excluded from the decision-making process.
It is all very frustrating and I see it as a huge missed opportunity.
Matthew Brown
Matthew Brown, leader of Preston City Council
I don’t believe this deal delivers a lot. I feel it is extremely disappointing in terms of its ambition.
I understand you have to start somewhere but there should be long-term ambitions for Lancashire to have similar aspirations and achievements as Greater Manchester, for example.
It has control over huge transport and skills budgets and a significant investment fund. Its combined authority has worked to bring the transport system back under public control. The structure we will have means ‘tier two’ authorities like Preston are
Lynn Williams, Leader of Blackpool Council This is the start of something really significant for us. I’m pleased we have got this far, but this is just the beginning of our devolution journey.
Lancashire needs devolution, we need a direct line to government and more power over how we deliver services that work for us locally. A ‘one size fits all approach’ does not work.
The people of Blackpool will benefit from this crucial step forward and will see opportunities and improvements in things like adult learning and transport and infrastructure.
I very much welcome this deal from government and look forward to what we can achieve in the future, always with the people of Blackpool and Lancashire at its heart.
The offer to Lancashire: Page 10 Views from Westminster A WELCOME FOCUS
ON GROWTH By Antony Higginbotham
Member of Parliament for Burnley
It’s no secret that over the past 12 months businesses right across Lancashire have battled against negative headwinds.
High energy prices hitting our energy intensive manufacturers, wage pressures in hospitality, inflation hitting consumer spending and supply chain issues for some of our key sectors.
But we have also seen huge successes. Levelling Up funding has poured into Lancashire, Eden North got the go-ahead, the National Cyber Force continues to take shape, and our education providers are stepping forward to support the Local Skills Improvement Plans.
But for continued progress you can’t stand still and chalk up your wins, nor focus only on the challenges. That’s why a big focal point for MPs, me included, is speaking to our business communities in the run up to major events like the Autumn Statement, and feeding in views to HM Treasury.
It was therefore positive to see the chancellor focusing on growth in this statement and setting the scene for a continued focus in the Spring Budget 2024.
Changes were made to tax and welfare to better support people into work; full expensing was made permanent;
business rates relief on leisure, retail and hospitality were extended further; and a speedy planning process was announced – allowing businesses to pay for a faster decision which will be refunded if local authorities don’t meet the advertised times. All designed to spur on economic growth.
We’ve also seen a major turning point in Lancashire’s future, with a devolution deal now announced and the consultation running. If approved this will see greater decision making here in our county on issues like economic growth, skills, employment, and public transport.
This will have a major impact on the services received by businesses and residents.
But, most crucially, it fires the starting gun. The door is now open to us to seize the opportunity, make this deal work for us by incentivising growth and investment across the county, and then push for greater devolution beyond what has now been agreed.
That is what happened in Manchester, Birmingham, and Teesside, and we see the positive results.
I’d encourage all businesses to respond to the consultation setting out your views, and where you want to see devolution go next.
LANCASHIREBUSINES SV
IEW.CO.UK
Miranda Barker OBE Chief executive
@elancschamber
CHAMBER CALLS FOR CROSS-PARTY
CLIMATE APPROACH In the wake of COP28, and despite a stellar showing of Lancashire firms taking their low carbon wares to the Dubai market physically and virtually, governments worldwide are being seen as the drag not the drive behind international climate momentum.
Whether it’s our own politicians making climate policy a short term election issue, to the future of the rainforests literally in the balance and at the whim of whichever leader is in power in Brazil, the world has seen the lack of political clarity muddling climate investment by business.
Yet business has made its own mind up about the pace of climate investment, having committed in the UK to the switch to EV vehicles, the car industry sees no business reason to reverse that. And the same is true across the wider scope of climate matters, industry investment is poised to be sunk into green technology solutions, for financial reasons as well as environmental.
But this commitment by business is made all the harder if our own future UK climate policy positions are toyed with by successive election promises. We need a cross party commitment to a Climate Commission.
In the mould of the original plan for the Infrastructure Commission, this should be bi-partisan and focused on securing long term commitment to a clear climate policy for the UK: allowing private sector certainty as to the clarity and direction of government policy, unlocking UK and foreign direct investment into our low carbon sector, for the good of our UK industry and global climate solutions to come.
Be part of the Lancashire climate conversation – info@chamberlowcarbon.
co.uk if you are decarbonising your business and
info@red-cat.uk if you are a low carbon innovator, we want you to get involved!
Call us on 01254 356400 or visit
chamberelancs.co.uk
9
IN VIEW
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76
