The Lancashire Combined County Authority (LCCA) Overview and Scrutiny Committee met to discuss its role and responsibilities, and to agree on a definition and threshold for key decisions. The committee approved the proposed definition of a key decision and set the financial threshold at £500,000, with a commitment to review the threshold at the next meeting. Members also discussed potential areas for scrutiny, including the Lancashire Growth Plan, skills agenda, and transport.

Work Programme and Priorities

The committee discussed its role in scrutinising the work of the LCCA and identifying priorities for the municipal year. Hannah, from the council, provided background information on the committee's purpose and function, and drew the committee's attention to the [LCCA Work Plan June 2025 – March 2026][Appendix B.pdf], which was included in the [Public reports pack][Public reports pack 28th-Jul-2025 15.00 Lancashire Combined County Authority - Overview and Scrutiny.pdf].

Several councillors suggested key areas for the committee to focus on:

• Councillor County Dr Jed Murfin suggested focusing on the three big agenda items: the growth plan, the skills plan, and the transport plan. He also suggested including the budget in each meeting to build familiarity.

• Councillor County Matthew Salter suggested prioritising skills at the September meeting, as there was already a lot of meat that we can get into straight away .

• Councillor Brian Taylor said that economic growth, sustainable transport and a well-educated, skilled workforce were all vital and interlinked.

• Councillor Ashley Worley suggested balancing the focus on the three biggest items with consideration of items that could lead to a relatively quick agreement to demonstrate immediate benefits to the public. He suggested the transport plan or cultural investment, highlighting the importance of tourism in the area, and his previous experience on the Lancashire Tourist Board and the East Lancashire Tourist Board.

• Councillor Caroline Jackson emphasised the importance of proactive information sharing from the LCCA, suggesting that papers should be sent directly to committee members rather than requiring them to search for them online. She also raised concerns about the three-day turnaround for the call-in process¹, suggesting it should be extended to five days.

Mark Davis, Chief Exec at Lancashire City Council and also statutory scrutiny officer for the CCA, emphasised that the committee's role was not just about scrutinising decisions but also about influencing policy. He encouraged members to be proactive in identifying key areas for scrutiny and influencing policy, and said that this would require commitment from everyone.

Key Decision Definition and Threshold

The committee approved the definition of a key decision and set the financial threshold at £500,000, while agreeing to review the threshold at the next meeting.

Andy Milroy explained that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee has the responsibility for defining which decisions of the authority should be Key Decisions . He said that the report proposed a definition and threshold for consideration, and that the recommendation was that the committee approve:

• The definition of a key decision as set out in the report.
• The financial threshold for a key decision be set at £500,000.

Councillor Carl Mitchell MBE raised concerns that the £500,000 threshold might be too high, potentially limiting the committee's ability to scrutinise decisions effectively. He asked if there were other ways to scrutinise decisions, regardless of the financial value.

Andy Milroy clarified that the committee could review any decisions the CCA takes, but the key decision threshold determines which decisions require a 28-day advance notice and are subject to potential call-in .

Councillor Caroline Jackson raised concerns about the threshold being too high in terms of savings, as a saving of £500,000 could have a significant impact on services.

Councillor Aidy Riggott moved the recommendations as laid out in the report, arguing that a threshold was needed for the decision-making process to function. He suggested noting in the minutes a commitment to bring an item to the next meeting that lays out the background and enables alternative proposals to move forward if the committee wishes.

Councillor County Tom Pickup suggested looking at the plan of works first before making a decision on the threshold.

The committee ultimately agreed to approve the definition and threshold as set out in the report, with the understanding that they would review the financial limit at their next meeting.

Constitution, Membership and Terms of Reference

The committee noted its constitution, membership, and terms of reference for the municipal year 2025 to 2026. Matthew Sidgreaves, the Lancashire Combined County Authority's Chief Operating Officer, provided an overview of the CCA, its aims, principles, and progress to date.

Councillor Paula Burdess sought clarification on the implications for Blackpool's transport, which is owned by the council. Matthew Sidgreaves confirmed that the original deal, including the red lines regarding Blackpool transport, remained in place. He explained that the CCA would become the local transport authority from 1 April 2026, leading to more joint working across the three authorities, such as a single bus service improvement plan.

Councillor Carl Mitchell MBE asked about the scrutiny committee's role regarding items coming to the CCA in September. This was addressed in the subsequent agenda item on the committee's work plan.