Published Friday 28 November 2025 at 15:32
Today we have reached a milestone in the process of Local Government as Lancashire’s proposals to government have been submitted to central government.
These proposals outline how the current two-tier model of local government could be replaced with fewer, larger unitary councils.
Blackburn with Darwen Council has formally submitted its Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) proposal to central government, outlining its preferred future structure of three unitary authorities across Lancashire.
The submission, covers the proposed regions of Central Lancashire, Pennine Lancashire, and Coastal Lancashire, and reflects extensive collaborative development work with Fylde, Hyndburn, Rossendale, and Wyre councils.
Under the submitted plans, the proposed Pennine Lancashire unitary authority would bring together the areas currently served by:
- Blackburn with Darwen Council
- Burnley Council
- Hyndburn Council
- Pendle Council
- Ribble Valley Council
- Rossendale Council
The new unitary authorities would also take on responsibility for services currently delivered by Lancashire County Council in these areas, creating a single tier of local government responsible for all council services. You can read our LGR submission
Across the county, five proposals have now been submitted to government, ranging from two-unitary to five-unitary models, reflecting differing local preferences for the future governance of Lancashire. You can read the five proposals that have been sent.
The government is expected to conduct a formal public consultation between January and May 2026, with a final decision on reorganisation anticipated by summer 2026.
Following this, it is expected that elections to the new shadow councils will take place in May 2027 and the new councils will officially go live on 1 April 2028 – this is known as Vesting day.
To support early awareness and engagement, a new Lancashire Local Government Reorganisation website has been launched. It features an accessible FAQ in the ‘Your Questions Answered’ section, alongside full details of all council submissions.
Filed under : lgr