Council Tax in Blackburn and Darwen will be recommended to remain the second lowest in Lancashire despite proposals to raise it in the coming year while vital services remain under pressure. The proposed increase of 2.99% is a weekly increase of 56p for a Band A Council Tax payer and 84p for a Band D property.

The proposals are due to be debated and decided at a meeting of the Finance Council on Monday, February 25th 2019. Councillor Andy Kay, Executive Member for Resources at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said:
Every year the Council has to agree a balanced budget. As we are facing a £8m funding gap during 2019/2020 we have little choice but to ask residents to pay more. We managed to freeze it for five years but that’s no longer possible.

Government assumed we would increase Council Tax by this amount when they set our funding for 2019/20. Even with this increase, it will not prevent continued cut backs having to be made to all services. The reason being there are increasing costs covering things like disposal of waste and more demand for services. Increased demand involves especially adults and children’s care as the number of older residents needing our support increase year on year we also see higher demand and more complex cases including children with disabilities.

The vast majority of housing in the borough is at the lower end of the Council Tax scale so the money which comes in does not cover everything we need. Council reserves will be set as they have been in previous years at the absolute minimum we are advised which is £4m. Spending plans are limited and will focus on what people have told us is important to them such as support for the most vulnerable, improvements to waste and clean streets. We will focus on helping the borough grow and create jobs by supporting and attracting new businesses, working with residential and commercial developers and improving our town centres.

Councillor Kay added:
Unfortunately we can’t plan any further ahead in any detail until the Government confirms any longer term funding. In the meantime we have to focus on making the most of what we have and looking at all opportunities for investment at the same time as keeping on top of the savings and service reduction programme.

Work has started to open up traffic around Northgate in Blackburn town centre. This phase of the Department for Transport and Council funded project will see Northgate opened up to through traffic, following previous consultations with residents and businesses over how the Town Centre functions for drivers and pedestrians.

Groundworks are in progress and have started to unearth the old Northgate section of Highway. Ducting works are almost complete at Victoria Street and Barbara Castle Way which will see the change in direction of Victoria Street, to be delivered at a later stage of the project.

This package of works includes:
• The realignment of Sudell Cross to allow vehicular movements towards King Georges Hall and new development areas
• Additional on-street parking for Sudell Cross businesses
• Public realm and pavement works which tie in with the Blakey Moor improvements in front of King Georges Hall
• The reversal of Tontine Street which enables direct access from Barbara Castle Way for local businesses
The Victoria Street / Northgate Link Road project will complete by March 2020.

Parallel works are also underway on The Blakey Moor Townscape Heritage Project which will see transformation in the area with the restoration of key heritage buildings and public spaces. Works will also see the removal of the mature oak tree on Northgate which has been diagnosed with a fungal disease, but this will be replaced with a similar oak tree. Councillor Phil Riley, Executive Member for Regeneration and Growth, said: This work is making some much-needed changes to the Northgate area and is the start of an exciting package of works that will lead to a real transformation of the area as it runs alongside the Blakey Moor Townscape Heritage project. The public spaces and traffic improvements will make a big difference to the area.

We had hoped to retain the mature oak on Northgate and sympathetically designed the public realm scheme around it. Unfortunately, the Council’s tree officer has identified disease in the tree that cannot be treated. The plans will be revised to include a large replacement oak and seating area and the existing tree felled prior to nesting season.” The project was given the green light from the Heritage Lottery Fund to refurbish historic buildings, including King George’s Hall, the former Baroque public house, Blakey Moor terrace and properties on Northgate and Lord Street West.

Public space improvement works to Blakey Moor and Northgate will see the area around King Georges Hall better defined with high quality paving, improved lighting and seating.

The historic and well-known statute of William Gladstone will remain on the site against a softer background of planting and grassed areas. Vehicle access will be retained but wider pavements will make better use of the space and provide a more appropriate setting for some of the town’s most important historic buildings. The £750,000 scheme is jointly funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council and Lancahire Economic Partnership and is scheduled to complete at the end of May 2019.

LANCASHIRE has been selected to take part in a Business Rates Pilot Scheme that looks set to bring a £9million boost to the county.
The scheme will see 11 borough councils, two unitary authorities, the county council and fire authority keep 75% growth in business rates and work together to deliver economic growth. It will help to provide financial stability to the 15 participants and more funding to invest in services at a time when local authority budgets are under intense pressure. It will also increase resources to target strategic economic growth across the county.
The councils involved have a combined collectible rate income of more than £360million.

Geoff Driver CBE, leader of Lancashire County Council, said: “We are pleased to be selected for this national pilot scheme. We have worked with our partners to successfully bring this to Lancashire, which will result in an additional £9m boost for the county. This is welcome news, as the extra funding will help to support our work to deliver high-quality services at a time of increasing pressures and demands on services. This scheme should also bring additional support for economic growth, which is one of our key priorities.”

Martyn Rawlinson, cabinet member for resources at Preston City Council, said: “We are pleased to be taking part in this scheme, which will bring much- needed income to the authorities taking part. Our budgets have been squeezed for a number of years and ultimately that affects jobs and the services we provide to residents. Preston is already seeing the rewards from recent growth and we continue to seek further investment in the city for the benefit of everyone.”

Joyce Plummer, cabinet member for resources at Hyndburn Council, said; “We welcome the news of this successful bid for additional funds to be retained in the county. It helps to reinforce our goal to support business growth in Hyndburn and will benefit our residents.” Alan Vincent, deputy leader and portfolio holder for resources at Wyre Council said: “This is a great example of the benefits that can be achieved by councils and the Government working together. We are hopeful that based on the financial modelling done by the authorities involved this will bring real cash into Wyre to help maintain the excellent services we provide.”

Ken Hind, leader of Ribble Valley Borough Council, which is the lead authority for the scheme, added: “We have much to gain from this scheme and are delighted to be taking part in it. We have set a course for growth and this means our efforts to encourage more businesses, jobs and prosperity will pay dividends, as we will all be able to share in the pooled rewards.

“I would like to thank Lancashire finance officers for putting the successful bid together, which should bring an extra £9million to the county and is an excellent example of partnership working for the benefit of our communities.” The pilot scheme starts on April 1 2019 and will test whether full retention of business rates can be rolled out nationally. The Government’s aim is for all local authorities to retain 75% of business rates by 2020-21.

Business rates are charged on most non-domestic properties, such as shops, offices, pubs, factories, holiday rental homes and guest houses, with levels set by the Valuation Agency. The following councils are taking part in the scheme: Blackpool, Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Chorley, Fylde, Hyndburn, Pendle, Preston, Ribble Valley, Rossendale, South Ribble, West Lancashire and Wyre, along with Lancashire County Council and the Lancashire Combined Fire Authority.

Lancaster City Council’s pest control team has been shortlisted for a national award. Lancaster City Council’s pest control team has been shortlisted for a national award. The team, which is based at Morecambe Town Hall, has been nominated in the Local Authority of the Year category of the British Pest Management Awards.

The nomination recognises the team’s continued commitment to innovation, which has seen it launch a new commercial arm to offer commercial contracts to businesses. Called Unbugged, the aim of the new commercial operation is to increase income from pest control services, which will enable the council to continue to provide subsidised services to the public and discounts for people on benefits.

The committed team of pest control technicians now boasts an impressive roster of clients ranging from food outlets, office complexes, shops and restaurants, commercial, industrial and agricultural premises, and local education providers. Coun Andrew Warriner, Cabinet member with responsibility for health and housing, said: “This nomination is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the pest control team. Win or lose, they should feel extremely proud at being nominated for this prestigious award.”

The pest control team offers services dedicated to eradicating all manner of pests from wasps, fleas, bed bugs and beetles to moths, cockroaches and ants – no job is too big or small. Unbugged also offers a range of bird-proofing services including spiking, netting and gull egg replacement, as well as flying insect control including supply and servicing of flykiller units and fitting of window and door screens.

They’ll find out whether they’ve won the coveted trophy at the awards ceremony on Tuesday March 20. For more information on pest control services visit Lancaster.gov.uk/pestcontrol or follow them on Twitter @lcstr_unbugged.