Burnley Council Opposes Blackburn Merger Amid Local Government Reorganization

Burnley Council has formally opposed plans to merge with Blackburn with Darwen into a large unitary authority, as proposed in a government White Paper. During a budget meeting, councillors, led by Cllr Afraisiab Anwar, expressed concerns over the arbitrary 500,000 population threshold for new councils, arguing that larger councils could diminish local focus and accountability. The council rejected a Labour amendment for a special meeting to discuss these plans and plans to advocate for smaller unitary authorities in East Lancashire. Anwar emphasized that the council will engage in the reorganisation process while resisting the centralisation of services to Blackburn. The council's stance reflects a broader critique of the rapid implementation pace and lack of local engagement in the proposed changes. A meeting is scheduled for March 12 to further discuss the council's response and options regarding local government reorganisation.