Devolution plan rejected

is, for County Cllr Williamson, a positive.

“No-one has said it’s fundamentally the wrong thing to do or that devolution is a bad thing.

“There are disagreements about how you might want to go about it, but [the three top-tier leaders] were clear from the outset that this particular way of going about it was the best [one] for us to get started,” the County Hall leader said.

She and Blackburn with Darwen Council leader Phil Riley stressed their delight at the support received from businesses and the further education sector.

“If we hadn’t done it, then people would not understand why [especially] business people, who see what’s going on in Manchester and Liverpool and all the other places that have got [deals],” Cllr Riley told the LDRS.

“It’s just a reinforcement of the fact that this was an opportunity to make a step forward for Lancashire and it would have been, in my view, criminally irresponsible not to do it.”

County Cllr Williamson added that the consultation process had been a “genuine” one, in which the three authorities had answered all of the points and themes that were raised.

She also thanked those who took the time to respond online or attend any of the dozens of face-to-face public drop-in and business events during the consultation period.

Blackpool Council leader Lynn Williams said it was “encouraging to know that people in Lancashire and Blackpool are supportive of the devolution deal and recognise its importance and the opportunities it presents”.

“Starting this journey towards devolution is incredibly important.

“I believe the timing is right to take this next step and I very much look forward to working with colleagues across Lancashire to provide better transport, training and skills opportunities, housing and all our other shared priorities,” Cllr Williams added.

The regulations that will govern the deal are now being drafted by the government before being laid before Parliament.

The LDRS understands that if all goes to plan, the county combined authority (CCA) body that will oversee devolution in Lancashire could be in operation by the autumn.

These are the results of the consultation across the eight key themes of the deal in answer to the question: “To what extent do you agree or disagree with the proposal on (the particular subject area) for the Lancashire Combined County Authority?”

● Skills - 64% agree, 25% disagree

● Transport - 62% agree, 27% disagree

● Digital and Cyber - 59% agree,

25% disagree

● Culture and Tourism - 59% agree, 25% disagree

● Net Zero and Climate Change 56% agree, 28% disagree

● Delivering Our Ambitions - 51% agree, 32% disagree

● Housing and Land - 50% agree, 35% disagree

The remainder of the responses were either “neither agree nor disagree” or “don’t know”.

Source: Lancashire County Council