Lancaster will not lose its historic city status even if the city council is abolished through a local government shake-up - it's been confirmed.
Cat Smith, MP for Lancaster and Wyre, asked a minister for reassurance on Lancaster's historic city status during a debate today in the House of Commons.
This came as the Government announced a new timetable on Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) on Thursday.
Jim McMahon OBE, the Minister for Local Government, Devolution and Growth said “It would be absolutely wrong that just because the city status is aligned to the local authority that's been abolished, rather than the geographical area, that they would potentially risk losing that status.
"And I can give an absolute assurance that whether we have to even move new legislation to preserve it, whatever we have to do, there will not be a current city that loses its status through reorganisation.”
The Government said it would consider all available options, including new legislation, if necessary, to protect city status.
“This is an important assurance for Lancaster," said Ms Smith afterwards.
"Our city status belongs to Lancaster and its people, not to any particular council boundary or administrative arrangement.
"I welcome the minister’s commitment that no existing city will lose its status through reorganisation, and that the Government is prepared to legislate if needed to protect it."
The Government said today that its review into Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) - which was paused in Lancashire in September - will continue into early 2027 and all options remain on the table.
It was announced in July that the Government had confirmed its preferred option for LGR with the existing Lancaster City Council area joining forces with Preston and Ribble Valley, meaning the city council and Lancashire County Council as we know them would cease to exist.
This was part of plans to replace all 15 councils in Lancashire with four larger unitary councils by April 2028.
It was announced today that this original decision has been withdrawn.
But a government spokesperson said: "The Government remains committed to the reorganisation programme.
"Ministers will consider the best way forward for all remaining areas in the programme – 15 in total, including the nine areas which had reorganisation paused in September and which now have their decisions withdrawn (including Lancashire).
"Withdrawing these decisions does not mean reorganisation has been cancelled in these areas. All options and proposals remain under consideration in these areas and every area will have an outcome by early next year."
Read more: Plans to merge Lancashire councils "withdrawn but not cancelled" - Beyond Radio
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