The Environment, Economic Growth and Transport Scrutiny Committee of Lancashire County Council is scheduled to meet on Thursday, 29 January 2026. The meeting's agenda includes discussions on employment initiatives, the committee's work programme, and a review of street works.

Get Lancashire Working

A significant item on the agenda is the Get Lancashire Working initiative. This report outlines the development of the programme, which aims to boost employment rates and address economic inactivity in Lancashire. It details the partnership working involved, including collaboration with the NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board and the Department for Work and Pensions. The report also covers the mobilisation of Connect to Work, a large-scale supported employment programme launched in the summer of 2025. The committee is asked to note the publication of the Get Lancashire Working Plan and the progress of Connect to Work, and to consider formulating recommendations to the Lancashire Combined County Authority and the Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Growth on how to increase participation in the programme.

The Get Britain Working White Paper published in November 2024 sets out the government's ambition to achieve an 80% employment rate over the next decade, focusing on integrating work, health, and skills provision. Lancashire's response, the Get Lancashire Working Plan, is a place-based approach to tackling rising economic inactivity. Connect to Work is described as the government's flagship programme aligned with this initiative, with employment funds devolved to local authorities. It builds on existing models of Supported Employment, including Local Supported Employment pilots and Individual Placement and Support (IPS) provision. Lancashire is among the first areas to launch this programme, with a target to support 11,000 participants over five years.

Environment, Economic Growth and Transport Scrutiny Committee Work Programme 2025/26

The committee will also review its work programme for the 2025/26 municipal year. This report provides an overview of the planned activities and topics to be considered by the committee. It notes that the work programme is a dynamic document, allowing for the addition or rescheduling of topics in response to emerging priorities. The committee is asked to note the work programme, as well as formal responses from Cabinet Members regarding previous recommendations.

Key areas for discussion within the work programme include the allocation of Local Transport Grants for 2025/26 and the Growth Plan – Culture and Tourism Strategy and Lancashire Skills and Employment Framework. The committee will consider a briefing note on the allocation of Local Transport Grants, which are funded by the Department for Transport and Active Travel England, totalling over £32 million in capital and over £2 million in revenue. These grants are intended to enhance transport infrastructure, including safety and accessibility, and support active travel initiatives. The committee will also consider an in-year request form concerning the Culture and Tourism Strategy and the Lancashire Skills and Employment Framework. This follows a previous discussion where it was noted that the tourism element of the strategy needed further development, with specific aspects like tourism growth, the visitor economy, and major tourism-led projects such as Eden North needing to be included. The committee is asked to determine how to proceed with these matters.

Street Works

The committee's report pack also includes details from a previous meeting on 18 December 2025, which covered discussions on Household Waste Recycling Centres and Street Works. While these are not explicitly listed as agenda items for the upcoming meeting, the minutes indicate that Street Works was a topic of discussion. The previous discussion focused on how utility companies operate on the highway and Lancashire County Council's role as the highway authority. Topics included the coordination of major works, the designation of high amenity areas, the inspection of reinstatements by utility companies, and the potential for longer permit durations to avoid charges. The previous meeting also resolved that a further report on lane rental schemes would be presented to the committee at its meeting scheduled for 23 April 2026.