Agenda, decisions and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Mick Titherington, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member (Health and Wellbeing).

Apologies were received from Councillor Mick Titherington, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member (Health and Wellbeing).

Members are requested to indicate at this stage in the proceedings any items on the agenda in which they intend to declare an interest. Members are reminded that if the interest is a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest (as defined in the Members’ Code of Conduct) they must leave the room for the whole of that item. If the interest is not a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest, but is such that a member of the public could reasonably regard it as being so significant that it is likely that it would prejudice their judgment of the public interest (as explained in the Code of Conduct) then they may make representations, but then must leave the meeting for the remainder of the item.

There were none.

There were none.

Report to follow.

Decision made

1.     To approve the outline of the Levelling up bid and to delegate to the Leader and Cabinet Member (Finance, Property and Assets) the sign off for the business case.

2.     To bring back to Cabinet further details for consideration should the bid be successful.

The Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member (Strategy and Reform), Councillor Paul Foster, presented a report of the Chief Executive outlining a proposal to submit a Levelling Up Fund Bid for up to £20m.

Councillor Foster referred to the two projects identified in the report as recommended for the Bid, which were the Penwortham Public Realm and the Vernon Carus redevelopment. He stressed that these projects best fitted the Bid criteria and due to the timescales for the scheme, the Council needed to select projects which were already in the pipeline.

Arising from discussion on this item a query was raised in relation to the feasibility of other projects such as Midge Hall Railway Station.

Councillor Foster explained that Lancashire County Council, the Highways and Transport Authority felt that the Midge Hall Railway Station project was not developed enough at this stage. He also stated that the matter had been raised by Katherine Fletcher MP as referenced in the report.

Decision made (unanimously):-

1.     To approve the outline of the Levelling up bid and to delegate to the Leader and Cabinet Member (Finance, Property and Assets) the sign off for the business case.

2.     To bring back to Cabinet further details for consideration should the bid be successful.

Reasons for decision

The criteria for the submissions of any schemes was that significant preparation and planning of work had already been completed to meet the delivery deadline of March 2025.  In this respect the bid was made up of schemes where the council already has plans either emerging or in place.

Alternative options considered and rejected

The Member of Parliament for South Ribble requested that the council consider a bid to bring forward the reopening of Midge Hall railway station but given the time constraints and other priorities this was not considered.  Also suggested was that the LUF funding could provide some form of gap funding for the Town Deal.  However to ensure a fair distribution of resources this has been discounted and the investment focussed on the outside of Leyland.

There were a number of schemes considered in other areas of the borough, Lostock Hall, Bamber Bridge etc. However individually these schemes would not meet the levelling up criteria. The Cabinet however are continuing to look into the merits of each of these individual schemes and alternative funding arrangements.