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The recent focus for the Shadow Authority for Cumberland Council has been on ensuring as many people as possible got to read and have their say on the draft Council Plan.
The online consultation was accompanied by a number of drop-in sessions in various key locations, as well as online Q&As with staff, partners, parish councils and members of the public. In all more than 580 responses were received and the authority would like to thank everyone who took the time to give their views.
These are now being collated and analysed for use in a final version of the plan, which will be considered at the next Shadow Executive meeting.
Shadow Executive
The Shadow Executive will next week be recommended to approve a new 'devolved' HQ model from Vesting Day (April 2023).
If agreed, Cumberland HQs will be distributed across the administrative area. These HQs will be known as 'anchor buildings' - with a careful assessment process used to select each one.
The proposed 'anchor buildings' are:
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Allerdale House, Workington.
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Civic Centre, Carlisle.
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Cumbria House, Carlisle.
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The Market Hall and Copeland Centre, Whitehaven
The HQ will not be a single focal point or building. It will be a series of connected key buildings acting as ‘anchors’ for the council across the footprint of the authority linking the primary service centres of Carlisle, Workington and Whitehaven.
It is expected that the majority of the staff including the Corporate Management/Leadership Team would work flexibly between these anchor buildings. Council meetings would rotate across the authority area as appropriate.
Staff will continue to work from other locations in addition to those highlighted as anchor buildings.
Also on the agenda for the Shadow Executive meeting on Tuesday 20 September is the draft council plan and pension scheme administration arrangements. Reports for the meeting are on this link.
Cumberland Board
The Cumberland Board met on Tuesday 13 September. The team had initial discussions on the session due to take place later this month with the Shadow Executive members on the future transformation of services after Vesting Day and the development of a target operating model for the new authority. This is likely to look at key issues such as locality arrangements and the use of technology.
The team was going to consider transformation ahead of this session with Members at their meeting this week. However, as a number of people were unable to attend, it was decided to postpone this discussion until the following week.
Cabinet
The Shadow Authority Cabinet met on Monday (12 September) to consider a number of items, including a report on proposals for the authority’s ‘headquarters’ arrangements and final recommendations for the council logo.
The Cabinet agreed the final logo - pictured here - describing it as 'strong, clean and modern’.
Comments on the approved design will now be taken into account in a final refinement of the logo before it is rolled out as a central part of the visual identity and branding process for the new Westmorland and Furness Council, which will come into operation in April 2023.
The logo makes up just one element of the new council’s ‘brand’ and other key elements, such as organisational values, will follow as part of the Council Plan development.
The Cabinet also agreed to a distributed headquarters arrangement, with anchor buildings in all the key service centres of Barrow, Kendal and Penrith.
The decision means there will be no single HQ for the new council when it comes in to operation. The anchor buildings will be Voreda House in Penrith, South Lakeland House with the Town Hall and County Hall in Kendal and the Town Hall in Barrow.
The Cabinet report explained the large, mainly rural, area covered by the new authority, with challenges of transport connectivity, meant the council would need a ‘decentralised approach to governance’ to enable it to be close to geographically dispersed communities and to ensure that services are accessible to all residents, even in the remotest parts.
You can access the papers for the Cabinet meeting here: Westmorland and Furness (moderngov.co.uk)
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Council Plan
The conversation exercise around the Westmorland and Furness draft Council Plan has continued, with a number of online events and drop-ins allowing people to share their views on the emerging priorities and strategic aims in the draft plan.
Two staff Teams meetings were held where Westmorland and Furness Council Chief Executive designate Sam Plum and Westmorland and Furness Council Leader Councillor Jonathan Brook presented and answered colleagues’ questions on the new council’s vision, ambitions and the values and principles that will underpin how it will work.
A similar online session has been held for voluntary and third sector organisations and for Shadow Authority councillors.
The public has also been able to comment on the draft Council Plan at a number of drop-ins across the new council area.
Further drop-ins are being held at:
Booths, Windermere
Thursday, 15 September, 11.30am-1.30pm
Booths, Ulverston
Friday, 16 September, 11.30am-1.30pm
Round House, Biggar Bank Road, Walney Island
Friday, 16 September, 10am-2pm
Printed copies of the draft Council Plan can be picked-up at main libraries in Alston, Barrow, Kendal and Penrith and colleagues can fill out feedback forms at our main council offices in Kendal, Barrow and Penrith.
Remember you can read more about the draft Council Plan and complete a feedback survey at: Westmorland and Furness or respond by email to: info@newcouncilsforcumbria.info
Deadline for responses is tomorrow, 16 September.
All the feedback received will help inform the final version of the Council Plan vision, values and priorities, due to be approved later this year.
Section 151
Subject to ratification by the Full Council of the Shadow Authority on 28 September, Interim Director of Resources at Eden District Council, Paul Sutton, is set to take up the role of Interim S151 officer for the Westmorland and Furness Shadow Authority, to replace Helen Smith, who is stepping down from the role. This follows a selection process to recruit a new Interim S151.
Remember you can still watch the latest all staff Q&A which was held last week.
The live Teams event was hosted by John Metcalfe, Chief Executive of Cumbria County Council; Sam Plum, Chief Executive of Westmorland and Furness Council and Luci Robb, Senior Manager - People Management for Cumbria County Council.
<<Watch the recording of the LGR Q&A session - 5 Sept>>
We would like feedback from those who attended to help us review how these events are delivered in the future.
<<Provide your feedback on the LGR Q&A session>>
The next all staff Q&A will take place on Monday 3 October at 10am. Details of how to join will be shared later this month.
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