Recommendations are due to be considered by three neighbouring councils that could pave the way for a formal bid for a new unitary authority around Morecambe Bay.

Barrow Borough Council, Lancaster City Council and South Lakeland District Council are each taking reports to the next scheduled Full Council meetings on the issue of local government reorganisation.

The Government has indicated it intends to publish a ‘White Paper’ on local government reform, possibly this Autumn, and invite submissions of interest from councils on preferred options.

Council leaders therefore believe it is important that the three councils consider appropriate options that they think will deliver the best outcomes for their respective communities.

In order to offer clarity on the three councils’ current position, the reports will recommend the Leaders and Chief Executives of the councils be authorised to develop a high level case for a new unitary council for the Morecambe Bay area comprising the three districts.

In a statement, the Leaders of the three councils, Councillor Ann Thomson of Barrow Borough Council, Councillor Dr Erica Lewis of Lancaster City Council and Councillor Giles Archibald of South Lakeland District Council, said: "The Government has indicated that they want to look at local government reform and at some point will be inviting proposals.

“It is therefore important that, even at this incredibly busy time when we are all occupied with the ongoing Covid pandemic response, we need to consider what we believe could be in the best long-term interests of our communities and our services.

“Other councils in Lancashire and Cumbria have started talking about what they consider to be the best options, so we want to offer clarity to our communities about our position.

“A report will be going to each of our councils in the next few weeks recommending that we work to develop a high level case to explore and describe the possible benefits of a new unitary authority, based on the Bay.We will be engaging with our communities, businesses and organisations to gather views on the idea and that will all feed into the discussions, with a final case coming back to our councils for approval."