Andrew has blasted Labour’s secretive plans to rip apart local councils, warning they could spell disaster for communities like Fylde and Wyre.
Under proposals being floated by Labour MPs, councils like Fylde and Wyre could be scrapped altogether and merged with Blackpool into giant, centralised super-councils. Andrew Snowden has branded the idea “disastrous” and a direct threat to local services, local pride, and local democracy.
Making matters worse, Andrew pointed out that these plans weren’t even mentioned in Labour’s election manifesto:
“Labour didn’t tell voters they’d abolish Fylde and Wyre in their manifesto – but that shouldn’t come as a surprise. They didn’t mention axing the Winter Fuel Allowance for pensioners or introducing a crippling tax on family farms either. Yet here we are, with them charging ahead on all three fronts. Labour cannot be trusted to protect our communities here in Lancashire.”
Andrew also warned of the risks of being forced into a merger with Blackpool, saying it would turn Fylde and Wyre into a cash machine to pay for the larger town’s budget shortfalls.
“It’s clear that the vital work Fylde and Wyre councils do – from maintaining our beautiful seafronts and countryside, to supporting strategic industries – could suffer if resources were diverted elsewhere. Would we still have our team of groundskeepers ensuring our seafront, parks, woodlands and the Wyre Estuary remain so well cared for…or would that funding disappear to plug gaps elsewhere?
The MP also slammed the timing of Labour’s plans, saying:
Moreover, the new Lancashire Combined County Authority has only just been set up. It was negotiated with the Conservative Government and granted by the Labour Government - it needs time to bed in now, before any further changes are considered. The current system ensures the biggest, most expensive services like social care and highways are run more efficiently at county level, while district councils remain close to local communities and focus on what matters most to their residents.
He added:
“District councils like Fylde and Wyre bring services closer to their communities, delivering in ways that reflect the distinct needs of our areas. They ensure that local decisions are made by people who truly understand our priorities. That connection could be lost under a centralised super-council.”
Andrew vowed to fight any attempts to force Fylde and Wyre into a merger with Blackpool, saying:
“Fylde and Wyre deserve better than to be silenced by Labour’s top-down power grab. Scrapping our councils and forcing us into a merger is a direct attack on our communities – and I’ll fight tooth and nail to defend our local identity, independence, and pride.
Leader of Fylde Council, Cllr Karen Buckley added:
"Speculative proposals to carve up Lancashire into three or four unitary councils are not new, nor is the suggestion that the county as a whole should be one huge council. Nothing could be worse in my view as any sense of 'place' would be completely lost. Quality services run by the districts would be threatened; bigger isn't always better.
"I have seen a proposal that joins us with Blackpool and another with Preston, both of which have their own needs and challenges that would dominate. District councils are closest to their communities and best able to respond to their needs but the proposals being banded about by Labour MPs and a few Labour District Leaders would put that in jeopardy."
Andrew is urging residents to speak up before it’s too late, calling on the Government to scrap any plans to dismantle Fylde and Wyre in favour of the Labour Party’s chaotic vision for Lancashire.
