Tom Pickup
Your councillor for Padiham & Burnley West
We inherited a £28 million overspend and cut it to near zero. Delivered the lowest council tax rise in 12 years. Secured £77M for highways. Every figure on this site traces to a document you can open yourself.
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Open AI DOGEThe First Year, in Three Numbers
Reform took control of Lancashire County Council in May 2025. Each figure below traces to a published council document.
Lowest Council Tax Rise in 12 Years
The Conservatives raised council tax to the legal maximum in 7 of 8 years, including a record 5.99%. Reform’s first budget ended that streak.
Was: 4.99% to 5.99%Overspend Nearly Eliminated
We inherited a £28 million budget overspend. Through targeted efficiency, not front-line cuts, the year closed £2.99 million over on a £1.24 billion budget. An 89% reduction, and 0.24% off balance.
Inherited: £28M overspendBond Losses Exposed
The council holds a £519M bond portfolio. Its own treasury adviser puts the loss on an immediate sale at some £350M. That figure sits in the adviser’s report, not in the headline budget papers.
Source: Arlingclose treasury advice, para 29Savings Agreed, Savings Missed
A savings plan is a promise made in a budget. This is the share that actually landed.
Data Verified
- LCC Budget Book 2026/27
- LCC Cabinet Reports
- GOV.UK MHCLG Data
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Read moreThe council decisions that never make the local news
A weekly email on Padiham, Burnley and the council: what it decided, what it spent, and what I’m doing about it.
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