The Full Council of Lancashire Council is scheduled to meet on 20 November 2025 to discuss local government reorganisation, committee appointments, and updates to the council's constitution. The meeting will also address questions from councillors and consider several notices of motion. Reports from the cabinet and various committees are also scheduled to be noted.

Local Government Reorganisation

A significant portion of the meeting is allocated to discussing local government reorganisation (LGR) in Lancashire. The council is expected to consider a Report from the Executive Director of Resources, Laurence Ainsworth, regarding a preferred proposal for LGR.

The report highlights that the government announced its ambition to undertake a major programme of LGR across the country, including in Lancashire, in late 2024. The report states that the government's stated aims for LGR are to:

• Make councils more efficient and financially stable
• Improve service quality and accountability
• Support devolution and economic growth
• Give more power to local communities

The council will consider five options for unitary authorities, ranging from two to five authorities. The five options currently being considered in Lancashire are:

The Report recommends that the Full Council recommends to Cabinet that it endorses the proposal for two unitary councils for Lancashire, as set out in Appendix A, at its meeting on 27 November 2025. Appendix B contains alternative Lancashire LGR proposals.

The government is expected to lead a public consultation on the proposals with stakeholders next year with a preferred option selected potentially in summer 2026. If approved, elections for shadow authorities could take place in May 2027, with the new councils taking over all services from 1 April 2028.

Notices of Motion

The council is scheduled to consider several notices of motion submitted under Standing Order B37, as detailed in the Notices of Motion document:

• County Councillor Azhar Ali OBE is scheduled to move a motion concerning Lancashire's Local Transport Plan (2025-2045) and Northern Powerhouse Rail¹. The motion condemns Reform UK's announcement to scrap Northern Powerhouse Rail and requests the Chief Executive to reaffirm the council's support for the project to the Lancashire Combined County Authority (LCCA) and the Secretary of State for Transport, as well as requesting funding for several local rail projects.
• County Councillor Peter Buckley is scheduled to move a motion regarding the proposed onshore cabling route for the Morgan and Morecambe Offshore Windfarm through Fylde². The motion expresses concerns about disruption to residents, businesses, tourism, farmland, and the environment, and requests the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, and all affected MPs, setting out objections to the proposed cable route and ensuring that alternative routes are properly explored.

• County Councillor Ella Worthington is scheduled to move a motion on civic pride, calling for a Civic Pride Action Plan that recognises community contributions, promotes Lancashire's heritage, encourages participation from schools and youth groups, and highlights success stories. The motion also proposes playing the National Anthem at the start of each Full Council meeting.

• County Councillor Tom Lord is scheduled to move a motion regarding the cancellation of local elections, seeking assurance from the Secretary of State that local elections will not be cancelled and requesting that steps are taken to repeal s.87 of the Local Government Act 2000, removing the Secretary of State's power to cancel elections without a debate and vote in Parliament.

Committee Appointment

The council is scheduled to consider a report proposing the appointment of County Councillor Alice Jones as the new Deputy Chair of the Environment, Economic Growth and Transport Scrutiny Committee, replacing County Councillor Ella Worthington, who has been appointed as Lead Member for Rural Affairs, Environment and Communities.

Updates to the County Council's Constitution

The council is scheduled to note minor and/or corrective changes to the County Council's Constitution that have been approved by the Director of Law and Governance since the Annual General Meeting in 2025.

Reports of County Council Committees

The council is scheduled to note the reports of the following committees:

• The Audit, Risk and Governance Committee from its meeting on 13 October 2025, as detailed in Appendix A. The Report includes the External Audit - Audit Progress Report and Sector Update, the Internal Audit Progress Report, the Risk Management Strategy and the Corporate Risk and Opportunity Register – Quarterly Update.

• The Employment Committee from its meeting on 4 November 2025, as detailed in Appendix A. The Report includes discussion of the Recruitment of the Director of Finance (S151 Officer) and the Review of Coroner Salaries and Fees 2025/26.

• The Overview and Scrutiny Committees, as detailed in The Overview and Scrutiny Committees. The Report includes reports from the Children, Families and Skills Committee (22 October 2025) and the Environment, Economic Growth and Transport Committee (23 October 2025). The Children, Families and Skills Committee discussed Corporate Parenting and the Lancashire House Project. The Environment, Economic Growth and Transport Scrutiny Committee discussed Repairing Our Road Network – Review of the TAMP Refresh.

Report of the Cabinet

The council is scheduled to note the Report of the Cabinet from its meeting on 9 October 2025, as detailed in Appendix A. The Cabinet discussed the Lancashire County Council Improvement Plan 2025-2027, the Updated Direct Payments Policy (Children's and Adults) and the Property Strategy Principles. The Cabinet also discussed the Care Quality Commission Assessment Result - Update Report, the Provider Services Redesign (in-house) and the Education Capital Strategy. Finally, the Cabinet discussed the Preston Secondary School Update, the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Strategy and the Traffic Regulation Order 2025-2026. The Cabinet also discussed the Lancashire Community Safety Agreement 2025 - 2028.

Question Time

Time will be allocated for questions submitted under Standing Order B30. The Question Time document lists the questions to be asked, including:

• CC Samara Barnes is scheduled to ask the Leader of the Council, CC Stephen Atkinson, about supporting the Local Government Association's Debate not hate campaign.
• CC Gordon Johnson is scheduled to ask the Leader of the Council, CC Stephen Atkinson, about appointing a County Councillor Co-Chair of the Lancashire Autism Partnership Board.
• CC Sohail Asghar is scheduled to ask the Leader of the Council, CC Stephen Atkinson, about minimum hourly wages for young workers in Lancashire.
• CC Peter Buckley is scheduled to ask the Leader of the Council, CC Stephen Atkinson, about meetings with the Police and Crime Commissioner to discuss tackling crime in Lancashire.
• CC Maria Jones is scheduled to ask the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, Councillor County Matthew Salter, about the impact of the recently introduced 20% VAT on private schools.