News
23 Feb 2026. Student Finance System and Supporting Graduates
Lib-Dem Plan to Fix Student Loan System
20 Feb 2026. Liberal Democrat councillor David Whipp is calling for Reform-run Lancashire County Council to act on dangerously defective roads. "Dangerous defects on Lancashire's roads are taking far too long to be made safe," "Deep holes and exposed sharp-edged metalwork should be dealt with urgently according to LCC's highway safety inspection policy, but holes more than 4" deep and exposed gulley grates are being left for weeks without attention. Liberal Democrats at County Hall are proposing a multi-million pound boost for road resurfacing at next week's county council budget meeting. A56 Skipton Road, Earby pictured with over 100mm deep hole next to a roadside gulley, and massive hole on Barnoldswick Road next to Whitemoor Riding Stables
David Whipp
Pendle Borough Elections 7th May 2026
The Government had postponed several elections in May 2026 to concentrate on Local Government re-organisation but legal action taken by the Reform Party has forced another U-turn.
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16 Feb 2026: Pendle Drains Blocked
Lancashire shouldn't be vying to become the sliding capital of the country. Pendle Liberal Democrat councillor David Whipp is demanding action from Lancashire County Council on "dangerous" road drainage issues causing icy chaos on the county's roads.
"Freezing conditions have highlighted dangerous conditions caused by Lancashire County Council's lack of maintenance," said Councillor Whipp. “Last year, LCC axed 'reactive' cleaning of blocked road drains, apart from in certain, very restrictive, circumstances. This has led to huge problems, particularly in freezing conditions.”
In an email to the county council, the Liberal Democrat councillor highlighted four examples where the combination of blocked gulleys and freezing temperatures have caused hazardous conditions that could have been prevented.
"On Manchester Road, Barnoldswick, water comes out of a gulley near Letcliffe Lane, due to the drain under the road being blocked. Water then flows over the next gulley, which is blocked, and carries on for a couple of hundred metres until it reaches a working gulley. If the last gulley is choked, water floods right across the road. When it freezes, it's a slick of ice.
"On Birch Hall Lane, Earby, water again emerges from a gulley. In freezing conditions, this creates another of ice on the steep hill.
"Moorgate Road, Barnoldswick isn't on a gritting route. At the top of the adopted section, there's a channel across the road which should intercept water coming down the lane. This hasn't been cleaned out by LCC. Water flowing down the road has destroyed the road surface. In freezing conditions, the surface is lethal. The uneven road surface has caused injuries to pedestrians.
"On Esp Lane, Barnoldswick, the gulley at the top of a ginnel (public right of way). With the gulley blocked, water runs down the footpath - becoming ice in freezing conditions.
"These are just four examples on top of all the 'typical' blockages on roads and streets that routinely cause ponding - and ice in winter. LCC has declined to act on all of these.
“Residents shouldn't have to be competing in the Luge, Skeleton or Speed Skating when they are using Lancashire's roads.”
Councillor Whipp is asking for the county council to reinstate reactive maintenance for blocked gulleys and drainage problems.
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23 Feb 2026. COLNE MARKET OPENING IN MAY
Colne's 'We Long Endure' coat-of-arms has been erected at the front of the Market Hall, close to the Market Cross.
The plaque was commissioned in 1937 for the former market hall building, and was displayed in the glass box in recent years.
Colne's Liberal Democrat councillors campaigned for the coat-of-arms to be incorporated in the current Market Hall's redevelopment. The plaque is the centrepiece of a new raised planter in front of the refurbished building.
The carved relief will be cleaned as part of the work on the forecourt, which is being paved with high-quality natural stone flags.
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01 Feb 2026: Proportional Representation
During the final week of January 2026 several Lib Dem MPs were actively using social media and parliamentary time to highlight the Proportional Representation, promoting the Early Day Motion (EDM1217 tabled in May 2025) highlighting its growing list of signatories and to pressure the Government for a debate.
The Facts on EDM 1217
- Title: Electoral Reform
- Primary Sponsor: Sarah Olney (Lib Dem MP for Richmond Park).
- Original Tabled Date: May 7, 2025.
- Current Status: It remains a "live" motion in the 2024–26 parliamentary session. As of late January 2026, it has gathered nearly 50 signatures, primarily from Liberal Democrats but also from some Green and independent MPs.
- The Text: It explicitly calls for a system of proportional representation for all future elections in England, arguing that the current system (First Past the Post) has led to a "record-breaking fragmentation of the vote."
Why was it all over your feed last week?
There are three specific reasons the Lib Dems "revived" the conversation about EDM 1217 recently:
Anniversary of the PR Bill: Last week marked one year since Sarah Olney’s Elections (Proportional Representation) Bill had its first surprise victory in the Commons. The party used this milestone to drive new signatures to the EDM as a show of continued strength.
Senedd Elections Momentum: With the 2026 Welsh Senedd elections approaching (which will use a more proportional system), Lib Dem MPs have been citing the "Welsh model" as evidence that Westminster is falling behind.
Local Government Pressure: MPs like Ian Sollom and Ben Maguire were particularly vocal last week about how First Past the Post is "distorting" local representation, specifically citing the 2025 local election results as the catalyst for the urgency mentioned in the EDM.
Key Projects in Colne (2026)
If you're keeping an eye on the town's development, several other major projects are hitting milestones right now:
- The Bus Station Transformation: Work began in January 2026 on a major upgrade to the Colne bus station. The project is increasing the number of bays from three to five and installing real-time passenger information screens.
- Traffic Flow Changes: As part of the bus station works, Craddock Road is being converted to two-way traffic this year to improve accessibility. You'll also notice bus stops being moved from Market Street to the new station to free up space for evening parking and loading.
- Colne Regional Park Optimism: The Colne Connections project, backed by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, is moving into a new phase this year. It aims to restore wildlife corridors and improve river quality across the Colne catchment area.
- WinterBloom Festival: Following its success in previous years, the WinterBloom Light Parade is becoming a permanent fixture in the town's cultural calendar, with 2026 plans focusing on more "artist development pipelines" for local youth.
Lenches Granted Local Green Space Status
18 Dec 2024: That is a major milestone for the local community! The formal acceptance of Lenches Fields as a Local Green Space (LGS) within the Pendle Local Plan Fourth Edition (PLP4) effectively grants the area protection equivalent to Green Belt status.
That is a major milestone for the local community! The formal acceptance of Lenches Fields as a Local Green Space (LGS) within the Pendle Local Plan Fourth Edition (PLP4) effectively grants the area protection equivalent to Green Belt status.
This decision marks the end of a long-standing tug-of-war between local residents and developers (notably Gleeson Homes), who had previously targeted the site for significant housing projects.
What This Means for Lenches Fields
By being designated as a Local Green Space in the PLP4, the fields now benefit from the following protections:
- Development Restrictions: Under national planning policy, new development is "ruled out other than in very special circumstances."
- Long-Term Protection: This designation is intended to endure beyond the current plan period, safeguarding the "local character" of the area for future generations.
- Recognition of Value: The acceptance confirms that the site meets the strict criteria for LGS status: it is demonstrably special to the community due to its beauty, recreational value, and richness of wildlife.
Context of the Decision
The journey to this point was a collaborative effort involving the Colne Town Council and the Colne Neighbourhood Plan.
| Plan Component | Status/Impact |
|---|---|
| Colne Neighbourhood Plan | Initially identified Lenches Fields as a priority for protection. |
| PLP4 (Pendle Local Plan) | The overarching borough-level plan that has now codified this protection. |
| Developer Interest | Previous proposals for ~100 homes at Lenches Road/Knotts Lane are now significantly harder to justify legally. |
24 Nov 2025. - Banking Hub
24 Nov 2025. A meeting was held with LINK on October 24th - with MP Johnathan Hinder and David Fishwick being present. Feedback from his office is that LINK came and listened.
With the closure of the last remaining bank in Colne, Liberal Democrat run Colne Town Council is pushing for a dedicated Banking Hub in our town. Council Leader Mary Thomas says: “Not everyone can or wants to bank online. Local businesses and local people rely on cash and in-person banking. We want a Banking Hub for Colne”. Everyone's pitching in with effort including Colne Business Improvement District, Pendle's MP along with businessman and celebrity David Fishwick.
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Oct 15 - Earby's Flood Defence Funding Axed
BBC Report: Earby's Flood Defence Funding Axed
Colne Market Hall Latest
Sept 25 - Expensive Future for Disposing Colne's Waste
We could be singing the bin-day-blues in Pendle if Lancashire County Council add millions of pounds to district council-tax bills by shunting waste transfer costs onto borough councils.
LCC is threatening to make district councils pay to transport domestic rubbish and recycling across the county. In Pendle Council's case the change would add between £560,000 and £2.6m to the district council's costs.
These are costs currently paid by the county council. It's a cynical move to shunt waste transfer costs onto the districts. East Lancashire councils are most badly affected because of historic patterns of waste disposal and the location of the county council's food waste plant at Farrington, in the west of the county.
Up to now, bin wagons in Pendle have tipped their loads at a waste transfer station on Regent Street in Colne. LCC has then paid for the transfer of the bulked up rubbish to its disposal point. The county council is threatening to make us meet the costs of moving rubbish across Lancashire.
The LEAST costly option is for Pendle bin wagons to continue to tip at Regent Street, at a cost of over half-a-million pounds, but if the waste has to be taken to the county council's plant near Leyland it would be a £2.6 million bill. The threat of extra costs comes at the same time as councils like Pendle are having to bring in weekly food waste collections, so it's a double whammy for local council tax payers.
Pendle Council's Executive is considering a report on the waste transfer costs at its meeting on Thursday evening. Lancashire County Council's Cabinet is due to discuss the issue on 4th September.
PBC Leader - (David Whipp) has asked to meet with Lancashire Reform leader, County Councillor Atkinson, to ask him not to impose these costs on local council tax payers.
