Councillor County Gina Dowding

Budget and Finance Scrutiny Committee - Thursday, 5th February, 2026 9.30 am

The Budget and Finance Scrutiny Committee of Lancashire County Council met on Thursday, 5th February 2026, to review the Quarter 3 financial monitoring report for 2025/26. The meeting focused on the council's revenue and capital financial position, highlighting significant pressures in areas such as adult social care and children's services, alongside underspends in other areas. The committee also discussed the upcoming budget for 2026/27 and made recommendations for future work programmes.

Cabinet - Thursday, 22nd January, 2026 2.00 pm

The Cabinet of Lancashire County Council met on Thursday, 22nd January 2026, approving a new framework for fairness, equality, and inclusion in the workforce, and addressing the sufficiency of school places in Preston. The meeting also saw the approval of revisions to the Highway Safety Inspection Policy and the revocation of the Lancashire Enhanced Partnership.

Budget and Finance Scrutiny Committee - Wednesday, 21st January, 2026 9.30 am

The Budget and Finance Scrutiny Committee of Lancashire County Council met on Wednesday, 21 January 2026, to discuss the draft budget for 2026/27. The committee reviewed proposals across all directorates, including significant investments in adult social care, education, and highways, alongside plans for efficiency savings. Key decisions included urging Cabinet to consider not-for-profit models for care homes and day centres, establishing a cross-party working group on their modernisation, and asking Cabinet to consider an indicative capital sum for this purpose. The committee also recommended that Cabinet give consideration to mental health outcomes for adults and children, the utilisation of the Public Health Grant for these services, and the funding required to implement the improvement plan for Adult Social Care following a Care Quality Commission inspection report. Additionally, the committee resolved that the Leader should write to the relevant Secretary of State to seek assurance that setting a council tax precept below the maximum available would not lead to future funding penalties.

Cabinet - Thursday, 27th November, 2025 2.00 pm

The Cabinet meeting of Lancashire County Council on Thursday, 27 November 2025, addressed a range of significant issues, including a proposal for local government reorganisation, a review of corporate performance, and plans for efficiency savings. Key decisions included the approval of a proposal for two unitary councils for Lancashire as the county council's preferred option for local government reorganisation, and the noting of the Corporate Performance Report for Quarter 2, with agreement to implement proposals for improvement. The Cabinet also approved the continuation of the Efficiency Review into its next phase, identifying potential savings of £21.932 million over three years.

Budget and Finance Scrutiny Committee - Monday, 24th November, 2025 2.00 pm

The Budget and Finance Scrutiny Committee met to discuss the financial outlook for Lancashire County Council, focusing on the 2025/26 financial year, the preliminary budget assessment for 2026/27, and an efficiency review. The committee requested more detailed information in future reports, particularly regarding capital programme changes, and approved a full-day meeting in January to discuss budget proposals.