BLACKBURN with Darwen Council leader Mohammed Khan has warned Lancashire could lose out if it fails to agree a devolution deal with an elected mayor.
He was speaking after a meeting at Westminster about the issue with Northern Powerhouse minister Jake Berry, Lancashire County Council boss Geoff Driver and Blackpool leader Simon Blackburn.
Previous attempts to progress proposals to take powers and cash from Whitehall foundered because of concerns from Burnley, Pendle and Ribble Valley councils about losing their identity in the creation a single all-purpose authority for either East Lancashire or for the whole county.
Cllr Khan said: “If we do not agree a devolution deal Lancashire could lose out financially.
“We could get left behind. This is what the government wants.”
Burnley council leader Charlie Briggs said: “I will look at his proposal very carefully. It could work as long as Burnley and other districts do not lose their identity.”
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