Following the election of a Green Group of 4 Councillors to Lancashire County Council, made up of our 3 councillors elected from Lancaster and 1 from Accrington (pictured) they have joined together with a group of 7 Independent Councillors from county divisions in Preston, Burnley and Pendle to form a new group of 11. The group has registered as Progressive Lancashire, and aims to be a strong voice of opposition and challenge to the new ruling administration of Reform.
The two separate groups will maintain their respective identities whilst working together as Progressive Lancashire on the County Council. Independent County Cllr Azhar Ali from Pendle will be the leader of the group and Green County Cllr Dowding from Lancaster will be the deputy leader.
The Group has 5 former County Councillors who have all been re-elected to County – and 4 councillors who have experience also on district council.
Group Leader, County Cllr Ali said:
“The purpose of Progressive Lancashire – made up of Independent and Green councillors – is to be an effective and constructive opposition group to hold the leadership of the County Council to account on matters which affect residents across Lancashire. We will provide strong challenge to Reform where required but also ensure that we work collaboratively with the leadership as the official opposition group on the County Council.
Group Deputy Leader, County Cllr Dowding added:
“As well as challenging Reform, we will make positive recommendations to budget and policy proposals and push for openness and transparency by the administration. Our priority is to empower and support our communities to be resilient in the face of the cost of living crisis. This includes in energy security, quality training and employment opportunities, more frequent reliable public transport, and affordable housing.’
In conversation with Local Democracy Reporting Service, Councillor Dowding said that Progressive Lancashire believed it could do “a better job than the Conservatives” as the main opposition.
“We felt as though we have got a lot of experience between us – and the willingness to really hold Reform to account. It wasn’t just about the numbers, it was about [the fact] we really strongly want to do this – not just to challenge Reform, but to make things better in terms of service delivery.”
She added that the alliance – which will now secure influential representation on the county council’s scrutiny committees – wants to spearhead a “culture change” at County Hall and echoed comments by the Progressive Lancashire group leader Azhar Ali – (formerly Labour, now an independent) that the group was open to working with other opposition parties to achieve common ends and even to formally welcome them into the progressive fold.
“We want the residents [put] first, not the group politics. This isn’t the Houses of Parliament, it’s a council chamber – so it’s about delivering local services. Getting things done that improve the quality of life for people – that’s our focus.”
Progressive Lancashire Agreements
what we will do
We will work collectively and collaboratively to serve all residents across the County:
- take up any opportunities to hold the Reform administration to account
- push for policies in areas where we have common aims and values
- support motions to full council
- scrutinise, challenge and make recommendations to budget and policy proposals of the administration
- push for openness and transparency by the administration.
Shared principles
- seek to ensure effective delivery of quality public services to all communities across
Lancashire - seek to secure value for money in County budget expenditure
- reduce poverty and health inequalities across Lancashire
- challenge the idea that austerity is necessary. The introduction of a wealth tax on
multi-millionaires and billionaires would rebalance the economy - promote strong cohesive communities and safe, secure public spaces.
Shared Aims
Transport: support investment in fixing potholes and other improvements for road safety for all road users. Bring bus services back into local authority control i.e. Bus franchising/ re-regulation.
Children: Improvements to SEND and child mental health services, increase school places where needed.
Employment: investment in skills in fast growing green technologies for training and jobs as part of the overall economic strategy.
Local Government Reorganisation: Our guiding principles are that Local Government Reorganisation should
maintain or improve local democratic representation, protect and enhance local services and decision making and should not be imposed without meaningful consultation with district councils and their populations.
Councillors
Green Party
Sohail Asghar – Accrington West & Oswaldtwistle Central
Gina Dowding – Lancaster Central
Hamish Mills – Lancaster South East
Paul Stubbins – Lancaster East
Independents
Azhar Ali – Nelson East
Usman Arif – Burnley North East
Mohammed Iqbal – Brierfield & Nelson West
Maheen Kamran – Burnley Central East
Michael Lavalette – Preston Central East
Yousuf Motala – Preston City
Almas Razakazi – Preston South East