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This week a key milestone in the LGR transition planning work was achieved - as the first formal meeting of the new Cumbria LGR Programme Board was held on Tuesday 14 September.
Attended by all the CEO’s – this meeting signifies the start of our programme and on the agenda was key items for discussion including:
- The final phase of work to agree the various workstreams and their named sponsors and projects leads
- A discussion on programme development and future resourcing
- An update on early work now underway to gather a strong foundation of data and intelligence to help inform future decisions, and
- Sign off for a strategic communications and engagement plan on LGR to help ensure effective two way communication with all key stakeholders during the transition phase
Other topics on the agenda included a discussion around developing and agreeing a clear set of Design Principles.
The transition programme has now been grouped into three key overarching ‘service based’ themes – People, Place and Enabling Services and work is also now underway to develop a clear timeline for the next 19 months, based around four key phases for the project – these are:
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Phase one – Mobilisation - laying the foundation to include data gathering/getting everyone to a place of common understanding and awareness/establishing governance/drafting the Structural Changes Order (SCO).
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Phase two – Design - finalising and agreeing the SCO/planning for elections/employee engagement.
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Phase three – Implementation – putting in place the new Shadow Authorities/shaping service transition/countdown to vesting day.
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Phase four – Stabilisation and closure – including Moving in/Vesting Day.
It was a very productive meeting supported by all the councils with a clear focus on building the two ‘new houses’ we will live in and delivering these two brand new councils successfully by April 2023.
There is still a significant amount of work to be done in the mobilisation phase – including drafting the SCO– which is what will go to parliament to agree the final transition governance arrangements.
The County Council also updated the board that it had now received a letter from the Secretary of State – this letter is in response to a pre-action protocol letter that the County Council sent Government in August which set out Cumbria County Council’s concerns regarding the basis of the Secretary of State’s decision.
The County Council is now carefully considering their response, before deciding on its next steps in relation to any potential future legal action.
We appreciate that there is continued anxiety about the future but please be reassured that although we are still in the early stages of the process, we remain committed to working together to drive forward positive change for the people and communities of Cumbria.
Any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
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