West Lancashire Borough Council has welcomed the Government's decision on the future of local government in Lancashire, after ministers backed plans to replace the county's existing council structure with four new unitary authorities.
Under the preferred model announced by the Government, West Lancashire will join with Chorley and South Ribble to form a new unitary authority, bringing a range of local services under a single council.
The change forms part of a wider reorganisation of local government across Lancashire, with the current 15 councils set to be replaced by four larger authorities.
Council leaders in West Lancashire said the decision marks a significant milestone after years of work supporting the proposal.
Council leader Councillor David Whittington said: "I'm delighted that our preferred model for Local Government Reorganisation has been agreed by Government and that our efforts over the past couple of years to champion this option have come to fruition.
"We share many cultural and geographic characteristics with Chorley and South Ribble and this decision provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity to put local people in a position to more directly influence the decisions that affect them most."
The new authority will be responsible for delivering services currently split between district and county councils, creating a single tier of local government.
Deputy council leader Councillor Adrian Owens said the changes could bring benefits for residents and businesses across the borough.
"This decision is very welcome news and one I feel has real potential to benefit everyone in West Lancashire," he said.
"It will simplify decision-making, improve efficiency and make the best use of public resources that deliver lasting benefits for residents and local businesses."
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Labour group leader Councillor Mark Anderson also welcomed the announcement, saying councillors from across the authority had focused on protecting services throughout the reorganisation process.
He said: "Our shared journey as a council throughout this transition has been to focus on protecting and improving services for residents while ensuring local communities continue to have a strong voice in shaping their future.
"I'm delighted we will now be able to start to see this vision turn into reality and look forward to working with our neighbours in Chorley and South Ribble."
Further details on how the new authority will be established are expected to emerge as the reorganisation process moves forward.
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