Wyre Council should not be forced to take on the debt and social problems of neighbouring Blackpool, its leader has said. Michael Vincent was speaking after the Local Democracy Reporting Service revealed a group of Lancashire Labour MPs has called on the government to abolish the county’s 15 main councils and replace them with just three or four new authorities covering much wider areas.
At the time it set its annual budget in February, Blackpool’s long-term borrowings stood at £187m – made up of a mix of fixed and variable rate debt which it said was intended to “maximise the financial benefit, and minimise the financial risk, to the council”. “Our residents shouldn’t have to take that debt on… the social issues that Blackpool has. Forming one unitary authority would suggest that Blackpool is Lancashire County Council and Wyre Council for providing services to the residents of Wyre – and I don’t think that’s true.
Responding to Cllr Vincent’s comments, Cllr Williams said: “First and foremost Blackpool Council’s financial position is solvent and secure. In fact, we have £25m in reserves which I’m sure most people can agree is a solid financial position to be in. Like the majority of unitary councils up and down the country we spend a large part of our budget on vulnerable adults and children through our social care services.
"Our single biggest investment is in creating our Civil Service Hub, with the Department for Work and Pensions as the tenant, bringing 3,000 people into the town centre. We are an agile, self-reliant, proactive and innovative council that does all we can to invest in our town and the lives of our residents. I cannot think of a better investment and payback than that,” Cllr Williams added.