Track the business activity and commercial plans of Fylde Borough Council — identify tender and future spending opportunities before they reach the market, follow cabinet and committee decisions, and understand the council’s priorities, with intelligence extracted from 26 analysed meetings.
Meetings analysed26
Procurement opportunities8
Pressures tracked20
Estimated pipeline value£53m–£65m
Active procurement topics
Over the last 12 months, the most frequently discussed commercial topics in this council's meetings have been Housing (8 mentions, easing), Professional Services (7 mentions, easing), Construction & Building Works (6 mentions, easing) and Environmental Services (5 mentions, rising).
Commercial signals extracted from recent Fylde Borough Council meetings — approvals, budget decisions and early procurement discussions, before a tender is published.
The committee considered an application to raise the festival's permitted attendance to 25,000 per day, with associated changes to community liaison arrangements. The earlier 2023 decision had limited attendance to 19,999 on most days and 22,500 on the Friday/Saturday trial nights; this meeting examined whether the higher capacity should now be allowed permanently.
“good morning panel can you hear me good morning panel can you hear me good morning panel can you hear me yes yes that's fa morning can you hear me yes yes can you hear us yes we can thank you thank you Katherine or Sharon could you make me the co-host or whoever's on the other en…”
The council approved the rollout of a separate weekly household food waste collection service to meet statutory duties under waste reform and simpler recycling requirements by 31 March 2026. The report confirms government funding for vehicles, containers, mobilisation support, staffing and vehicle running costs, and states that procurement and recruitment will be part of the service delivery programme.
“Item 12, household food waste collection. I invite councelor Redcliffe to propose this item. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh, household food waste collection service. Uh, this matter has already been considered uh by the executive committee in April and is recommended by that committee…”
Officers supported a minor section 73 variation to increase the roof pitch and ridge height of approved dwellings so the homes could use a higher-quality artificial slate. The change was said to add only a modest volume increase and to have no material additional impact on neighbours or the area of separation.
“The application involves two changes to each of the house types that were previously approved um they involve a 4 degree steepening of each dwellings roof pitch from 18 A2 to 22 A2 degrees and a consequential 0.6 meter increase in um each dwellings Main Ridge height from 4.8 M to…”
The council agreed a major investment programme to renovate St Annes pool and restore Kirkham baths, with funding up to £9m from capital reserve, capital programme and borrowing. Members described this as one of the largest leisure investments the authority has made and linked it to future operating income and improved local provision.
“This agenda item proposes significant spend as an investment into the two swimming pools. Enabling this spend will see Stan's pool renovated to a high standard, benefiting locals and visitors alike and hopefully in the future providing some income back to the authority. In Kirkha…”
Members approved removal of an agricultural occupancy condition from Oak Lodge after officers explained that a lawful development certificate had already established the condition was unenforceable due to more than 10 years' breach. The practical effect is that the property can now be treated as a normal market dwelling in the countryside.
“this relates to a property called Oak Lodge which uh just you see on the screen there is just on the Eastern side of of great Plumpton to the north of Preston Neo um out to the west of where we've just been talking about um the profit is a detached Bungalow um it's in a Countrysi…”
Fylde Council approved its budget, including a 2.99% council tax increase, a capital programme of just over £3 million, and specific grants and section 106-funded projects. The budget was passed unanimously after no opposition amendments were tabled.
“I'm pleased to put forward our budget proposals this evening the full recommendation is laid out on your tables or has been handed to you on arrival and it is in the usual format the medium-term financial strategy or mtfs is a weighty document diligently prepared by our section1…”
The meeting focused heavily on leisure facility maintenance and a major approved investment programme for St Annes Pool and other swimming provision. Members also approved a new community asset transfer policy, reviewed corporate plan progress amid local government reorganisation pressures, and agreed changes to outside bodies and annual RIPA authorisation. Several planning and policy debates touched on heritage, climate commitments, procurement and service delivery.
The committee considered four planning applications. Members approved an outline housing scheme in Weeton despite local objections, relying on the lack of a five-year housing land supply and delegating section 106 matters including affordable housing and education contributions. A proposed change of use at 454 Clifton Drive North to a spiritualist place of worship was deferred for further information on operations and traffic impacts. Members also supported an indoor paddle tennis facility in Whitehills and approved in principle a small housing scheme near the A585, though highway concerns were noted for later technical detail consideration.
The committee mainly debated a retrospective countryside application at Tunstead Farm for storage of HGVs and trailers linked to a civil engineering/groundworks business. Members and speakers focused on highway safety, noise at 6am, visual impact, drainage and whether the use was appropriate rural diversification. The committee deferred the item for a site visit. A second housing redevelopment scheme at the former Fairways/Co-op site was then presented and unanimously approved, with viability-led infrastructure contributions and biodiversity net gain arrangements noted.
The meeting was dominated by approval of Fylde’s budget and medium-term financial strategy, including a 2.99% council tax rise, revised estimates, treasury and capital strategies, and discussion of financial pressures from government settlement changes and local government reorganisation. A major procurement theme was the proposed £9m+ investment in swimming and leisure facilities, alongside capital works such as Fairhaven Boathouse refurbishment, the Fleet Replacement Reserve, new food-waste collection costs, and concerns about staffing, pay, recruitment and retention, street signs, and cremator replacement timing.
The meeting focused on a major capital and operating commitment to refurbish and secure future swimming provision at St Annes and Kirkham, including a procurement process for an operator. Members also approved substantial new homelessness and Domestic Abuse Act funding, alongside the annual pay policy statement and a stronger medium-term financial position supported by a fair funding settlement and lower employer contribution rates. Throughout, several speakers highlighted recruitment pressures and the importance of financial stewardship to enable investment.
The meeting focused heavily on a major motion about the Morgan Moor/Morecambe and Morvan offshore wind schemes, with members debating whether scrutiny should examine the council’s handling and whether a faster alternative connection route via Stanner/Hill House should be pursued. Members also approved capital funding for Kirkham pool enabling works and discussed future swimming provision, fees and charges, medium-term financial planning, council tax measures, and a council tax reduction scheme adjustment tied to Universal Credit fluctuations. The meeting also covered local government reorganisation options for Lancashire, with Fylde supporting a three-unitary model if change is imposed.