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With less than 2 days left until voters in Allerdale go to the polls on 6 May, we are urging voters to get ready to vote.
Across Allerdale there are Cumbria Police and Crime Commissioner elections, and some local government by-elections, taking place.
Polling stations will be safe places to vote on 6 May. People voting in person are encouraged to keep themselves and others safe by:
- wearing a face covering
- bringing their own pen or pencil
- cleaning their hands when entering and leaving the polling station
- keeping a safe distance
Voters should not attend the polling station if they have symptoms of Covid-19, or if they have been asked to self-isolate.
Anyone who develops symptoms, or is asked to self-isolate shortly before polling day, has up to 5pm on polling day to apply for an emergency proxy vote.
This allows them to nominate someone they trust to vote on their behalf. And if a voter already has a proxy in place and their proxy has to self-isolate, they can nominate a new proxy up until 5pm on 6 May.
For more information on the local elections, please visit our website.
VisitEngland’s popular Pink Book of legislation for tourism businesses has been fully updated and the 11th edition is now available to purchase.
The new edition, sponsored by PASC (The Professional Association of Self-Caterers), includes content for visitor attractions for the first time, such as information on Gift Aid, setting up a charity and how to safely provide work equipment and machinery. Other new content includes the points-based migration system, which outlines the requirements to employ someone from outside the UK, and upcoming legislation on single-use plastics.
The Pink Book is also used by local authority regulators to ensure when assessing a property, they have the most up to date regulations.
The new edition is available to view for free online here and hard copies can be purchased from VisitEngland for £12.49.
The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise is an annual award for outstanding achievement by UK businesses in the categories of:
- innovation
- international trade
- sustainable development
- promoting opportunity through social mobility
If you win you’ll be:
- invited to a Royal reception
- presented with the award at your company by one of The Queen’s representatives, a Lord-Lieutenant
- able to fly The Queen’s Awards flag at your main office, and use the emblem on your marketing materials (for example, on your packaging, advertisements, stationery and website)
- given a Grant of Appointment (an official certificate) and a commemorative crystal trophy
The awards are valid for 5 years.
Cumbria LEP are hosting a webinar to introduce businesses to the award, how to apply and discussion from previous winners.
The webinar will take place on Wednesday 12 May 2021 from 10.00am to 11.30am. Joining instructions for the webinar will then be sent nearer the time.
If you would like to attend, please register your place to attend which you can do here.
The latest round of business support grants have been available since the 1st April. As of today (Tuesday 4th May) we have paid out just under £8 million to 975 applicants.
The Restart Grants is for businesses who have a rateable value and who are predominantly reliant on delivering in-person services for the general public in the eligible sectors. There are two strands to the Restart Grant. Strand one is non-essential retail and Strand Two covers hospitality, leisure, accommodation and personal care.
Due to the amount of information the government now requires in order to pay the grant, you must fill in the application form which can be found on our website. Even if you have successfully applied for a grant from us before.
Before you start applying:
- Make sure you have read the criteria of the grant properly and ensure you are applying for the grant that most applies to you.
- The form will time out if no interaction takes place for 3-4 minutes, this is for security reasons. Therefore, please make sure you have all the evidence you need in front of you. The form should only take 2 minutes to fill in and submit.
- We will aim to get grants issued to businesses at the earliest opportunity. The government has asked local authorities to carry out additional pre-payment checks on these applications, so please allow a minimum of three weeks before contacting us.
For more information, please see our grants page.
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Following a recent Cumbria Tourism webinar, the Lake District Foundation have now opened applications for their latest grant scheme, supported by the European Structural Investment Fund. Qualifying businesses can receive up to 60% of costs (up to a maximum of £20,000) for projects designed to reduce their carbon footprint.
Projects could include:
- Low Carbon energy generation such as Solar Photo Voltaic, Solar Thermal, Biomass, Anaerobic digestion, Small hydro power, and Ground and Air Source Heat Pumps
- Energy efficiency projects such as Variable Speed drives, Voltage optimisation, Infrared Heating, LED lighting, and upgrading to efficient appliances.
- Sustainable transport such as Vehicle Charging Points and e-cargo bikes
- AI and smart technology, such as smart food waste bins
- Behaviour change and engagement
Click HERE to learn more and apply.
If you haven't already there's still time to sign up to the free UK-wide industry standard and consumer mark to reassure you customers that safety is your primary concern.
Now with personalised certificates and international recognition through the World Travel & Tourism Council’s Safe Travel stamp, the 'green tick of the 'We're Good to Go' scheme is an easy way to market your business as Covid-secure.
After a short application, you will have all you need in order to start your business recovery.
Click here to find out more and apply.
Please see a note below from our Trade Waste team:
"Disposing of waste from your business properly is important to ensure your compliance with legislation, keep the area clean and make sure facilities for residents, including domestic waste collections, bring sites and household waste recycling centres, can cope with demand.
Allerdale Borough Council would like to remind businesses about their responsibilities when it comes to disposing of waste.
Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, all businesses (including those operating from home or as holiday lets), have a legal responsibility to safely contain and legally dispose of any waste produced from their business. The local authority may issue a fixed penalty notice or take action in the magistrates court if businesses fail to comply.
The law applies to all types of business, no matter how small they are, what type of waste they create or how much. It is illegal to take waste from businesses and place it in your domestic bin, or take it to a household waste recycling centre."
We offer trade waste contracts for businesses and can provide recycling collections. Find out more at: https://www.allerdale.gov.uk/en/waste-recycling/trade-waste-services/
Drone donated to vital west Cumbrian charity -
A voluntary organisation has praised a local business after it donated a brand-new drone that will help them search for missing people and animals.
West cumbria missing person and animal search and rescue was left speechless when a plea to Forth Engineering (Cumbria) Ltd landed the voluntary organisation a new drone.
Chris Davidson, part of the search and rescue team, made a call to Mark Telford from the engineering business on Saturday to enquire about loaning a drone to help with the search for missing nine-month-old Cocker Spaniel JoJo.
JoJo was found on Great Gable on Sunday after a four-day rescue operation involving 16 volunteers and a search dog.
Read more on Cumbria Crack here.
More than £1 million raised for injured Patterdale mountain rescuer Chris Lewis -
More than £1 million has been raised for the Patterdale mountain rescue volunteer critically injured following a 150-metre fall in February – but much more is still needed.
Chris Lewis, 60, remains in hospital after sustaining life-altering injuries during a callout to a camper suffering from chest pains at Red Screes, near Kirkstone Pass, during lockdown.
A fund set up by Lake District Search and Mountain Rescue Association on JustGiving to help pay for Chris’ medical needs and his family’s wellbeing, has now reached £1,029,009.86.
Read more on Cumbria Crack here.
Jack Whitehall and dad Michael Whitehall stop for lunch in the Lakes -
Swinside Inn in the Newlands Valley had a busy time on Saturday and to cap it off they had the fabulously funny Jack and Michael Whitehall over for lunch of scampi and Henderson’s own Cumberland sausage.
The son and father team are filming the next series, Jack Whitehall - Travels With My Father and were filming in the area. The famous duo were staying at Armathwaite Hall Hotel and Spa whilst filming in the area.
They had been filming with alpacas out on the fells and had been due to film in the beer garden of the 17th century Lakeland inn- but it was so busy it wasn’t possible. Swinside owner Ben Henderson, said: “We ended up feeding the 23 members of the crew and Jack and Michael inside the restaurant.
Read more on Cumbria Crack here.
Customer Notice from the Plaza Cinema, Workington -
"Having been a part of this great community for so many years we are absolutely delighted to be able to confirm that we will be opening a three-screen cinema in the heart of Workington in the summer.
It will be on the top floor of John Peel House, above Wilko in the unit that was formerly Funtastic, the children’s soft play centre.
Our contractors, Thomas Armstrong, are gearing up to start work in the next week or so. They’re as committed as we are to delivering what will be a great independent family owned cinema, an asset for all generations to enjoy.
This cinema will be named The Ritz Cinema in recognition of coming full circle, back to having a cinema in the town centre."
Read more on their Facebook page here.
The deadline for EU citizens to apply for settled status is the end of June. If you are an employer, you can find the the right materials and information to support EU citizens to apply to stay in the UK. Please click here.
Last week's edition of the Solway Firth Partnership newsletter looks at the new Allonby to Silloth cycle path which has been looked after by ABC. Before you get out to walk / ride the path, have a read here.
Did you know every 39 seconds your computer fends off an attack? Since the pandemic there has been a 300% increase in phishing and cyber attacks. Cumbria Growth Hub have set up a Cyber Security Crash Course run by Ricky Beaty of Beaty Consultancy on Wednesday 9th June. If you would like to register, please email info@cumbriagrowthhub.co.uk
Department of International Trade are hosting a whole range of webinars focusing on Ecommerce. Here are the first two in the series:
5th May, 10am - How to make the most of Google Analytics and boost your international ranking through Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). Register here.
20th May, 10am - How to utilise paid adverts to explore new international markets and Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO) to turn visitors into customers. Register here.
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