West Lancashire MP Ashley Dalton clashed with Lancashire county councillor Cosima Towneley about the shape of the proposed Lancashire combined authority, on BBC One’s Politics North West yesterday.
Dalton also criticised the consultation and planning process for the combined authority, claiming Lancashire’s district council leaders feel they have not been adequately included in drawing up the plans.
She said: “The district councils have not been involved in the development of the proposals.”
Lancashire County Councillor Cosima Towneley robustly rejected this.
She said: “Untrue actually. Lancashire leaders are all speaking together and I think that’s all that needs to be said.
“Let those in the know get on with it.”
Proposals to create a combined authority for Lancashire have been mooted for several years. The composition of the proposed body has sparked debate, with central government mandating that only ‘upper-tier’ councils can be part of a combined authority.
As such, Lancashire’s twelve district councils would be excluded, with only Lancashire County Council, Blackpool Council, and Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council having voting powers.
The twelve district councils are not currently involved in discussions with Westminster about the combined authority.
This is something House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has remarked on.
In a Parliamentary debate on 16 October, the Speaker said: “I’m sure the minister [for Levelling Up] should meet the district leaders as well.”
Councillor Cosima Towneley described this as an “extraordinary outburst”.
Dalton said on Politics North West: “What’s really fundamentally the problem at the moment is an absolute lack of transparency about what’s being proposed, and a real feeling in the districts that power is being removed from them without adequate consultation.”
To this Councillor Towneley replied: “The discussions have been open and ongoing and they remain open and ongoing.
“Leave it to the Lancashire leaders.”
It is believed that the proposals for Lancashire’s county council do not involve a metropolitan mayor, as seen in most other combined authorities.
Asked if this would hinder Lancashire’s voice on the national stage, Councillor Towneley rejected the suggestion.
She said: “I think it’s extremely arrogant to think the only way Lancashire would ever have a voice is because you have to have a mayor.
“No one size fits all.”
Discussions about the combined authority proposals are ongoing. A minister for Levelling Up, Jacob Young MP, has said he hoped to announce further details “in advance of Lancashire Day” on 27 November.
Featured image: BBC One, Politics North West (Sun 29 Oct)
