The Lancashire Combined County Authority (LCCA) Overview and Scrutiny Committee met on Friday 24 July 2026 to review the committee's first year of operation and endorse a new thematic approach for the upcoming year. Key discussions included the Lancashire Growth Plan, the role of advisory boards, and the development of a data observatory to monitor economic performance.

12-Month Review of the Committee

The committee reviewed its first year of operation since the establishment of the LCCA in February 2025. Matthew Sidgreaves, Chief Operating Officer, presented the review, highlighting that the committee had met four times and focused on scrutinising key policy documents such as the Lancashire Growth Plan, the Local Transport Plan, and the Get Lancashire Working Plan. He proposed a more thematic approach for the next municipal year, aligning scrutiny activity with the authority's core priorities of economy, transport, and skills. This approach would involve the chairs of the relevant advisory boards attending meetings alongside lead officers to provide greater insight. The committee agreed to endorse this approach and undertake a further review in six months. Councillor Caroline Jackson raised the need for training for scrutiny at the CCA level, which Matthew Sidgreaves agreed to explore.

Lancashire Growth Plan - Progress Update and Performance Framework

Peter Thomas provided an update on the Lancashire Growth Plan, now ten months after its approval. He stated that the plan had become Lancashire's main economic framework, helping to develop a systems approach and break down silos. Progress has been made in turning the plan into supporting investment opportunities and engaging with the government. A key development has been the launch of the Lancashire Investment Prospectus at UKREiiF 2026, which translates the Growth Plan's ambitions into a market-facing investment proposition. The plan has also informed Lancashire's response to national strategies, such as the Northern Growth Strategy.

The committee was informed about the development of a data and evidence base, building on the Lancashire Skills Hub's Evidence Base Dashboard. This dashboard will provide monitoring across key economic indicators, including business growth, productivity, skills, labour market, investment, and sector performance. It will form the foundation of the emerging LCCA Data Observatory, aiming to enhance economic intelligence and collaboration. Councillor Mitchell and Councillor Flanagan raised concerns about ensuring place-based information was available, particularly for areas like Blackpool, and how the visitor economy would be integrated. Councillor Murphy, a former Chief Data Officer, offered expertise and highlighted the potential of AI and the NOMIS database. Matthew Sidgreaves acknowledged the offer of help and confirmed that the data observatory is a concept under development, with input from members being crucial. Councillor Jackson and Councillor Pickup raised concerns about the timeliness of data and whether the right things were being measured, suggesting a need for a more detailed session on the data and metrics. The committee agreed that a more detailed discussion on the data and metrics around the economy plan was needed sooner than originally scheduled.

LCCA Economic Advisory Board - Delivery to Date and Future Priorities

Councillor Lynn Williams MBE, Chair of the Economic Advisory Board, presented an overview of its work. She noted that the board had focused on the Growth Plan and had engaged in sector deep-dives, including defence, nuclear, advanced manufacturing, and tourism. The board has also informed business support activities and lobbying efforts. Looking ahead, the board will continue to focus on the Growth Plan, the establishment of business support services, and the role of innovation and higher education institutions. Councillor Williams emphasised the ambition for Lancashire as articulated in the Growth Plan, stating it was more than just a calling card but a statement of intent for the county's future.

LCCA Audit Work Programme 2026-27

Matthew Sidgreaves presented the LCCA Audit Work Programme for 2026-27 for the committee's information. Councillor Tom Pickup enquired whether Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) and the potential imposition of a mayor were on the risk register. Matthew Sidgreaves confirmed that LGR was featured on the risk register, but the specific point about a mayoral authority was not, though he offered to raise it with the combined authority members.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Programme 2026/27 and Actions Tracker

Matthew Sidgreaves presented the proposed work programme for the year ahead, which included a thematic approach focusing on transport in September and skills in December. He sought input from the committee on future items. Following discussions, the committee indicated a desire for a more detailed discussion on the data and metrics related to the economy plan, potentially sooner than the planned March meeting. Councillor Jackson suggested the inclusion of working groups in the work programme to allow for deeper dives into specific issues. Matthew Sidgreaves agreed to consider bringing forward an update on economic performance data for the September meeting and to explore the possibility of a supplementary session. The committee also agreed to revisit the work programme to accommodate a more detailed discussion on the data and metrics.

The meeting also included the confirmation of the committee's constitution, membership, and terms of reference, with Councillor Murphy raising concerns about the potential implications of Local Government Reorganisation on the combined authority's operations. The minutes of the previous meeting held on 9 March 2026 were also confirmed.