Council chief quizzed on trams, shops and poverty viaFacebook

Residents made the most of their chance to grill Blackpool Council leader Simon Blackburn via Facebook last night.

By The Newsroom

Published 20th Apr 2018, 12:18 GMT

Updated 20th Apr 2018, 12:31 GMT

Blackpool Council leader, Coun Simon Blackburn, held a question and answer session with residents via Facebook.

They quizzed him on a range of subjects, from the new tram link and plans for new shops to pressing issues such as children in care and child poverty.

Coun Blackburn, smartly dressed in a dark jacket, blue shirt and pink tie, was even asked by a desperate resident if he could get the police to deal with her “drug dealer neighbours”.

It was first time the leader had been questioned using the medium of Facebook Live, and Coun Blackburn said it was an experiment which could help him reach out to more residents.

The broadcast lasted just 20 minutes and was interrupted briefly halfway through by a technical glitch.

But the session could turn out to be the first of several such Q&A sessions.

For full story, read tomorrow’s Gazette.