East Lancs councils cash settlement gets mixed reaction
A new government funding settlement for East Lancashire councils has been met with both praise and criticism from local authorities and MPs.Summary
The government’s local government finance settlement for 2026-2029 has elicited a mixed response from councils in East Lancashire. Blackburn with Darwen Council and Labour MPs welcomed the announcement, claiming it would provide Lancashire County Council with an extra £310 million over the period and recognize the needs of deprived areas. Specifically, Blackburn with Darwen anticipates a six percent increase in ‘Core Spending Power’ in 2026/27, above the England average. However, Burnley Council, run by a Reform UK-led alliance, has deemed the settlement “unfair,” stating it will lose over 15 percent of its government funding despite high levels of deprivation. Burnley’s finance boss criticized the “Fair Funding Review” as being anything but fair. Hyndburn Council is currently reviewing the details of the settlement to assess its impact on services and priorities. Lancashire County Council acknowledges the settlement’s complexity and is working to understand its full implications.
(Source：Lancashire Telegraph)