BURNLEY Council has rejected any merger of East Lancashire local authorities as part of a local government reorganisation giving the county a powerful directly-elected mayor.
It made its reservations clear as it backed exploring the possibility of a strategic Lancashire Combined Authority further.
The decision taken at the borough’s full council meeting runs counter to the proposal by Blackburn with Darwen Council leader Cllr Mohammed Khan to create a Pennine Lancashire unitary authority taking Rossendale, Hyndburn, Burnley and Pendle as part of a reorganisation leading to an elected mayor for the whole county.
As Blackburn with Darwen’s full Council Forum backed the new combined authority on Thursday, Cllr Khan said: “Lancashire is getting left behind.”
While Burnley’s meeting backed further discussions, it agreed: “This council rejects any form of local government reorganisation, or simplification, as a condition for a combined authority.”
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