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Budget Meeting, Full Council - Thursday, 26th February, 2026 1.00 pm

February 26, 2026 at 1:00 pm Full Council View on council website Watch video of meeting Read transcript (Professional subscription required) Watch video of meeting

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Summary

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The Full Council of Lancashire County Council met on Thursday, 26 February 2026, to approve the 2026/27 budget. The council agreed to increase council tax by 3.8%, with a 1.8% increase for general services and a 2% increase for the adult social care precept. Several amendments proposed by opposition groups, including those from the Progressive Lancashire Group, Conservative Group, Liberal Democrat Group, Labour Group, and Our West Lancashire Group, were debated and subsequently defeated.

Delegated decisions linked to this meeting

Decision summaries below are AI-generated from the council’s published record. Check the council source or the full decision page before relying on them.

Attendees

Profile image for Councillor County Tim Ashton
Councillor County Tim Ashton Local Councillor Decision - Lytham Conservative
Profile image for Councillor County Nigel Alderson
Councillor County Nigel Alderson Local Councillor Decision - Thornton & Hambleton Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor County Azhar Ali OBE
Councillor County Azhar Ali OBE Leader of the Opposition, Local Councillor Decision - Nelson East Independent
Profile image for Councillor County Usman Arif
Councillor County Usman Arif Local Councillor Decision - Burnley North East Independent
Profile image for Councillor County Sohail Asghar
Councillor County Sohail Asghar Local Councillor Decision - Accrington West & Oswaldtwistle Central Independent
Profile image for Councillor County Joanne Ash
Councillor County Joanne Ash Local Councillor Decision - Rossendale South Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor County Mrs Marion Atkinson
Councillor County Mrs Marion Atkinson Local Councillor Decision - Pendle Central Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor County Stephen Atkinson
Councillor County Stephen Atkinson Leader of the County Council, Local Councillor Decision - Ribble Valley South West Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor County Graeme Austin
Councillor County Graeme Austin Local Councillor Decision - Heysham Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor County Clive Balchin
Councillor County Clive Balchin Vice Chairman of the Council; Local Councillor Decision - Mid Rossendale, Vice Chairman of the County Council Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor County Samara Barnes
Councillor County Samara Barnes Local Councillor Decision - Rossendale West Labour
Profile image for Councillor County Andy Blake
Councillor County Andy Blake Local Councillor Decision - Moss Side & Farington Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor County Matthew Brown
Councillor County Matthew Brown Local Councillor Decision - Preston Central West Labour and Co-operative Party
Profile image for Councillor County Peter Buckley
Councillor County Peter Buckley Local Councillor Decision - St Annes North Conservative
Profile image for Councillor County Alf Clempson
Councillor County Alf Clempson Local Councillor Decision - Poulton-le-Fylde Conservative
Profile image for Councillor County Mr John Clemson
Councillor County Mr John Clemson Lead Member for Highways and Transport, Local Councillor Decision - Hoghton with Wheelton Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor County Mark Clifford
Councillor County Mark Clifford Local Councillor Decision - Clayton with Whittle Labour
Profile image for Councillor County Ellie Close
Councillor County Ellie Close Champion for Combatting Sexual Exploitation and Violence Against Women and Girls, Local Councillor Decision - Leyland South Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor County Fred Cottam
Councillor County Fred Cottam Local Councillor Decision - South Ribble East Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor County James Crawford
Councillor County James Crawford Local Councillor Decision - Cleveleys East Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor County Shaun Crimmins
Councillor County Shaun Crimmins Local Councillor Decision - Lancaster Rural East Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor County Graham Dalton
Councillor County Graham Dalton Local Councillor Decision - Lancaster Rural North Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor County Thomas de Freitas
Councillor County Thomas de Freitas Local Councillor Decision - West Lancashire North Conservative
Profile image for Councillor County Gina Dowding
Councillor County Gina Dowding Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Local Councillor Decision - Lancaster Central Green
Profile image for Councillor County Fiona Duke
Councillor County Fiona Duke Local Councillor Decision - Preston North Liberal Democrat
Profile image for Councillor County Mr Ian Duxbury
Councillor County Mr Ian Duxbury Local Councillor Decision - Longridge With Bowland Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor County David Dwyer
Councillor County David Dwyer Cabinet Member for Resources, Property and Efficiency, Local Councillor Decision - Fylde South Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor County Rick Edwards
Councillor County Rick Edwards Local Councillor Decision - Burscough & Rufford Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor County Alice Jones
Councillor County Alice Jones Local Councillor Decision - Fleetwood West & Cleveleys West Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor County Maria Jones
Councillor County Maria Jones Local Councillor Decision - Preston Rural Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor County Ashley Joynes
Councillor County Ashley Joynes Local Councillor Decision - Accrington South Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor County Mr Gary Kniveton
Councillor County Mr Gary Kniveton Champion for Armed Forces and Veterans, Local Councillor Decision - Morecambe Central Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor County Simon Evans
Councillor County Simon Evans Deputy Leader & Cabinet Member for Children and Families, Local Councillor Decision - Skelmersdale Central Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor County Jordan Fox
Councillor County Jordan Fox Champion for Mental Health, Local Councillor Decision - Great Harwood, Rishton & Clayton-le-Moors Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor County Mr Warren Goldsworthy
Councillor County Mr Warren Goldsworthy Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, Local Councillor Decision - Clitheroe Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor County Leon Graham
Councillor County Leon Graham Local Councillor Decision - West Lancashire West Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor County Simon Gummer
Councillor County Simon Gummer Local Councillor Decision - Lostock Hall & Bamber Bridge Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor County Gaynor Hargreaves
Councillor County Gaynor Hargreaves Champion for Disabled People, Local Councillor Decision - Oswaldtwistle Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor County Eddie Kutavicius
Councillor County Eddie Kutavicius Local Councillor Decision - Burnley South West Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor County Howard Hartley
Councillor County Howard Hartley Local Councillor Decision - Pendle Hill Conservative
Profile image for Councillor County David Howarth
Councillor County David Howarth Local Councillor Decision - Penwortham West Liberal Democrat
Profile image for Councillor County Lee Hutchinson
Councillor County Lee Hutchinson Chairman of the Council; Chairman of the County Council, Local Councillor Decision - Chorley South Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor County Mohammed Iqbal MBE
Councillor County Mohammed Iqbal MBE Local Councillor Decision - Brierfield & Nelson West Independent
Profile image for Councillor County Mark Jewell
Councillor County Mark Jewell Local Councillor Decision - Preston South West Liberal Democrat
Profile image for Councillor County Gordon Johnson
Councillor County Gordon Johnson Local Councillor Decision - Ormskirk Our West Lancashire
Profile image for Councillor County Prof. Michael Lavalette
Councillor County Prof. Michael Lavalette Local Councillor Decision - Preston Central East Independent
Profile image for Councillor County Tom Lord
Councillor County Tom Lord Local Councillor Decision - South Ribble West Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor County Maheen Kamran
Councillor County Maheen Kamran Local Councillor Decision - Burnley Central East Independent
Profile image for Councillor County Daniel Matchett
Councillor County Daniel Matchett Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, Local Councillor Decision - Whitworth & Bacup Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor County Nathan McCollum
Councillor County Nathan McCollum Local Councillor Decision - Pendle Rural Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor County Hamish Mills
Councillor County Hamish Mills Local Councillor Decision - Lancaster South East Green
Profile image for Councillor County Ged Mirfin
Councillor County Ged Mirfin Local Councillor Decision - Ribble Valley North East Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor County Brian Moore
Councillor County Brian Moore Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Growth, Local Councillor Decision - Morecambe South Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor County Dr Lorenzo More
Councillor County Dr Lorenzo More Lead Member for Health, Local Councillor Decision - Penwortham East & Walton-le-Dale Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor County Adrian Owens
Councillor County Adrian Owens  Our West Lancashire
Profile image for Councillor County Joshua Roberts
Councillor County Joshua Roberts  Cabinet Member for Rural Affairs, Environment and Communities  Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor County Matthew Salter
Councillor County Matthew Salter Cabinet Member for Education and Skills Reform UK
Profile image for Councillor County Kim Snape
Councillor County Kim Snape Labour and Co-operative Party

Topics

No topics have been identified for this meeting yet.

Meeting Documents

Reports Pack

Public reports pack 26th-Feb-2026 13.00 Full Council.pdf

Minutes

Public minutes 26th-Feb-2026 13.00 Full Council.pdf

Additional Documents

Report.pdf
Appendix A.pdf
Appendix C.pdf
Appendix B.pdf
Appendix D.pdf
Appendix E.pdf
Annexes 1 - 5.pdf
Agenda frontsheet 26th-Feb-2026 13.00 Full Council.pdf