Blackpool Conservative Group

02/06/2026

BLACKPOOL PARKING: MORE DRIVERS, LESS CASH, MORE FINES

The council’s Parking Services Annual Report shows more people using our car parks, less income coming in and a growing dependence on fines, while Labour claims everything is fine and even says there are no risks, no equality issues and no climate impact. This is exactly why we need proper Conservative scrutiny in Blackpool.

The report to the Climate Change and Environment Scrutiny Committee next week is meant to give an honest picture of how parking is performing in 2025/26. It records 1,374 more parking transactions than the previous year but admits that total car park and permit income fell from just over £6.6 million to £6.506 million, a drop of £103.4k in cash terms. That is all set out in the financial performance section and the summary of “All Parking Services Income 24/25 vs 25/26” in the appendix. So more cars are coming into town, yet Labour’s administration has managed to collect less from its car parks.

Instead of drilling into the reasons in any serious way, the report offers a vague explanation that visitors might be staying for shorter periods or that more people might be using business permits. It then kicks the can down the road by saying they will carry out further analysis of tariff bands.

That is not a plan, it is an excuse. When hundreds of thousands of pounds are involved, residents deserve a proper explanation, not guesswork.

The same document quietly reveals that the value of Penalty Charge Notices issued went up and that PCN collections were £42,000 higher than the year before after Civil Enforcement Officers were moved into the parking service. The income table shows the value of PCNs issued rising from £2.102 million to £2.225 million and PCN income itself increasing from around £1.096 million to £1.138 million. The narrative in section 6.2 actually presents this as a positive achievement.

From a Conservative point of view that is the wrong priority. We want a council that keeps car parks busy and well run, not one that sees fines as a success metric.

Then there is transparency.

Under financial considerations the report boasts that parking has made a surplus of income over expenditure every year “as far back as records go” and says new tariffs from April 2026 will give “continued benefit”. However there is no breakdown of how big that surplus is, what the costs are, or how the tariffs have changed at each site. Residents and traders are expected to trust that it is all in the council’s favour without seeing the workings. A Conservative approach would publish the income and cost for each major car park and show clearly where the surplus is reinvested.

The most worrying part is the way Labour treats risk and impact.

In the body of the report they discuss scams using fake QR codes, problems with anti social behaviour at the new Central Multi Storey and long running lift issues at West Street. Yet when you reach the formal Risk Management section the council has actually written the single word “None”. The Equalities section also simply says “None” and the Sustainability and Climate Change section again says “None”. This is for a service that is pushing people away from cash towards cards and phone apps, and which now includes “numerous electric vehicle charging sites” and over 4,500 parking spaces.

We know these things affect real people in Blackpool. Older drivers and those on lower incomes who still rely on cash are hardly mentioned, beyond a line that most off street car parks offer three hours free for disabled drivers. Businesses are only mentioned in passing in relation to discounted permits and conference parking, with no hard evidence of how that actually supports the town centre economy. Yet the council claims that parking supports the priority of “maximising growth and opportunity across Blackpool”.

If a Conservative group had produced such a thin assessment of impact we would expect to be challenged. Labour should be held to the same standard.

The appendix is packed with figures for every car park, from Central Surface taking over £1.24 million to smaller sites like Lytham Road bringing in under £19,000. Some of these numbers raise obvious questions about under used sites and whether they provide good value. None of that discussion appears in the narrative. Councillors and residents are left to sift through the spreadsheets themselves. A Conservative led council would expect officers to highlight under performing assets, set clear targets and be open with residents about how each site is doing.

In short this report gives us just enough information to see that the Labour run council is slipping on basics. More usage, falling car park income, rising fines, a claimed surplus with no costs shown and repeated claims that there are no risks or equality issues. That is not good enough for a resort that depends on visitors and for residents who already feel they are paying more for less.

Conservatives call for open books, clear surplus figures, tariff transparency and a parking policy that supports local businesses rather than topping up the budget through tickets. We also say that risk, equality and climate impacts are taken seriously and properly reported, not signed off with a casual “None”.

This report is a reminder that Labour in Blackpool needs firm and constructive opposition if we want a parking system that works for our town rather than just for the council’s balance sheet.

30/05/2026

BLACKPOOL PRIDE NEXT WEEKEND AND WHY IT MATTERS TO OUR TOWN

Next weekend Blackpool comes together to celebrate Pride, and we welcome everyone visiting and taking part together with our residents. Our town has a long and proud history of supporting the LGBT+ community and allies, and that spirit is part of what makes Blackpool what it is today.

Blackpool Pride is not just an event in the calendar. It reflects decades of progress, visibility, and community effort. Blackpool has earned its place as one of the most recognised and welcoming destinations for LGBT+ people in the country. That did not happen by accident. It came from local businesses, volunteers, campaigners, and residents who chose openness and inclusion.

Conservatives are proud of that history and we are committed to protecting it. Everyone should feel safe, respected, and able to enjoy everything Blackpool has to offer. That includes residents and visitors alike, and it includes people of every background and identity. Pride is a celebration, but it is also a reminder that inclusion needs to be backed up by consistent support from local leadership.

We do think it is fair to ask whether the current Labour run council is doing enough to protect and promote what makes Blackpool special. Events like Pride bring people into the town, support local businesses, and showcase Blackpool at its best. They deserve proper backing, clear planning, and a council that understands their value not just for one weekend but all year round.

We also believe that Pride should remain community led and inclusive, not politicised or taken for granted. Support for the LGBT+ community should not depend on who is in power or used as a talking point. It should be steady, visible, and backed by real decisions that make people feel welcome every day of the year.

So to everyone coming to Blackpool Pride, welcome. We hope you have a brilliant weekend, enjoy everything our town has to offer, and see for yourself why Blackpool continues to stand out as a place where people can be themselves.

We will keep working to make sure it stays that way.

18/05/2026

CONGRATULATIONS TO CLLR DANNY SCOTT, MAYOR OF BLACKPOOL

Last weeks mayoral appointment is a proud moment for Cllr Danny Scott, for his family, and for Blackpool. Danny Scott, who has served Warbreck since 2015, has now been installed as Mayor of Blackpool, with his wife Cllr Michele Scott as mayoress, and that is a fitting recognition of years of public service from a councillor who has kept going through difficult times and stayed committed to the town.

It is also worth saying what this moment shows about the bigger picture. Blackpool Council is still dominated by Labour, while the Conservative group remains the main opposition voice holding them to account. That matters, because opposition is not just about making speeches, it is about challenging weak decisions, questioning waste, and standing up for residents when the mood music from the ruling side starts to drift away from common sense.

Labour like to talk as if they have all the answers, but Blackpool people know that warm words do not fix streets, services, or the day to day problems residents raise again and again. The council itself says councillors deal with everything from faulty street lights to campaigning for a new community centre, which is a reminder that local politics is about real life, not grandstanding. Reform, meanwhile, may shout loud, but shouting is not the same as delivery, and Blackpool needs grown up leadership that actually understands the detail and does the graft.

So congratulations again to Cllr Danny Scott, a long serving councillor who has earned this role through steady work and public service. He has also been praised by fellow councillors across the chamber, which says plenty about the respect he has built over the years. In a town that has seen more than its fair share of strain, that kind of resilience and decency still counts for a lot.

We have every confidence as Mayor of Blackpool Cllr Scott will uphold the traditions and protocols befitting the office he now holds.

Congratulations again Danny.

01/05/2026

Blackpool Conservatives condemn the recent attack on Jewish people in the strongest possible terms. Antisemitism has no place in our community, and we stand firmly with the Jewish community against all forms of hatred and violence.

We also reaffirm our commitment to stand in solidarity with everyone - regardless of faith, ethnicity, gender, sexuality or background - who faces discrimination or intolerance.

Blackpool is a diverse and inclusive town, and we will continue to work together to promote safety, respect, and unity for all residents and visitors alike.

17/04/2026

BLACKPOOL’S EMPTY PROPERTY PLAN: MORE WORDS, NOT ENOUGH ACTION

Blackpool Council has brought forward a new empty property strategy, but it reads like another round of promises unless it is backed by proper delivery, hard deadlines and real enforcement. The council says there are around 1,500 empty homes, many in disrepair, yet residents still see the same derelict buildings sitting there for years, damaging neighbourhoods, dragging down streets and, in some cases, becoming fire risks.

The report talks about working groups, advice to owners, better engagement, support options and using enforcement only when everything else has failed. On paper, that sounds tidy. On the ground, people know the story all too well. Empty properties are still blighting the town, and the council’s own website says many are vacant because owners leave them idle while they deteriorate, attract vandalism and crime, and cost money to keep empty.

That is why this strategy feels familiar. The council has talked before about advice, support and bringing homes back into use, but the problem has plainly not gone away. The weakness here is not the idea of helping owners who need it. It is the lack of evidence that the softer approach has worked well enough to justify yet another document with the same language. If the council really means business, it needs to show how many properties have actually been resolved, how quickly action is taken, and how often it is prepared to use the powers it already has.

There are also contradictions that need testing. The report says finding ownership will “usually” be straightforward, then admits ownership can be complex and opaque. It says there will be consistent enforcement, but does not spell out what that consistency looks like in practice. It speaks about progress, but gives little that residents can measure or hold to account. That leaves a very obvious concern: is this a serious plan to clear up dereliction, or just another exercise in managing the problem on paper?

Blackpool does not need a glossy strategy. It needs empty homes turned round, neglected sites tackled, and owners made to act before buildings become hazards. Anything less will look like the same old drift, and residents have seen enough of that already.

05/04/2026

30/03/2026

LABOUR’S EMPTY HOMES ‘TASK FORCE’ IS OLD NEWS IN NEW CLOTHES!

The first in a new series is to look at the claims of Blackpool Labour on their recent announcement over the budget.

They are touting a shiny new Empty Homes Task Force in their 2026-27 budget speech to tackle long-term vacancies. But hold on, they’ve had a working group of council staff, councillors and locals doing exactly that for years already, giving advice to owners and cracking down on the worst cases.

With around 4500 private empty homes and 1300 sitting vacant over six months, plus 1500 empties making us top 10 in the UK, where’s the proof they’ve made a dent?

No numbers on homes brought back into use, just more talk as they ramp up council tax premiums and promise bold action that sounds a lot like their 2025-2030 strategy. It’s the same old story, rebranded to look fresh while our streets stay dotted with boarded-up properties.

Conservatives say enough, time for real results not press releases.

TLDR:
Labours new Empty Homes Task Force? Its their old working group repackaged amid 4500 empties & top UK rates. No stats on homes fixed, just tax hikes & promises. Time for action not spin!

29/03/2026

CHILD SAFETY FURY AS LABOUR’S BEACH PLAN RISKS TRAGEDY

Families could face real danger from Blackpool Council’s latest multi‑million pound beach scheme, which Conservative Councillor Gerald Walsh warns could trap children between giant piles of rock on our famous golden sands. The £57 million plan, backed by Labour’s climate chief Cllr Jane Hugo, would see 17 massive rock groynes installed along the seafront—structures that have already caused serious accidents elsewhere.

Cllr Walsh says he’s deeply concerned the project is being rushed through without proper thought for public safety. He’s pointing to incidents around the UK and abroad where children have become trapped between solid rock formations as tides closed in. “Our beaches attract families from all over the country. Kids will climb on those rocks. With the tide moving so fast here, it’s a tragedy waiting to happen,” he said.

He’s asking why safer alternatives, like wooden groynes used in other resorts, haven’t even been considered. He also wants assurance that if the plan goes ahead, there’ll be proper signage, RNLI equipment and safeguards in place before a single rock is laid.

Cllr Walsh says the council’s approach shows a dangerous disconnect from the real world. “Everyone wants to protect our coastline, but locking ourselves into an unsafe design makes no sense,” he said. “Other countries import sand to rebuild beaches safely—why not look at that before building a wall of rock?”

Meanwhile, Labour’s climate leader Cllr Hugo claims the plan is vital to save the beach from erosion, yet continues to promote endless tarmacking of Blackpool with new car parks—doing more harm to the environment she’s meant to protect. Paving over green space while calling it climate action doesn’t pass the common‑sense test.

Blackpool’s Conservatives say protecting the coastline should never come at the cost of public safety. The Council must listen before it’s too late.

==TLDR==
Cllr Gerard Walsh hits out at Labour’s risky beach scheme. 17 rocky groynes could trap children while Cllr Hugo claims it’s “climate action” after tarmacking half of Blackpool. Safety first, not show projects.

28/03/2026

WHO WANTS TO JUMP INTO BED WITH BLACKPOOL? LABOUR'S LOCAL GOVERNMENT SHAKE-UP MEANS OUR NEIGHBOURS COULD END UP PAYING FOR DECADES OF FINANCIAL MISMANAGEMENT ON THEIR DOORSTEP

Blackpool Council is carrying £570 million of debt. It spends £25 million a year just on the interest. And now the Labour government wants to redraw the map of local government across England, which means our neighbours in Wyre and Fylde could be forced into a merger with us and handed a share of that bill. As Blackpool residents, we should be angry about what's been done to our town's finances. And our neighbours deserve to know the truth before any decisions are made.

THIS IS WHAT £570 MILLION LOOKS LIKE

Five hundred and seventy million pounds. That's what Blackpool Council owes. Not what it spends on services. Not what it invests in the town. Just the debt. The money it borrowed and hasn't paid back.

On top of that, the council pays around £25 million every single year just in interest. That's £25 million that never mends a road, never pays a care worker, and never improves a park. It's gone before it can do anything useful for anyone living here.

Some of that interest goes a very long way from Blackpool. A chunk of the council's debt comes from something called LOBO loans, which were sold to councils across the country in the early 2000s by banks chasing profit. The deals were dreadful for councils and great for the banks. Blackpool's LOBO loans ended up in the hands of a German state bank called FMS Wertmanagement, which was set up specifically to wind down toxic financial assets left over from the 2008 global banking crash. In June 2025 alone, Blackpool Council sent over £5 million to that German bank in a single payment. Blackpool residents' money, heading to Frankfurt, to service a debt that should never have been taken on.

And the reserves? At one point they dropped to just £76,000. For a council managing a budget of hundreds of millions, that's terrifying. It's the equivalent of a household with a £50,000 mortgage having 7pence in the savings account.

LABOUR DID THIS

Labour has run Blackpool Council for years. These aren't accidents or bad luck. These are decisions. The LOBO loans were signed off on their watch. The reserves were run down on their watch. The £25 million a year draining out of Blackpool is happening on their watch, right now, today.

We're not a wealthy town. Blackpool has some of the highest levels of deprivation in the country. Our residents need good services, decent housing, and a council that fights for them. Instead we've got a Labour council that's spent years digging a financial hole so deep it now costs £25 million a year just to stand at the bottom of it.

SO WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Labour in Westminster is pushing ahead with local government reorganisation across England. The plan is to create bigger unitary councils by merging smaller ones together. The Fylde Coast is in the frame. That means Blackpool could be merged with Wyre and Fylde, two councils that are completely debt free and in good financial health.

Wyre has no external debt and around £42 million in usable reserves. Fylde has no debt either and is forecasting a surplus. These are well run councils. And their residents would be dragged into a new merged authority carrying Blackpool's £570 million liability, a liability they had absolutely nothing to do with creating.

Labour Leaders in Blackpool are rubbing their hands with glee, the offramp is on the horizon for the financial mess theyve landed us in.

And here's the thing that should concern every Blackpool resident too. When Labours merger plans go ahead the people who've been failed by Labour's management of this town could end up with even less power in a bigger, more remote council dominated by someone else's priorities.

REFORMLIMITED/FARAGEPLC WON'T FIX THIS EITHER

ReformLimited/FaragePLC will tell you they're the answer. But shouting about waste from the sidelines isn't a plan. They've shown no serious understanding of how council finances work, what LOBO loans are, or what a merger on these terms would actually mean for Blackpool residents. Protest votes feel good. They don't rewrite loan agreements or recover £570 million.

WHAT BLACKPOOL ACTUALLY NEEDS

Blackpool needs leaders who understand the town's finances well enough to challenge them. Who can read a treasury management report, ask the right questions, and hold Labour accountable for what's been done to this town's money.

We need a proper voice. One that puts Blackpool residents first, not one that's part of the same Labour network that created this mess, and not one that's chasing national headlines while the details get decided behind closed doors.

The Conservatives are calling for full transparency on what any merger would mean for Blackpool's existing debt, for residents' council tax bills, and for the services people here actually rely on. These questions need answers now, before boundaries are drawn and deals are done.

Because once it's decided, it's decided. And Blackpool's already paid enough for other people's bad decisions.

21/03/2026

DONT FALL FOR THE SALES PITCH FROM REFORM!

Reform are selling easy answers to difficult problems, but once you look at the detail the whole thing starts to unravel. Their headline promises on tax, the NHS, rights and energy may sound tempting, but the published policies point to expensive tax cuts, private sector perks, weaker protections and big unanswered questions about who ends up paying the price.

A lot of people will hear the promise of a £20,000 tax free allowance and think that sounds brilliant. On the surface, of course it does. The problem is that even tax specialists who went through the numbers in detail found the cost would be enormous. Tax Policy Associates said Reform UK’s tax plans were undercounted and that the personal allowance and higher rate changes alone would cost about £82 billion on a straightforward calculation, with their wider package leaving at least £33 billion unfunded. They also said Reform did not provide enough detail to justify its own figures.

That matters because money does not appear from nowhere. When a party promises huge tax cuts without a credible funding plan, it is fair to ask what gets squeezed next. Recent studies said such a move would come at a significant fiscal cost of many billions of pounds a year and would reduce the money available for hospitals, schools and other public services.

That is the real issue here. It is not whether the slogan sounds good. It is whether the sums stack up.

Then there is the NHS. Reform try to dress up private healthcare tax relief and NHS vouchers as if they are some kind of rescue plan. Their 2024 manifesto included 20 percent tax relief on private healthcare and insurance, plus a voucher scheme for private treatment if people could not get seen quickly enough through the NHS. Those are not rumours or spin. They are in the party’s published plans.

People should be honest about what that means.

Once you start giving tax breaks for private cover and pushing vouchers for private treatment, you are moving away from a properly funded public service and towards a system where private provision becomes more normal and more politically protected. Reform says services would still be free at the point of use, but their own pitch is built around expanding independent healthcare capacity and using competition inside the system. That is a very different direction from rebuilding the NHS as a universal public service.

Energy is another case where the slogan is easier than the reality. Reform’s published pledges include scrapping Net Zero and related subsidies, claiming this could save the public sector over £30 billion a year for 25 years. That claim appears in its own policy summary, but a big claimed saving on paper does not answer the wider question of what happens to long term energy security, investment and household exposure to fossil fuel price shocks. What it does show is that Reform is committed to tearing up the current direction of travel.

Put all of this together and a pattern emerges. Reform are very good at writing the headline first and worrying about the consequences later. Big tax cuts without a convincing funding plan. Private healthcare incentives dressed up as NHS reform. . That is not serious governance. It is a loud sales pitch aimed at people who are understandably fed up and looking for someone to blame.

People have every right to be angry. But anger is not a plan, and a slogan is not a solution.

When you strip away the noise, Reform are offering a bundle of costly promises and divisive gimmicks that simply do not stand up to scrutiny.