Funding boost for Lancashire Combined Authority

The shadow Lancashire Combined Authority has been successful in securing an additional £75,000 funding to continue delivering the One Public Estate programme.

Last year the Combined Authority was awarded £340,000 to join the One Public Estate programme and a number of funded projects as part of the programme are underway.  This money will go towards delivering property-focussed programmes and transformation change in the public sector.

Councillor Mohammed Khan, shadow Combined Authority political lead for Public Services, said:

This is more great news for Lancashire.  We have already secured £340,000 funding to deliver the programme and we have recently established a Lancashire Property Board with public sector partners in recognition that land and property play a vital role in driving public sector change.

This additional funding will give us the opportunity to continue to review public sector land and buildings, co-locate but also dispose of surplus assets generating revenue for the public sector.”

Councillor Simon Blackburn, Chair of the shadow Lancashire Combined Authority, said:

I am delighted that the shadow Lancashire Combined Authority has been awarded additional funding through the One Public Estate programme. It is clear that the Government are supportive of the Combined Authority and recognise the positive impact our collaborative working will have across the County.

Through the One Public Estate programme we can identify and bring forward publicly owned sites for economic and housing development and look more strategically at opportunities for co-location of public sector services in Lancashire, which will mean we can all be more efficient.”

The Property Board will oversee an ambitious One Public Estate programme in developing and delivering a number of collaborative One Public Estate projects and locality based asset delivery plans.

These projects should deliver real outcomes for the public through co-located public services, improving the quality of services by offering related health and community services from a single rather than multiple locations.

This work should also deliver significant financial savings. Revenue savings are expected as public sector organisations work more closely and make more effective use of existing property assets, and capital receipts from the disposal or redevelopment of surplus property assets.

The Lancashire Property Board will be supported by a number of Strategic Estates Groups and representatives from diverse public sector bodies including local authorities, the health, police, fire and ambulance services, the Cabinet Office and other Government departments.