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New lights installed on Devonshire Street
Carlisle city centre just got brighter and more inviting!
This week, we installed brand-new Gobo lighting, cellar lights, and under-bench lighting on Devonshire Street, transforming the area after dark.
Gobo lighting projects stunning seasonal shapes and patterns for a striking visual effect. Cellar lights & under-bench lighting add warmth and character, creating a more welcoming space for pedestrians and businesses.
This project, funded by the UK Government’s Future High Street Fund, is part of a wider effort to enhance Carlisle’s city centre. A huge thank you to local businesses, residents, and visitors for your support in making this happen!
Take an evening stroll and see the transformation for yourself!
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The Teenage Market
With only six trader places left the Teenage Market is continuing to capture the imagination of Carlisle’s young entrepreneurs.
Being held on Saturday 12 April between 10am and 3pm in the Lanes shopping centre, the event will be the eighth Teenage Market to be held in Carlisle. On the day traders will be selling a wide variety of products including delicious homemade cakes, clay bead bracelets, hair accessories, 3D printed models and fidgets and jewellery designed for boys. As well as trader stalls there will also be live performances from local solo singers and singer songwriters.
Due to potential WiFi issues, traders prefer cash payments where possible.
If you know of any young person aged between 8 and 25 years of age who you think may be interested in taking part in the Teenage Market please contact Helen Tickner at helen.tickner@cumberland.gov.uk for more information.
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 Transforming Carlisle Library
We have appointed Krol Corlett Construction to lead the £3.3 million redevelopment of Carlisle Library, funded by the UK Government’s Carlisle Town Deal.
This project will create a modern learning and community hub, featuring a children’s zone, study spaces, adult learning classrooms, and a display area for The Jackson Collection (a growing local history collection, founded in 1909 from a bequest by William Jackson). The library will also undergo major building and technology upgrades.
During construction, a temporary library space will remain open within the building, ensuring continued access to key services.
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Also in this week's edition:
Join us for free family fun at the Family Hub welcome days during the spring school holidays. Each event has lots going on, follow us on social media for all the details (Facebook/CumberlandFamilyHubs and Instagram @CumberlandFamilyHubs ), with activities including arts and crafts, face painting, sports, pet encounters and more:
- Wednesday 9 April, 11am – 3pm, Cumberland Family Hub - Morton, Carlisle CA2 6JP
- Thursday 10 April,11am – 3pm, Cumberland Family Hub – Longtown CA6 5UF
- Friday 11 April, 11am – 3pm, Cumberland Family Hub – Maryport CA15 8HN
- Monday 14 April, 11am – 3pm, Moorclose Community Centre, 88, Needham Drive, Workington CA14 3SE
- Tuesday 15 April, 11am – 3pm, Family Hub on the Harbour, Whitehaven CA28 7LZ
- Wednesday 16 April, 11am – 3pm, Cumberland Family Hub – Millom LA18 4 LP
- Thursday 17 April, 11am – 3pm, Cumberland Family Hub – Wigton CA7 9SA
It would be really helpful if you could let us know you are coming by signing up here but you can drop in to any event. We can't wait to see you there!
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Cumberland residents who want additional garden waste collections are being urged to sign up soon as new collection arrangements are set to start.
Cumberland Council recently announced that from week commencing Monday 31 March 2025 all householders with garden waste bins will continue to have one bin collected every fortnight.
There will however be a yearly charge of £40 per additional bin that residents request to be collected. This is consistent with the approach in the former Copeland area.
Collections are fortnightly between March and November each year.
Residents can sign up to a maximum of three additional garden bin collections per fortnight, per household.
Stickers will be supplied for the additional bins once the payment has been processed. Residents are being advised to place the sticker on the back of the bin and when putting out for collection, put the bin handle side to the road/pavement -this will help the collection crew and ensure that stickers are visible.
The council has reviewed their collection service, and the changes provide a fairer and more efficient service.
Following a public consultation and a comprehensive review of the current arrangements, Cumberland Council will also introduce the following:
Waste collections: former Allerdale area
Collections will be the same as the Carlisle and Copeland areas. Waste collections will be fortnightly from May 2025.Cardboard/paper collections will increase from monthly to fortnightly from September 2025.
Householders will be given the opportunity to request a free replacement 180 litre bin (most residents have a 120-litre bin). Requests can be made from April.
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Support fairness: the plan is to provide all residents with the same level of waste collection service.
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Increase recycling: These changes will help increase recycling rates, reducing the impact of waste on our environment in Cumberland.
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Ensure a more efficient service: The council collects 99% of bins on time. These changes will help them improve efficiency and maintain a high level of reliability across Cumberland.
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Join us for a special spring clean-up at The Line in Workington.
WhatThreeWords location: boxer.dozen.aspect
With our Local Focus Hub partners, we will be sprucing up the path between Harrington Road and Moorclose Bridge on 10 April, from 10am until 1pm.
Last year, we were one of several agencies involved in improving The Line after a survey revealed residents found it a hotspot for antisocial behaviour. Bushes were cut back, graffiti was removed, and artwork was added.
If you’d like to help us keep The Line a safe and pleasant area for everyone, please come along and help us litter pick on the 10th. We’ll be at the Harrington Road entrance at 10am, and all equipment will be provided.
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Cumberland Council is soon to launch a wide-ranging project which aims to ensure the area’s library services are fit for the future.
Residents, partner organisations and other stakeholders will play a key role in helping to shape the future offer of the library service with a comprehensive engagement exercise soon to get underway.
The first phase will include engaging with a range of stakeholders to gather their views through a public survey, a series of workshops and drop-in sessions.
One of the council’s main aims is to continue to deliver library services that are welcoming and accessible to all and make the most of digital-based offering which are becoming increasingly popular.
The public survey is set to launch on April 22 and run until July 4 with other workshops, engagement sessions and drop-ins taking place throughout the spring and early part of summer.
Once all the information is gathered the council will then be able to make proposals on what Cumberland’s library service could offer and how it can best be delivered. Residents and other stakeholders will be kept up to date with ongoing developments.
Construction work on an exciting new Arts and Enterprise Centre - now known as the Old Bank - in the heart of Millom, is set to get underway from next Monday (31 March 2025).
This project marks the second project to get underway from the Millom Town Deal aimed at revitalising the town, following the successful start of the Activating Community Health project at the beginning of the year.
The Old Bank, once a dormant building, is being transformed into a vibrant hub for creativity, business, and community engagement. Located in the historic NatWest building at Market Square, the centre will feature diverse spaces designed to foster and support local businesses, start-ups, and community interactions. These include a welcoming café, startup and office spaces, as well as co-working areas and workshops.
It’s your last chance to enter the Taste Cumbria Wigton flag competition - the deadline for entries is Monday 31 March at 5pm.
The aim is to showcase the best of Wigton, marking its heritage, community and unique character. The contest is open to everyone - artists, designers, or those who just love a colourful challenge.
This creative competition has been launched to coincide with the first Taste Cumbria festival of 2025 which takes place in the town on Saturday 26 April.
The finished flag will be flown over Taste Cumbria weekend, with a special prize of recognition awarded at the event itself.
All entries should be sent on email (a photo of the design is fine) to ellie.jones@cumberland.gov.uk or handed in at the main reception of the Market Hall in Wigton.
The only rules for the competition are that design must fill a sheet of A4 paper and be clearly visible on the image submitted. There are no age restrictions and team efforts are welcome. Make sure to include your name and contact details with your entry.
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Where: Harraby Community Centre and Cycle Track
About the event: Our first ‘Move it!!’ event will bring together local communities, organisations, services and activities to showcase what support and opportunities are available for people to increase their physical and mental wellbeing.
The event is free and is open to all to drop in and there will be something for everyone, both indoors and outdoors. As it lands during half term it’s a great opportunity to bring all the family to and keep busy for a couple of hours.
Travel Actively has lots more events running throughout half term and the following weeks, from cycling, to ‘Spring Strolls’ to walk leader training. To find out more and to book a place, please contact travelactively@cumberland.gov.uk
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We are excited to celebrate the upcoming launch of a new website designed to help people choose walking, wheeling or cycling for their everyday journeys instead of using the car.
The Travel Actively Cumbria website will be formally launched on 2 April offering residents a one-stop website for everything they need to know about active travel in Cumbria, including a journey planner, tips, local stories, news, and events.
To celebrate, join us at: Carlisle Lanes Shopping Centre – 10am to 2pm
Chat with the Active Travel team, grab some freebies, and discover how small changes can boost health, wellbeing, and the environment.
We are pleased to confirm that Route 217 (Frizington – Lamplugh – Dean – Cockermouth) will continue operating until a pilot scheme is established. Thanks to £5 million in funding from the Department for Transport, secured in November 2024, this service is now financially sustainable, ensuring long-term viability for passengers.
This funding is part of the £670 million Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), aimed at strengthening transport networks across the UK. The extension ensures that residents along Route 217 will continue to benefit from reliable public transport, improving connectivity across communities.
Repair work to a number of car parks in and around Allonby has begun this week.
The works are estimated to take between five and ten working days to complete. They will address some longstanding damage to the surfaces of the car parks and include regrading of the car parks and some tarmac patching.
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Cumberland residents who need help to remain living independently in their homes will soon see the benefits of a new policy initiative agreed this week.
Cumberland Council’s Executive agreed a new Home Adaptation and Assistance Policy at its meeting in Carlisle on 27 March.
The initiative helps residents who have a disability make adaptations to their home so that they can remain independent and living at home for longer. Grants of up to £30k can be provided to residents through the government’s Disabled Facilities Grants scheme.
The changes also mean that residents will get the same service and offer wherever they live in Cumberland.
Cumberland Council and its Carlisle Southern Link Road (CSLR) supply chain successfully delivered a three-day work experience programme for 130 Year 9 and 10 students at Caldew School in Dalston. The hands-on initiative provided invaluable insights into the CSLR project and the wide range of career opportunities within the construction industry.
Developed in collaboration with key CSLR contractors - including Galliford Try Infrastructure, Story Contracting, Heidelberg Materials, GoGreen, Danny Sullivan Group, Premier Traffic Management, and Peacocks Precision Services - the programme gave students a unique opportunity to explore different roles in the industry.
Thanks to a competition organised by the Lord-Lieutenant and High Sheriff of Cumbria, the county is getting its very own community flag, and we need your creativity to help design it! This is a fantastic opportunity for staff, families, and friends to take part in a historic moment for our county. Whether you’re an individual, school, community group, or organisation, this competition is open to everyone.
The competition is supported by ourselves, Westmorland and Furness Council, Carlisle Cathedral, the University of Cumbria, and the Flag Institute. The goal is to create a flag that represents Cumbria’s heritage, culture, and community spirit.
A community flag for Cumbria will be a free, public emblem for all to use, helping to:
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Express pride in our local community
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Increase recognition of Cumbria on a national scale
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Celebrate our county’s rich heritage and culture
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Complement existing community flags of Cumbria’s historic counties
The competition is open to everyone, and designs can be created using drawing, painting, digital artwork, or crafted designs. It’s a great chance to get creative with your family and friends and show your Cumbrian pride!
After submissions close, an assessment panel will shortlist designs for a public vote, and the winning flag will be officially registered with the Flag Institute’s UK Flag Registry.
Encourage your children, parents, friends, and colleagues to take part - let’s design a flag that represents all of us!
The candidates standing in the Egremont Town Council (South Ward) election have been published. The poll will take place on Thursday 24 April 2025.
Applications to register to vote must reach the Electoral Registration Officer by 12 midnight on Friday 4 April 2025. Applications can be made online.
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Join Team Cumberland
See if there is a job for you at Cumberland Council on our jobs page. You can also find out more about life at the council on our dedicated careers page.
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