O/T The forgotten County City

[redrobo]

Just watched tonight's BBC North West Evening news in which it showed various towns and cities in Lancashire in their remembrance day coverage, but no mention or coverage from what still remains our county's county city, the City Lancaster. It really annoys me how at this end of the county we are forgotten as though we have played no significant historical part in the growth as the county city of the County of Lancashire.

Maybe to many on our forum it really doesn't matter but I'm sure to some the lack of recognition of the City of Lancaster as the County City of Lancashire is really annoying.

Rant over....

[Gone_Shrimping]

There seemed to be a much bigger turn-out on Morecambe Promenade and that was probably deserving of a mention.

[Andy D]

Its beyond me how Preston is picked over Lancaster.

York is Yorkshire's capital, so why isnt Lancaster Lancashire's, i'm surprised this as not been challenged?

[Keith]

I would agree, but sadly, that ship sailed about forty years ago

[Posh]

Preston has been the administrative centre of Lancashire for 44 years now so we’re a bit behind spotting Lancaster isn’t viewed as the county town.

Lancaster, and by connection, Morecambe is suffering as a result. In fact, the ridiculous rivalry between Morecambe and Lancaster is part of the reason Preston and the rest of Lancashire feel they can ignore us from a political and economic perspective. They happily left us to argue over one bypass for over 60 years while they happily got on built theirs.

For example, Lancaster has no representation on several Lancashire public bodies, such as the Local Economic Partnership, which invests over £300 million across the county.

The Lancaster City Council district needs to split now from Lancashire County Council and become a unitary authority - like Blackpool and Blackburn. Why?

- Two councils is bonkers. One manages the roads and the other manages the pavements; one manages the tip prices and the other sorts out the flytipping; and both have competing economic development corporations.

- Lancaster is getting removed from the West Coast Mainline in 2032, according to the HS2 plans, which will severley damage the district. We need one body to fight for us.

- Heysham’s two nuclear power stations will shut in 2030 and 2032 and it will devastate the local economy. Planning needs to start now but neither have the means to begin.

- Lastly, we’re losing out the City Deal in Preston and the vast funding going into East Lancashire. We’ve had over £100 million of European money but there’s no evidence we’ll get any more as decision making moves to Preston or further afield for this spending.

There are loads more reasons but we’re in decline thanks to being on the fringes of power and local infighting.

[captain sparkle]

Not forgetting Laurence Binyon (famous for writing "For the fallen", a remembrance day staple) was born on High Street, Lancaster.

[captain sparkle]

...or the Ammunitions factory explosion on White lund in 1917.