Pennine Lancashire
Future unitary authority area in England
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pennine Lancashire or East Lancashire is a planned unitary authority area that is intended to be established on 1 April 2028 and to occupy the south-east of the ceremonial county of Lancashire, England.[1][2] It will replace the current non-metropolitan districts of Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle and Rossendale and the unitary authority area of Blackburn with Darwen,[3] and its unitary council will provide all of the local government services currently provided by Lancashire County Council, the four district councils, and Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council. Elections to the new council are expected to take place in May 2027.[4] During the reorganisation the area was sometimes referred to as East Lancashire.[5]
Pennine Lancashire | |
|---|---|
Future unitary authority area | |
| |
 | |
| Coordinates: 53.7498°N 2.4840°W | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Country | England |
| Region | North West |
| Ceremonial county | Lancashire |
| Incorporated | 1 April 2028 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Unitary authority |
| • Body | Pennine Lancashire Council |
| Area | |
• Total | 242.51 sq mi (628.09 km2) |
| Population (2024 estimate) | |
• Total | 520,653 |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (GMT) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (BST) |
The new area will border two of the other three new Lancashire unitary authority areas: North Lancashire to the east and South Lancashire to the west; the third new unitary authority area is Fylde Coast.[6] Pennine Lancashire will also border the counties of North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire to the east and Greater Manchester to the south. The settlements in Pennine Lancashire will include Blackburn, Burnley, Accrington, Nelson, and Rawtenstall. The population of the new area is approximately 520,653, and Blackburn will be the largest settlement.[6][7]
Background
Pennine Lancashire is being created as part of a wider reorganisation of local government in England that is intended to introduce single-tier local government in fourteen areas.[8]
For local government purposes, Lancashire before this reorganisation comprises a non-metropolitan county, itself divided into twelve non-metropolitan districts, and the two unitary authority areas of Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen. In Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen all local government services are provided by their respective councils, whereas in the rest of the county the provision of services is divided between Lancashire County Council and the twelve district councils.[9][10][11][12]
Local government in Lancashire will be reorganised by abolishing all of the areas and councils mentioned above and replacing them with four new unitary authority areas, the councils of which will provide all local government services.[12]
Governance
It will be run by Pennine Lancashire Council, which will comprise 95 councillors.[13]
Parishes
Accrington, Bacup, Blackburn, Burnley, Church, Clayton-le-Moors, Great Harwood, Haslingden, Oswaldtwistle, Rawtenstall, Rishton and the Edenfield and Hoddlesden areas are currently unparished. These towns will likely become parishes or establish equivalent town councils providing lower tier community services such as allotments, parks, cleansing, managing community venues and becoming statutory consultees on planning applications or will become Charter Trustees if they hold a mayoralty such as Blackburn and Burnley. The rest of the area is parished.[14]
