability to fight crime. Last night Housing Secretary Angela Rayner resolved a similar clash with the Chancellor, reaching an agreement over the settlement for her department. However, Ms Cooper was still holding out against police cuts, with negotiations expected to go down to the wire ahead of Wednesday's spending review. While some departments are facing cuts, others are in line for cash injections, with an extra £30 billion earmarked for the NHS and £4.5 billion for schools. Separately, there is expected to be £86 billion of spending announced for infrastructure investment. This includes Britain's fastest-growing sectors, such as technology and sciences. Alongside demands from Nato bosses to spend more on defence, and following a U-turn over the winter fuel allowance and hints the two-child benefit cap will be lifted, there are growing fears Ms Reeves will have no choice but to hike taxes again later in the year to balance the books. This is despite her repeatedly promising after last year's Budget that 'we're not going to be coming back with more tax increases '. Sir Mel Stride, the Tory Shadow Chancellor, said: 'Rachel Reeves has maxed out the country's credit card, hiked taxes to record levels and sent borrowing sky-rocketing. It now seems inevitable she will do what Labour Chancellors always do and raise taxes the first chance she gets.' Sam Miley, an economist at forecasters the Centre for Economics and Business Research, said: 'Borrowing is running higher than expected and the growth outlook remains poor. 'I'd expect there to be a focus on stealth taxes, such as maintaining the freeze on allowances. This would raise revenue from —employees, without breaking commitments regarding rates of income tax.' The thresholds around National Insurance and income tax are frozen until 2027-28. It means millions more are being dragged into paying higher rates of income tax as inflation – currently around 3.5 per cent – fuels wage increases. It is understood Ms Reeves is being urged by Treasury officials to look at extending this by two years to 2030 this autumn. A Treasury spokesman said: 'This Government inherited the previous government's policy of frozen tax thresholds. The Chancellor has announced that we would not extend that freeze. 'We are also protecting payslips for working people by keeping our promise to not raise the basic, higher or additional rates of income tax, employee National Insurance or VAT.'
