Leader’s Viewpoint: Councillor Munsif Dad
Leader’s Viewpoint: Councillor Munsif Dad
February has been another busy and important month for the borough, as last week Cabinet announced proposals for the 2026/27 budget. This is a clear and confident plan that protects essential frontline services while continuing to invest in Hyndburn’s future. We have listened carefully to residents and, where gaps have been identified, we are acting. That includes increasing capacity within our planning team to ensure applications are dealt with efficiently, introducing a new Sports Development Officer to support our valued grassroots clubs, and appointing a dedicated Anti-Social Behaviour Officer to help tackle issues in our townships.
We are also continuing our commitment to keep costs down for residents, starting with freezing our portion of the Council Tax. This means there will be no increase in the amount of Council Tax you pay for Hyndburn Borough Council run services. In addition, green waste collection charges will remain frozen at £35 per year and bulky waste collections will stay free of charge. At a time when many households are feeling financial pressures, we believe this is the right approach. Our budget proposals have been through Cabinet and Overview and Scrutiny, with a final Council decision to be taken tonight (26 February).
Alongside day-to-day spending, our Capital Programme for 2026/27 outlines £7.86 million of significant investment in council and public facilities. This includes £689,000 for improvements to parks and play areas, with the majority supported by external grant funding. We are allocating over £1.3 million in Disabled Facilities Grants, fully funded through the Better Care Fund, enabling vulnerable residents to remain safely and independently in their own homes. There is £435,000 for community-focused projects such as war memorial restoration, Christmas decoration replacement and new lighting for Great Harwood Clock Tower.
In other news, it was fantastic to see so many residents attend the 2026 Hyndburn Jobs Fair at Accrington Town Hall. The event brought together employers, education providers and jobseekers for a day focused on opportunity and skills. Our own council teams were present, actively recruiting for roles in Licensing, Environmental Health and our Customer Contact Centre.
Looking ahead, it was with great excitement that we announced an exciting programme of 23 events taking place across our high streets and green spaces for 2026, following a record number of funding applications. Highlights include the ever-popular Accrington Food Festival and Christmas Lights Switch On delivered by Amazing Accrington, Oswaldtwistle Carnival, the Soapbox Challenge, Proms in the Park at Rhyddings Park, Hyndburn Sound, and the Great Harwood Winter Extravaganza. These events celebrate local talent, bring visitors into the borough and support our local economy. I look forward to seeing residents attend these much-loved events throughout the coming year.
Finally, I want to pay tribute to former Council Leader, Marlene Haworth. Marlene served our community with dedication for almost 20 years, including as Mayor of Hyndburn and the borough’s first female Leader. She was widely respected across the council chamber and beyond. On behalf of the Council, I extend our sincere and deepest condolences to her family and friends. She will be greatly missed.