Councillor announces plan to withdraw from government-funded programme on eve of local elections
The Reform-led Lancashire county council will withdraw from the government’s refugee resettlement scheme, one of its cabinet members has said.
Joshua Roberts announced plans for Lancashire to leave the scheme, which would make it the first local authority to do so. It would mean Lancashire would no longer participate in the UK Resettlement Scheme (UKRS) and the Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP).
The authority coordinates participation in these schemes on behalf of 14 unitary and district councils in Lancashire that have responsibilities for housing.
Reform-led Lancashire county council could quit refugee resettlement scheme, The Guardian
Tag: Lancashire
Reform UK votes for cabinet-led review of flags that can be flown at County Hall
A row has broken out over Reform UK’s plans to limit the type of flags flown over Lancashire County Council’s headquarters.
The authority’s ruling group voted to launch a cabinet-led review of the symbols that can be raised at County Hall in Preston.
However, the party has already nailed its preferences to the mast, claiming that the proposed changes are designed to unify all Lancastrians under the banners of Lancashire and the UK – regardless of other aspects of their identity.
But opposition groups noted that the Pride flag, representing the LGBT community, would be the principal casualty of the rethink – and accused Reform of engaging in a culture war.
Reform UK votes for cabinet-led review of flags that can be flown at County Hall, blogpreston.co.uk
‘Disappointment’ over council’s all-male cabinet
The appointment of an all-male cabinet to Lancashire County Council by Reform UK has been described as “retrograde step” by opposition councillors.
The new group was unveiled at the council’s annual general meeting with all nine positions filled by men.
Gina Dowding of the Green Party said this was “disappointing” and the “first time since we moved to the cabinet system that there’s been no women at that top table”.
‘Disappointment’ over council’s all-male cabinet, BBC