Lancashire councils set out next step in reorganisation plan

Chief executives from Lancashire’s 15 councils have responded to the government on the next stage of plans for four new unitary councils across the county.

After the government’s decision on Local Government Reorganisation in Lancashire in July 2026, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government wrote to all Lancashire council chief executives with further details and asked them to respond by 17 August on a number of points.

Mark Wynn, the Senior Responsible Officer for Local Government Reorganisation in Lancashire, said: “Since receiving the government’s decision on Local Government Reorganisation in Lancashire, and further details in the letter from MHCLG, there has been a lot of discussion between the councils, and we are making good progress on our LGR programme.

“There are some details that we haven’t been able to agree unanimously, including the names of the new councils.”

For now, the four unitary councils will use the names set out in the government’s letter to chief executives:

North Lancashire – made up of the areas of Lancaster, Preston and Ribble Valley

South Lancashire – made up of the areas of Chorley, South Ribble and West Lancashire

Fylde Coast – made up of the areas of Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre

Pennine Lancashire – made up of the areas of Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle and Rossendale.

The names of the new councils will be included in a legal document called the Structural Changes Order. If the new councils wish to review them in future, they would need to follow a legal process.

Mark Wynn added: “For now, it’s very much business as usual for all 15 councils in Lancashire, and residents should continue to access services and contact councillors in the usual way.”

Local Government Reorganisation is part of a wider national programme intended to create simpler and more effective council structures.

Further updates, including key milestones and opportunities to ask questions, will be shared over the coming months as plans develop. More information is available at www.lancashirelgr.co.uk.