AN East Lancashire local authority boss will be tackled on Thursday over his administration's attitude to the borough's development blueprint, a major housing development and the future of a civic theatre and arts centre.

Hyndburn's Conservative group has tabled questions to the council's Labour leader Cllr Munsif Dad at its full meeting on Thursday night.

It wants to know whether he intends to press ahead with the submission of the borough's Local Plan, what proposals are being prepared to rescue Oswaldtwistle's Civic Arts Centre and Theatre and the latest state of proposals to build the £100million 1,816-home Huncoat Garden Village on a former colliery.

Conservative group leader Cllr Zak Khan is to ask Cllr Dad about the future of the Hyndburn Local Plan until 2040 which provides updated strategic policies and identifies new development allocations, including those for residential and employment uses.

His question follows rumours that the new Labour administration elected to power in May is considering scrapping the overall development blueprint which the Labour leader has previously denied.

Cllr Khan's question to Cllr Dad says: "The council has a proposed replacement Local Plan which it endorsed for statutory consultation in late 2023.

"The plan is due for final submission to the Planning Inspectorate in the coming weeks.

"Do the leader and Labour group intend to continue with the submission, or scrap the Local Plan in order to replace it?"

Immanuel ward's Cllr Josh Allen is to raise the future of Oswaldtwistle Civic Arts Centre and Theatre - which shut its doors suddenly in July after Hyndburn Arts Limited, the charity that had managed the theatre for 13 years, went into liquidation - with Cllr Dad.

His question says: "Back in January this council committed, unanimously to reopening the Civic Theatre.

"Please could the council leader/portfolio holder provide an update on Oswaldtwistle Civic Theatre.

"The centre is a vital asset to Hyndburn and its residents and has now been closed for over a year."

St. Andrews ward Conservative Cllr Steven Smithson will raise the issue of Huncoat Garden Village with Cllr Dad.

In October 2022, Hyndburn Council submitted a bid for £29.6m to the government's Homes England's Infrastructure Fund to allow the scheme to go ahead.

In July last year Cllr Dad issued a statement expressing 'significant concerns about the size and impact of the proposed Huncoat Garden Village development'.

Cllr Smithson's question to the Labour council leader asks: "Is there an update on the Huncoat Garden Village housing project?"