Lancashire devolution: Burnley councillors oppose Blackburn with Darwen merger
A town's council bosses have decided to send a post-devolution plan to the government which makes it clear it could not support a merger with its neighbouring authority. Burnley Council's ruling executive, made up of Burnley Independent Group and Liberal Democrat councillors, voted to send its preference for five unitary authorities, rather than two, to ministers.Burnley's full budget council previously agreed the opposition to any plans to amalgamate into a single East Lancashire all-purpose local authority including Blackburn with Darwen.The executive said it remained "open to district configurations as long as the districts of Burnley and Blackburn were in separate unitary councils".
The full budget council had earlier opposed any large unitary council as proposed in a government White Paper, saying it was not "the right solution for our area".At its meeting, the executive resolved to "note and endorse that Lancashire leaders submit a high-level interim plan for local government reorganisation in Lancashire with multiple options".It said it was "crucial for Burnley to take a proactive stance".
Meanwhile, Blackburn with Darwen Council leader Phil Riley, who chaired the first meeting of the new Lancashire Combined Authority on Tuesday, told senior colleagues on his borough's executive board he accepted that the 15 existing councils would not support a single proposal for local government reorganisation post-devolution.However, he said after "an outbreak of common sense" their leaders seemed set to sign an initial letter of response to the government.He said it would be "pretty bland to be honest" in order to secure all 15 signatures.But he said with the government wanting the new all purpose councils to serve populations of at least 500,000 it was pretty clear what the direction of travel was.Riley added he firmly believed a new East Lancashire unitary authority with Blackburn with Darwen at its heart would be created.
Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
7 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Terrifying moment Fox News reporter runs for cover live on air & yells ‘everyone move!' as missiles rain down on Israel
He posted on social media after the panic MISSILE BLITZ Terrifying moment Fox News reporter runs for cover live on air & yells 'everyone move!' as missiles rain down on Israel FOX News reporter Trey Yingst has been forced to run for his life while reporting live on air as Iranian missiles struck Israel on Friday. Yingst yelled at his team to take cover as his camera crew showed the panicked moment that the missile attack reached Tel Aviv. Advertisement 2 The live TV moment captured Iranian missiles striking Israel Credit: Fox News 2 Fox News chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst was reporting from Tel Aviv Credit: Fox News Fireballs could be seen coming from the sky and plumes of smoke were seen rising as explosions rumbled throughout the city in a missile strike at around 9 pm local time on Friday. Yingst, Fox News' chief foreign correspondent, was reporting from the scene as the missiles could be seen from far away. "There's a massive amount of fire coming to Tel Aviv right now," Yingst said calmly at the beginning of the video. Missiles could be heard screeching as they were launched. Advertisement READ MORE NEWS INSIDE THE RAID Unprecedented vid shows Israeli commandos directing strikes INSIDE Iran The energy then turned tense as explosions lit up the sky and Yingst said, "Time to go!" "Guys come on, everyone move!" he screamed. He told his crew to grab their equipment and go. A man could be heard shouting instructions behind Yingst. Advertisement After the panicked broadcast, Yingst posted on social media. "Just getting a moment to post here," he wrote on X. "As you saw in our reporting, a massive ballistic missile barrage targeted central Israel. "We could see impacts and many interceptions." Advertisement More to follow... For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun, your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos. Like us on Facebook at TheSunUS and follow us on X at @TheUSSun
North Wales Chronicle
8 hours ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Ban on advertising and safeguard for child patients added to Assisted Dying Bill
The new parts to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill were voted in on Friday as a second day of debate on various amendments came to a close. It is expected the next major vote on the overall Bill could take place next Friday, which could see it either fall or pass through to the Lords. Impassioned debate heard the Bill described by Conservative MP Kieran Mullan as a 'deeply consequential and highly contentious piece of legislation for our society'. He argued not enough time has been allocated for debate on such a divisive issue, but health minister Stephen Kinnock said there had been more than 90 hours of parliamentary time spent so far, and more than 500 amendments had been considered at committee stage earlier this year. On Friday a majority of MPs approve a new clause, tabled by Labour MP Dame Meg Hillier, to ensure medics cannot raise the topic of assisted dying with under-18s. Her separate amendment to prevent health workers from bringing up the issue with adults patients before they have raised it was voted down. The amendment on child patients was hailed as a 'first major Commons defeat' by opposition campaigners Care Not Killing which welcomed 'MPs removing the ability of doctors to raise unprompted assisted suicide with children'. A group of Labour MPs opposed to the proposed legislation called it an '11th hour rejection of the claims made about the safety of this Bill' which 'proves that confidence is slipping away from it'. They also cautioned that MPs might not have a copy of the final Bill by the time they vote 'on this life and death issue' next week, as some outstanding amendments will still be being considered on Friday morning. A ban on advertising assisted dying should the Bill pass into law has also been approved. An amendment, by fellow Labour MP Paul Waugh, to limit exceptions on that ban did not pass. He said the ban as it stands has 'unspecified exceptions, which could make the ban itself worthless', warning online harms from ads about assisted dying on TikTok 'could be a reality without the tighter safeguards in my amendment'. A number of other amendments were passed, including a provision for assisted dying deaths to not automatically be referred to a coroner and around the regulation of substances for use in assisted dying. Other issues debated included an amendment requiring the Health Secretary to publish an assessment of the availability, quality and distribution of palliative and end-of-life care one year after the Bill passing into law. Pledging her support for the amendment, which was tabled by Liberal Democrat Munira Wilson, Kim Leadbeater said MPs should not have to choose between supporting assisted dying or palliative care as it is not an 'either/or' conversation for dying people. She said palliative care and assisted dying 'can and do work side by side to give terminally-ill patients the care and choice they deserve in their final days', and urged MPs to support 'all options available to terminally ill people'. Ms Wilson's amendment is supported by Marie Curie, which said it is 'desperately needed as the end-of-life care system is in crisis, with huge gaps in services and a lack of NHS leadership on this vital part of our health and care system'. It is expected that amendment could be voted on next Friday. One MP, who became emotional as she recalled the death of her husband who she said had been 'in extreme pain' with terminal cancer, urged her colleagues to 'mind our language' after words like 'murder' were used. Liberal Democrat MP Caroline Voaden, whose husband died of oesophageal cancer, said it is 'so wrong' to use such language. She said: 'This is about helping people die in a civilised way and helping their families not go through a horrendous experience of watching a loved one die in agony.' The beginning of Friday's session saw MPs add a new opt-out clause to the Bill. The amendment, meaning no person including all health and social care professionals, can be obliged to take part in assisted dying had been debated and approved last month, but has now been formally added to the Bill. The Bill passed second reading stage by a majority of 55 during a historic vote in November which saw MPs support the principle of assisted dying. Demonstrators both for and against a change in the law once again gathered outside Parliament to make their views known on the Bill. Sarah Wootton, chief executive of Dignity in Dying which is in favour of a change in the law, said: 'Our country is closer than ever before to the safe, compassionate, and tightly regulated assisted dying law that so many people want, from all walks of life and every part of the country.' But former MP Caroline Ansell, from Christian Action Research and Education (Care), which opposes assisted dying, urged parliamentarians to vote against the Bill. She said: 'It is irredeemably flawed in principle and in detail. Parliament should close the door to assisted suicide and focus on truly compassionate and life-affirming forms of support.' As it stands, the proposed legislation would allow terminally-ill adults in England and Wales, with fewer than six months to live, to apply for an assisted death, subject to approval by two doctors and a panel featuring a social worker, senior legal figure and psychiatrist. MPs are entitled to have a free vote on the Bill and any amendments, meaning they vote according to their conscience rather than along party lines.
ITV News
9 hours ago
- ITV News
Assisted dying: Safeguard for children and ban on advertising added to bill by MPs
Health professionals would not be allowed to raise the subject of assisted dying with child patients and advertising for such a service would be banned, MPs have said. The new parts to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill were voted in on Friday as a second day of debate on various amendments came to a close. It is expected the next major vote on the overall bill will take place next Friday, which could see it either fall or pass through to the Lords. Impassioned debate heard the bill described by Conservative MP Kieran Mullan as a 'deeply consequential and highly contentious piece of legislation for our society'. He argued not enough time has been allocated for debate on such a divisive issue, but health minister Stephen Kinnock said there had been more than 90 hours of parliamentary time spent so far, and more than 500 amendments had been considered at committee stage earlier this year. On Friday a majority of MPs approved a new clause, tabled by Labour MP Dame Meg Hillier, to ensure medics cannot raise the topic of assisted dying with under-18s. Her separate amendment to prevent health workers from bringing up the issue with adult patients before they have raised it was voted down. The amendment on child patients was hailed as a 'first major Commons defeat' by opposition campaigners Care Not Killing which welcomed 'MPs removing the ability of doctors to raise unprompted assisted suicide with children'. A group of Labour MPs opposed to the proposed legislation called it an '11th hour rejection of the claims made about the safety of this bill' which 'proves that confidence is slipping away from it'. They also cautioned that MPs might not have a copy of the final bill by the time they vote 'on this life and death issue' next week, as some outstanding amendments will still be being considered on Friday morning. A ban on advertising assisted dying should the bill pass into law has also been approved. An amendment, by fellow Labour MP Paul Waugh, to limit exceptions on that ban did not pass. He said the ban as it stands has 'unspecified exceptions, which could make the ban itself worthless', warning online harms from ads about assisted dying on TikTok 'could be a reality without the tighter safeguards in my amendment'. A number of other amendments were passed, including a provision for assisted dying deaths to not automatically be referred to a coroner and around the regulation of substances for use in assisted dying. Other issues debated included an amendment requiring the Health Secretary to publish an assessment of the availability, quality and distribution of palliative and end-of-life care one year after the bill passing into law. Pledging her support for the amendment, which was tabled by Liberal Democrat Munira Wilson, Kim Leadbeater said MPs should not have to choose between supporting assisted dying or palliative care as it is not an 'either/or' conversation for dying people. She said palliative care and assisted dying 'can and do work side by side to give terminally-ill patients the care and choice they deserve in their final days', and urged MPs to support 'all options available to terminally ill people'. Ms Wilson's amendment is supported by Marie Curie, which said it is 'desperately needed as the end-of-life care system is in crisis, with huge gaps in services and a lack of NHS leadership on this vital part of our health and care system'. It is expected that this amendment will be voted on next Friday. One MP, who became emotional as she recalled the death of her husband who she said had been 'in extreme pain' with terminal cancer, urged her colleagues to 'mind our language' after words like 'murder' were used. Liberal Democrat MP Caroline Voaden, whose husband died of oesophageal cancer, said it is 'so wrong' to use such language. She said: 'This is about helping people die in a civilised way and helping their families not go through a horrendous experience of watching a loved one die in agony.' The beginning of Friday's session saw MPs add a new opt-out clause to the bill. The amendment, meaning no person including all health and social care professionals, can be obliged to take part in assisted dying had been debated and approved last month, but has now been formally added to the bill. The bill passed second reading stage by a majority of 55 during a historic vote in November which saw MPs support the principle of assisted dying. Demonstrators both for and against a change in the law once again gathered outside Parliament to make their views known on the bill. Sarah Wootton, chief executive of Dignity in Dying which is in favour of a change in the law, said: 'Our country is closer than ever before to the safe, compassionate, and tightly regulated assisted dying law that so many people want, from all walks of life and every part of the country.' But former MP Caroline Ansell, from Christian Action Research and Education (Care), which opposes assisted dying, urged parliamentarians to vote against the bill. She said: 'It is irredeemably flawed in principle and in detail. Parliament should close the door to assisted suicide and focus on truly compassionate and life-affirming forms of support.' As it stands, the proposed legislation would allow terminally-ill adults in England and Wales, with fewer than six months to live, to apply for an assisted death, subject to approval by two doctors and a panel featuring a social worker, senior legal figure and psychiatrist. MPs are entitled to have a free vote on the bill and any amendments, meaning they vote according to their conscience rather than along party lines.
