Update from Chief Executive Mark Wynn, 12 May
Hello
I hope you had a good weekend and managed to get some rest at what is a busy time for many teams. I wanted to share a few updates from across the council. Thank you, as always, for the work you’re doing for residents across Lancashire, it makes a real difference to people’s lives.
As always, a PDF version of this email is available for people to print and share with staff who are offline. Please request a copy by contacting internal.communications@lancashire.gov.uk.
Moving the dial on our priorities 2026/27 - Building a better Lancashire
At Cabinet next week, councillors will consider a proposal for a document called Moving the dial on our priorities 2026/27: Building a better Lancashire. If agreed, it will build on last year’s Areas of Focus and Improvement Plan, which supports delivery of the ambitions in the 2025–2030 Council Plan.
The document recognises the progress we have made over the past year – strengthening our foundations, improving services and managing our finances more effectively – while also being clear about the challenges we continue to face. Rising demand for services, ongoing financial pressures and preparations for Local Government Reorganisation mean we need to be disciplined about where we focus our effort in the year ahead.
Alongside our day-to-day work, it identifies six priority areas for 2026/27 where a sharper corporate focus will make the greatest difference for residents. These include improving services for children and young people with SEND, supporting adults to live better and healthier lives, transforming our highways, strengthening civic pride in our communities, improving financial sustainability through service transformation and preparing for Local Government Reorganisation. By concentrating on these priorities, we want to deliver visible improvements that residents can see and feel, while ensuring the council is in the strongest possible position for the future.
You can see the full document along with other Cabinet items on the council area of our website.
Ofsted inspection of Children’s Services
I want to let you know that Ofsted began its inspection of Lancashire’s Children’s Services on 1 May. This is part of the regular Inspection of Local Authority Children’s Services (ILACS) programme that all local authorities take part in. Lancashire’s Children’s Services was last judged Good by Ofsted in 2022.
The inspection is looking at how well we support children, young people and families. This includes how we keep children safe, how we plan care and support, and how we help young people as they move into adulthood.
Ofsted will be on site for around two weeks from Monday 11 May to Friday 22 May, as part of a wider three‑week inspection process. Many people in Education and Children’s Services are directly involved. Teams across Adults, Health and Wellbeing are also supporting where needed, particularly where services work together to support young adults.
This inspection reflects how we work together as a council, not just the work of one service. If your role means you work closely with Education and Children’s Services or Adult Services teams, please be mindful that they may be managing additional demands during this period and that responses may take a little longer than usual.
If you have any questions about how the inspection affects your role, please speak to your line manager or contact the inspections team at cypinspections@lancashire.gov.uk.
Thank you to everyone across the county for the professionalism, care and support you show every day. I wish everyone involved every success over the coming days. We will share an update once feedback has been received from Ofsted.
Local Government Reorganisation
Following recent discussions with Government, we are still expecting a decision on the preferred option for Lancashire in early July. This is still subject to confirmation by Government.
After the decision, we are planning a series of staff briefing sessions in late July with Laurence Ainsworth and me. We will share dates and booking details nearer the time.
We know Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) will be a significant piece of work over the next two years, and it will need input and time from people across the organisation. LGR is one of the council’s core priorities for 2026/27, and work is underway to make sure we have the right capacity in place to support it.
All councils across Lancashire are clear that LGR needs to be delivered collaboratively as a single programme. Reorganisation would mean the existing councils are abolished and replaced by a (to be confirmed) number of new unitary councils. This is not about expanding current councils.
I think it is important to know that all councils across Lancashire are working together to prepare for reorganisation so that, if new councils are created, services continue to run smoothly for residents. The current focus is on planning and mapping the practical detail, including finances, workforce, IT systems, assets and key services.
This work is about continuity and minimising disruption for residents, including making sure people are paid correctly and that systems work as expected from day one.
A significant amount of work is also taking place within the county council to make sure we are well prepared for reorganisation.
We are doing preparatory work to understand how the county council could be split under different possible scenarios. Over the coming months, this will mean working closely with directorates and services across the organisation to sense-check assumptions and understand the implications for services, responsibilities and staff.
Volunteering day
I was able to attend our first ever volunteering event last month. It was held at Wyre Disability Day Centre. It was great to get stuck in and put my DIY skills to the test. There were around 20 of us in total, working on restoring the outdoor space so that service users, visitors and staff can enjoy it once again. Unfortunately, the space had suffered from vandalism and needed some work to make it usable again.
I was tasked with sanding and painting the wooden arbour and removing moss from its roof, while others were pressure washing and planting. It was great to see the results of a day’s work and know the impact it will have for the people using the space. I know each of us felt really proud of what we achieved and it was great to see how much everyone of us enjoyed the day, even if some people did get a little wet!
Don’t forget: each member of staff can apply for one paid working day of volunteering leave (separate to your annual leave allowance) to volunteer at staff events arranged by Lancashire Volunteering Partnership.
Our next event will be held Wednesday 4 June 2026, supporting a Garden Improvement project at Rawtenstall Town Square. You can apply using the link below:
I would encourage everyone to consider taking these opportunities. More information on volunteering leave can be found in the Volunteering Leave guide on the intranet.
Fostering Friendly employer
I am delighted to tell you that we are now a Fostering Friendly employer. This means we have strengthened our offer to staff who are foster carers.
If you foster with us, you can now take up to 15 days of additional paid leave each year to support your fostering role. This can be used for activities such as training, meetings and other fostering‑related responsibilities.
If you foster with an independent fostering agency or another local authority, you will be entitled to an additional five days of paid leave to support your role, for example to attend training and meetings. This is in addition to the usual six-day special leave allowance available to all staff.
You can find out more about fostering with us, and the support available, on the fostering website.
Have a great week everyone
Mark