The Lancashire Combined County Authority (LCCA) Overview and Scrutiny Committee met on Friday 24 July 2026 to review the committee's first year of operation and endorse a thematic approach for the upcoming year, focusing on economy, transport, and skills. The committee also received an update on the Lancashire Growth Plan, noting progress in its implementation and the development of a data observatory to monitor economic performance.

12-Month Review of the Committee

The committee reviewed its first year of operation since the establishment of the Lancashire Combined County Authority (LCCA) in February 2025. Matthew Sidgreaves, Chief Operating Officer, presented the review, highlighting that the committee had met four times and focused on scrutinising key policy documents such as the Lancashire Growth Plan, the Local Transport Plan, and the Get Lancashire Working Plan, as well as the 2026-27 financial budget. He noted that this foundational approach to scrutiny was comparable to other combined county authorities.

Looking ahead to the 2026-27 municipal year, a more thematic approach to the committee's work programme was proposed, aligning scrutiny activity with the LCCA's core priorities: economy, transport, and skills. This approach would involve the chairs of the relevant advisory boards attending meetings alongside lead officers to provide greater insight into policy development and programme delivery. The proposed programme includes a focus on the economy and the Growth Plan for the current meeting, a transport-themed meeting in September to review the Local Transport Plan, and a skills-themed meeting in December focusing on the mobilisation of the Devolved Adult Skills Fund.

Members raised concerns about the need for more detailed scrutiny and suggested that presentations should be made available in advance to allow for more pertinent questions. Councillor Jackson specifically requested training for scrutiny at the CCA level, which Matthew Sidgreaves agreed to explore. The committee agreed to undertake a further review in six months' time and noted the points raised regarding training.

Lancashire Growth Plan - Progress Update and Performance Framework

Pete Thomas provided an update on the progress of the Lancashire Growth Plan, highlighting that it has become Lancashire's main economic framework, helping to break down silos and foster a systems approach. He reported progress in turning the plan into supporting investment opportunities and engaging with the government. A key development has been the launch of the Lancashire Investment Prospectus at UKREiiF 2026, which presents a market-facing proposition for investment opportunities across Lancashire.

The Growth Plan is increasingly being used to shape Lancashire's economic narrative and engagement with government, investors, and national stakeholders, including responses to the Northern Growth Strategy. Progress has been made in strengthening sector propositions, particularly in defence, nuclear, and clean energy. Transformational projects such as Preston Station Quarter and Samlesbury Enterprise Zone are continuing to progress.

To address previous scrutiny recommendations, a stronger evidence base has been developed through an expansion of the Lancashire Skills Hub's Evidence Base Dashboard. This dashboard will monitor progress across key economic indicators, including business growth, productivity, skills, labour market, investment, and sector performance. It will also form the foundation of the emerging LCCA Data Observatory, aiming to enhance economic intelligence and collaboration. The report acknowledged challenges such as capacity and funding pressures, as well as increasing competition for government support and investment.

Councillor Mitchell and Councillor Flanagan raised questions about whether the dashboard would provide place-based information, such as for Blackpool, and how the visitor economy would be integrated into the strategic indicators. Councillor Murphy, drawing on his experience as a former chief data officer, offered advice on data sources and the potential of AI, while also highlighting the importance of measuring the impact of specific projects. The committee agreed that a more detailed session on the data and metrics around the economy plan would be beneficial, potentially sooner than the previously scheduled March 2027 discussion.

LCCA Economic Advisory Board - Delivery to Date and Future Priorities

Councillor Lynn Williams, Chair of the Economic Advisory Board (EAB), provided an overview of its work over the past twelve months. The EAB has played a key role in the development and implementation of the Lancashire Growth Plan, provided focused input on Lancashire's key sectors, and informed the LCCA's capacity-building efforts in economic development. The board has also engaged in sector deep-dives, including defence, low carbon/nuclear, advanced manufacturing, and tourism.

Discussions have also informed the use of the Lancashire Investment Fund and the refresh of Business Growth Hub activity. The EAB has supported lobbying efforts and contributions to national strategies. Looking forward, the EAB will continue to focus on the Growth Plan and business support services, with future topics including the role of innovation and higher education institutions, the visitor economy, and the implications of local government reorganisation for economic development services.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Programme 2026/27

Matthew Sidgreaves presented the proposed work programme for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the 2026-27 year. The programme includes a thematic approach, with a focus on transport in September, skills in December, and a review of the budget in December. The committee also discussed the potential for working groups to allow for more detailed scrutiny of specific issues. The committee agreed to revisit the programme to incorporate a deep dive into the data and metrics around the economy plan, potentially bringing this forward sooner than initially planned. The spatial development strategy was also highlighted as an item that should be kept under review.

LCCA Audit Work Programme 2026-27

The committee was informed of the LCCA Audit Work Programme for 2026-27, which includes regular updates on internal audit, corporate risk, and the annual external auditor's report. Councillor Pickup enquired whether local government reorganisation was on the risk register, which was confirmed, but the specific point about a mayoral authority was not currently reflected.

Constitution, Membership and Terms of Reference

The committee noted the terms of reference and membership of the LCCA Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the 2026-27 municipal year, as approved by the LCCA. Councillor Murphy raised concerns that the document did not reference the potential implications of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) and the creation of new unitary authorities, which could impact how the combined authority operates. Matthew Sidgreaves acknowledged that the announcement was recent and that further information on governance changes was awaited.

The meeting also included the confirmation of minutes from the previous meeting and the disclosure of interests.