Purpose

As part of the Autumn Budget Statement on 22 November 2023, the Government announced the opportunity for a devolution deal for Lancashire and proposed the creation of a Combined County Authority for the administrative area covered by the three upper tier councils, Blackburn with Darwen Council, Blackpool Council and Lancashire County Council.  The Deal Document is available here http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/lancashire-devolution-deal

To progress the potential devolution deal, under the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023, a consultation is required on the draft Combined County Authority (CCA) Proposal (‘the Proposal’).  The Proposal is attached at Appendix A.

Following consultation, the three Councils will need to submit their final Proposal to Government, which will take account of the outcome of the consultation, and which, if appropriate, will formally propose the creation of the CCA.

Council is asked to approve the draft Proposal and agree to consult formally upon it with the residents and other stakeholders of the wider CCA area for a period of 8 weeks commencing on 1 December 2023.

It is anticipated that a further meeting of each of the three Councils in March 2024 will consider the results of the consultation and agree whether or not to formally submit the final Proposal to Government.

All three Councils are considering the same report and recommendations at respective Full Council meetings at the end of November 2023.