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Also in this week's edition:
We are seeking the views of local people to help shape our budget plans.
Central to our ambition is to deliver the vision set out in the 2023-2027 Council Plan, which puts improving the health and wellbeing of residents at the heart of everything.
The council’s annual net revenue budget – the money needed for day-to-day service delivery such as energy, staff and keeping buildings open – is around £330 million. The pressure on this budget is ever increasing with rising demand for many services – in particular adult social care and children’s services – combined with a higher cost of delivery.
The authority is taking action to deliver better services more sustainably through its transformation programme and while progress has been made since Cumberland Council was formed in April 2023, work continues to realise the potential savings these projects will bring.
Among the budget plans being considered is a change to the council’s share of council tax. Council tax provides around half of the council’s net budget and to continue to provide the services residents and businesses need, there is a proposal to increase this by 4.99 per cent, made up of a 2.99 per cent increase generally, with a further two per cent rise for the adult social care levy. If approved, this would add £90.66 a year for a typical band D property, or £1.74 a week.
To help residents on low incomes the council will continue to provide the council tax reduction scheme, which remains one of the most generous in the country and helps reduce a bill for those most in need. This can mean some residents who qualify not having to pay any council tax.
Local people will be able to give their views by taking part in the consultation in two ways; which can be done by filling in the more traditional survey and using a new interactive online tool which allows participants to prioritise the council services most important to them.
We are also consulting on proposed changes to waste collections, taxi fares, and how you find our car parks in Keswick and Carlisle.
See more about these and how to have your say via our round-up email newsletter.
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Work to remove the RAAC panels from The Sands Centre auditorium roof has taken another step forward, with the help of a 130-tonne crane working at a height of 14 metres above ground level.
A secure enclosure is being created to keep the building watertight for when the panels are removed in the New Year.
Cubby Construction, working on behalf of Cumberland Council, will carefully remove the panels in sequence over a period of four to six weeks. This process will be weather-dependent and can only be undertaken when the wind speed is below 7m per second.
Due to the size of the crane, the work is clearly visible across the cityscape
Following a recent assessment by The Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS), our site on the Carlisle Southern Link Road project has maintained its 'Excellent' rating with full marks - making this our third consecutive top score.
This achievement reflects the team's consistent dedication to:
- Delivering high-quality construction work while minimising community impact
- Fostering meaningful relationships with local residents and stakeholders
- Maintaining rigorous safety and environmental standards
The CCS auditor's feedback noted: "The project operates at a very high level... Well done an excellent project with very high levels of commitment to the CCS scheme demonstrated."
Give your child a holiday full of fun activities and new friends. The Holiday Activity and Food programme offers a safe and engaging way to keep them active and happy. Places are limited, so book now!
Search for an activity and book directly with the provider,
cumberland.gov.uk/holidays
Activities are fully funded and a meal will be provided each day. Sessions are available from Friday 20 December to Tuesday 7 January and will be delivered by a range of local providers offering activities from sports and games to cooking and crafts, there’s loads to get involved with!
If you have any questions contact HAF@cumberland.gov.uk
With unprecedented levels of investment into digital infrastructure across Cumbria of over £400m between commercial and public funded programmes, there has never been a better time for businesses to check the upgrade options available to them in order to reap the benefits of improved connectivity.
More than 95% of homes and businesses across the county can now access superfast broadband speeds of above 30Mbps with 62% now able to access gigabit speeds.
There are also opportunities to use greater mobile connectivity around the county with current outdoor 4G geographic coverage levels standing at over 91% from at least one mobile provider and 65% from all 4 major UK network providers.
The result of the Cockermouth Town Council Christchurch Ward by-election held on 12 December 2024 is as follows:
- Jenny Louise Forsythe (Labour Party): 211 votes
- Alan Smith (Independent): 236 votes
There was one rejected ballot paper for voting for more than one candidate.
The turnout was 22.61%.
Therefore Alan Smith is duly elected as councillor for the Christchurch Ward of Cockermouth Town Council.
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