Policies - Our West Lancashire

We are a group of Independents determined to put residents before the party whip. We have a string of achievements to our name and we are the Council group setting the ideas agenda in West Lancashire. We’ve attracted people new to politics and from all the main political parties. We agree a core of policies below. Beyond that, our councillors and candidates are free and Independent to pursue the ideas and strategies that best represent their area.

Leisure and Wellbeing

Retain and continue to operate both centres at Nye Bevan and Park Pools
Refurbish Park Pool using £5 million of Community Infrastructure Levy funding the council currently holds
Support the building of a new leisure hub in Skelmersdale with £5 million of Community Infrastructure Levy funding to be supplemented with future such receipts while using the reduction in running costs that a new centre would bring to cover the extra borrowing required

Work with the County Council, and, in consultation with the local community, bring forward a mixed development on the Glenburn site to include a new Community Sports Village
Complete the long-delayed Borough Council Ormskirk-Burscough linear park providing greater safe opportunities for walking and cycling
Work with the Canal and River Trust to continue to improve the towpaths along the Leeds-Liverpool canal as has taken place or is planned in Halsall, Scarisbrick, Burscough and Parbold

Housing, Development & Climate Change

Countryside that was threatened with thousands of houses under Labour’s previous proposals

Champion a new improved local plan that recognises West Lancashire’s predominantly rural nature, builds homes to meet local need, protects the best most-versatile agricultural land and green belt.
As evidence shows there is more than sufficient supply, use the new Local Plan to stop ALL further conversion of family homes to student accommodation and the construction of more off-campus purpose-built student accommodation.

Review the rules that charge an infrastructure levy on new housebuilding to in future include Skelmersdale and also to widen the rules to allow levies to be used to address flooding problems as other councils already do.

Increase the flood risk team at the County Council by 25% to speed up work on flooding in Skelmersdale; Ormskirk; Aughton; Parbold and other parts of West Lancashire
Complete the new revival scheme in Digmoor in Skelmersdale to replace the worst of the new town housing with modern energy-efficient 21st century houses with private driveways and garden space.

Expand the previous project that fitted additional energy efficiency measures on around 250 Borough’s council houses reducing fuel use and carbon emissions, combating fuel poverty and leaving more money in the pockets of council house tenants to a further 400 council homes.
In line with anticipated changes to planning legislation, update the Council’s Statement of Community Involvement which deals with public consultation on planning matters to expand and improve local community engagement in the planning process.
Formalise a policy for the provision of children’s care homes and the criteria that would be necessary to support any planning application for change of use

Roads and Traffic

Campaigning for a new approach to road repair/potholes by the County Council who hold the responsibility for this area. We would campaign for the following:

Money to be directed where the need is highest
Campaign for the County council to employ more monitors to oversee contractors carrying out road repairs to ensure they are right first time and do not fail after a few weeks
Introduce the use of rubber modified asphalt in road repairs in order to find a use for end of life tyres and produce a more flexible longer-lasting road repair
Abandon the current system which sees potholes repaired in a strict list/priority order and fix all the potholes in a neighbourhood at the same time, reducing travel time and costs
Explore the localisation of road repairs. Road repair with local, on-the ground oversight should mean better quality repairs.

Waste Collection, Litter, Flytipping and the Environment

Re-establish 7-day operation at all Household Waste and Recycling Centres and use technology to scrap the requirement to pre-book vans and trailers
Now we have helped halt Labour plans to remove 400 litter bins, instead introduce a further 50 new litter bin locations to be identified and bins installed
Purchase additional Mobile CCTV systems to be deployed at fly tip hotspots across the Borough after early results from the trial showed fly tip incidents down by 43% and number of fly tippers caught up 70%
Work with the County Council to allow easier disposal of flytipped waste for private landowners at County Council disposal sites.

Investing in our Tired Infrastructure

We would scrap Labour’s plan to spend more than £11 million – most of it borrowed money – on relocating the council offices from Ormskirk to Skelmersdale. Instead we would use the capital funds available without borrowing to:

Reroof Chapel Gallery in 2026/27 allowing it to reopen and serve the burgeoning arts, culture and heritage consortium being established
Invest in new play areas in Stanley Coronation Park in Skelmersdale; Richmond Park in Burscough and Coronation Park in Ormskirk
Make Improvements to the duck pond at Coronation Park including water quality and pond surround improvements
Doubling capital grant pot for parish councils in 2027/28

A Plan for Ormskirk Town Centre

Relaunching the Ormskirk Town Centre business group ensuring good representation of the different business types in the town, including independent retailers.

Giving preference to rent empty units in the Council-owned Wheatsheaf Walks to shop types that Ormskirk lacks

Ensure the completion of the paving and lighting improvements to Ormskirk town centre alleyways including features to highlight Ormskirk’s heritage

Supporting greater opportunities to expand the market and ensure its long term presence as a facility and tourist attraction for the town centre.

Your councils serving you better and more cost effectively

The Government is set to abolish Lancashire County Council and West Lancashire Borough Council in 2028. Our West Lancashire support the smallest viable reorganisation joining with South Ribble and Chorley to create a new council that reflects our predominantly rural nature and maintains a strong link to councillors who know their area.

Seek better value for money and cost effectiveness at the Borough Council by:

Reducing the councillor allowance budget; slimming down the expanded public relations department and cancelling unnecessary reviews.
Reducing the cost of second and subsequent garden waste bin collection to £35 per bin.
Introducing a public question time at Full Council meetings and hold two council meetings a year in venues in other communities in West Lancashire.
Holding no secret caucus meetings before Planning and Development Control committees in the way that Labour and Conservative do.
Publishing the Council’s Street sweeping schedules so that residents can know when their streets and pavements will be swept.

HGV Movements

Work with the County Council to take advantage of legislation changes later in 2026 to better enforce weight restrictions on our roads including considering the introduction of weight restriction enforcement cameras where this is practicable