If any flower bud is actually stagnant (unchanging) for more than a couple weeks, you should be cutting the bud off. If a flower bud isn't growing, opening, changing color, or doing something, then it is because the plant doesn't have the energy to complete the flower growth. As long as the bud is attached, it will drain the plant of the energy it has at the expense of growing roots and a healthy bulb for next year. You will also want to try to determine why the lily plant is having such a problem, not being able to sustain itself and grow a flower. perhaps the bulb was planted too late in the spring?
Sometimes exceptional heat can cause lily flowers to abort or prevent it normal growth. jeantierney, I'm sorry that I am not all-knowing. Please forgive me for not having a clue of where in the world "Merceyside" is. If I told you that my location was St. Francis, would you know where that is?