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The government is keen to see Lancashire get an elected mayor as part of any devolution deal.
That was the message one of the county’s MPs said he got after meeting with a minister to discuss the next steps for a settlement, after the provisional agreement with the previous Conservative administration was left in limbo by Labour’s victory at the general election.
Blackpool South Labour MP Chris Webb told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) he believed a “significantly better deal” was possible for Lancashire if it agreed to an Andy Burnham-style figurehead – an arrangement that would leave the county “hundreds of millions” of pounds better off than under the one currently proposed.
He was speaking after a discussion last week with local government minister Jim McMahon who will meet a group of Lancashire MPs in the coming days to discuss their devolution vision.
The creation of an elected mayor would entitle Lancashire to the highest of three ‘levels’ of possible devolution deal. However, the prospect of an all-powerful individual to oversee the extra cash and responsibility that would come with such an agreement has divided the county’s 15 local authorities for the eight years that they have been struggling to reach a consensus over devolution – both with each other and the government of the day.
It was for that reason that the three so-called ‘top-tier’ authorities – Lancashire County Council, Blackpool Council and Blackburn with Darwen Council – last year struck a ‘level 2’ deal with the then Tory administration. The agreement did not require a mayor – but consequently came with fewer powers and less money than would have been on the table under level 3.
Mr. Webb says it is now time to put past disagreements aside – along with the county’s provisional deal, whose implementation was halted by the snap election – and “look at what’s best for Lancashire”.
“Significant powers [and] significant resources…are going to be on offer for those with metro mayors and so, for me, this is a no-brainer for Lancashire – and I’m urging all leaders to get behind this.
“We only had to look at those images [earlier this month] of the metro mayors, from all political parties, going into number 10 and meeting the Prime Minister – and what was starkly evident was that Lancashire had no voice at that table. We can’t keep being left behind.”
Acknowledging the hard work that had gone into securing the level 2 deal, which included a one-off £20m boost for “innovation led growth”, he added: “We’ve now got an opportunity – with a new government – to get a much better deal.
“It’s not going to be a few million [more] – you’re going to be talking hundreds of millions difference, from what I’m hearing,” Mr. Webb told the LDRS.
In a recent letter to local leaders across the country, Deputy Prime Minister and Communities Secretary Angela Rayner said the new government would “not force places to take on a metro mayor”, but would also “not shy away from making the case for their huge advantages, with some powers continuing to be reserved for institutions with directly elected leaders, such as mayoral combined authorities”.
Since the election, the top-tier-trio of Lancashire councils have said they first want to see the deal they negotiated implemented – before discussing any enhancements that may be on offer.
Speaking to the LDRS before Chris Webb’s meeting with Jim McMahon, Lancashire County Council’s Conservative leader Phillippa Williamson said: “We want to work with government to get the best devolution deal possible for Lancashire.
“We have a deal on the table which is ready to be finalised, which was supported by both residents and businesses – and which myself and the leaders of Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool councils firmly believe is in the best interests of our county.
“Businesses, particularly, view devolution as the key to unlocking years of untapped potential and are very keen we move forward.
“This would just be the start of our devolution journey and we would be looking to continue to build on these foundations with further deals, just as Manchester and Liverpool have done,” County Cllr Willaimson added.
District dilemma
The new government has hinted at a greater role for district councils in delivering devolution in county areas like Lancashire.
Jim McMahon told the Local Government Association’s councillors’ forum earlier this month he was “uncomfortable” with second-tier authorities – such as Preston, Chorley and Burnley – being “locked out of the picture”.
“I don’t think we have resolved the issue of district councils and combined authorities,” he said.
The issue has proved a bone of contention over Lancashire’s provisional devolution deal – with eight of the county’s 12 districts writing to the last government within days of the agreement being published last November, demanding a rethink of various aspects of it.
As the LDRS has previously revealed, several Labour district leaders have called for the current deal to be scrapped in the wake of the general election and renegotiated with the new administration.
Under the present Lancashire agreement, representatives of the three top-tier authorities that signed the deal would make up the membership of the combined county authority (CCA) created to oversee the newly-devolved powers.
Two of the county’s districts would be given ‘non-constituent member’ status – but would not have any voting rights.
Reacting to the reservations expressed by Jim McMahon, Preston City Council’s Labour leader Matthew Brown told the LDRS the authority believed the governance arrangements, as currently constituted, were “wrong”.
“It makes little sense that the tier of local government closest to communities is currently excluded from having a vote and seat on combined authorities. It is encouraging the new Labour government are exploring changing this,” Cllr Brown added.
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