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The benefits of investing in Cumbria will be showcased at a three-day business conference (Tuesday 19 - Thursday 21 May 2026) which is set to attract 16,000 delegates and more than 1,750 potential investors.
UKREiiF, hosted in Leeds, connects people, places and businesses to accelerate and unlock sustainable, inclusive and transformational investment.
The annual event brings together the public sector - with every core UK city and region involved - alongside government, investors, funders, developers, housebuilders and more.
Cumbria Combined Authority, Enterprising Cumbria, Cumberland Council and Westmorland & Furness Council are joining forces to promote the area’s investment opportunities and development plans.
Also in this weeks edition:
We were proud to support the official opening of Hall Garden on Friday 8 May with a special community celebration in the heart of Workington.
Developed by West House within the historic grounds of Workington Hall, Hall Garden brings together a welcoming café, community growing spaces and creative opportunities, creating meaningful experiences for people with learning disabilities across Cumbria.
Cumberland Council was pleased to be involved in the launch, with the Leader of the council, Cllr Mark Fryer joining local MP Josh MacAlister to officially open the site alongside partners, supporters and members of the community who have helped bring this vision to life. Guests enjoyed exploring the café, gardens and pottery spaces, and meeting the inspiring team behind the project.
We also want to send our very best wishes to West House and the Hall Garden team. It has been a pleasure working with West House, and we wish everyone involved every success moving forward. Hall Garden is now open to the public Friday – Sunday, 10am - 4pm, Curwen Park, Workington
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Take a look at our most recent video and follow your recycling's journey from your home to the Material Recycling Facility (MRF) and see the complex processes that sorts it ready for reuse.
Did you know? 100% of cardboard, paper, plastic and glass processed at the facility is sent on to be recycled.
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Do you have children’s books at home that are no longer being read? By donating good-quality books, you can help more children discover the joy of reading, spark their imagination and enjoy stories of their own. Please donate your good-quality children’s books at your local Family Hub or selected library and help share the joy of stories with local families.
You can drop off books at Workington, Wigton and Whitehaven libraries as well as all Cumberland Family Hubs.
See more on our video with Cllr Elaine Lynch, Executive member and portfolio holder with responsibility for Lifelong Learning and Development.
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Children and young people in care in Cumberland are helping lead this year’s Foster Care Fortnight campaign by sharing their experiences and perspectives through powerful creative work.
Members of Cumberland’s Courage Influences Creative Change (CICC) group - young people aged 10 to 16 who represent the voices of children in care - have written heartfelt poems and letters to ‘future foster carers’. Their words offer a moving insight into what fostering means to them and the difference it can make to children’s lives.
The work forms part of Cumbria Fostering’s activities to mark Foster Care Fortnight (11–24 May 2026), the UK’s largest awareness-raising campaign for fostering. Residents can view displays of the young people’s work at venues across Cumberland, including The Beacon, Longtown Library, Workington Library, and the Family Hub on the Harbour in Whitehaven.
Alongside the displays, Cumbria Fostering is also hosting information events to encourage more people to consider becoming foster carers. These sessions provide a chance to meet the team, speak to current carers, and ask questions in a relaxed, no-pressure environment.
You can attend a drop-in information event at Workington Library on 19 May (12pm - 2pm), Tullie House in Carlisle on May 17 (1pm - 3pm), or join an online session on 20 May (6pm -7pm). To register for our event, visit our event booking page - https://www.trybooking.com/uk/events/landing/80541.
If you’ve ever thought about fostering, this could be the perfect time to find out more. Visit cumbriafostering.org.uk to learn more.
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Great news for Millom Leisure Centre – the facility has reached a key construction milestone, with the building now being watertight. This will enable the next key phase to commence.
Across the site, work is continuing to gather pace, with some significant milestones now reached.
Outside, the building is really taking shape, with wall cladding almost complete and roofing works nearing their final stages. Progress has also been made to the front of the site, with new kerbs laid to improve pedestrian access.
Inside, work is advancing in the plant and pool areas, and internal construction is gathering momentum across changing rooms and the sports hall. Over in the existing sports hall, stripping out is now complete and alterations are well underway as preparations begin for the next phase.
It’s great to see the project moving forward on so many fronts as the Leisure Centre nears completion.
This exciting project, part of Millom Town Deal - Activating Community Health, is being delivered thanks to support from our funding partners: Copeland Community Fund, Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, South Copeland GDF Community Partnership / Nuclear Waste Services, CGP Books, Millom School and Millom Town Council.
Video Credit: Stuart Walker Photography
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Plans for a multimillion-pound industrial hub, located at the heart of the Leconfield Estate in Cleator Moor, have been submitted for planning approval.
Cumberland Council and the Industrial Solutions Hub (iSH) is proposing the iSH Hub - a new, flexible innovation building designed to support start‑up and early‑stage businesses focused upon advanced manufacturing and products, robotics and AI.
It forms part of the Cleator Moor Town Deal and is also supported by Sellafield Ltd and NDA.
We’re inviting residents and community leaders to take part in a one‑hour participatory workshop exploring what a future Right to Food could look like in our community.
These sessions provide a space for people to share their lived experiences, insights and priorities around food access and the support systems that surround it.
Each workshop will include:
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A short introduction to the work of the UK Right to Food Commission
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An overview of how your input will help shape a roadmap for implementing a Right to Food law in the UK
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Group discussion on key questions, including:
- The everyday challenges people face in accessing nutritious, affordable food
- How well current support services are working — and where gaps remain
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What minimum standards, protections and responsibilities should be included in a future Right to Food law
All feedback will be shared anonymously with the UK Right to Food Commission and will also help inform local priorities through Food Cumberland.
By taking part, you’ll help build a clearer picture of what communities need - and what a fairer food system should guarantee for everyone.
Workshop dates and locations
We’re hosting a range of in‑person sessions across Cumberland, as well as an online option to ensure everyone can take part:
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Monday 18 May: 10am - 11am Cabinet Meeting Room, Ground Floor, Cumbria House, Botchergate, Carlisle
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Monday 18 May: 11am - 12pm Cabinet Meeting Room, Ground Floor, Cumbria House, Botchergate, Carlisle
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Tuesday 19 May: 3.30pm - 4.30pm
Botcherby Community Centre, Victoria Road, Carlisle
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Wednesday 20 May: 1pm - 2pm The Oval Centre, Salterbeck, Workington
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Wednesday 20 May: 2pm - 3pm The Oval Centre, Salterbeck, Workington
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Friday 22 May: 3pm - 4pm (online via Microsoft Teams)
Meeting ID: 391 753 857 822 334
Join us at Upperby Gala on Monday 25 May, 1pm to 4pm at Hammond’s Pond, Carlisle for an afternoon of free, family-friendly entertainment!
This year’s programme will include performances compared by The Fairly Famous Family including community dance groups; Studio A Dance Company, Razzamataz Theatre Schools, Carlisle Dance Academy, Express Dance Studios and O’Hehir School of Irish dance plus the Bjamba band and with the highlight of the show the Tom Longton Sheepdog Demos.
There will be chance to sample sports, exercise and forest skills activities including a Climbing Wall and Wheels of Wellness. Other activities include the Hammond’s Pond Railway, children’s activity marquee, a fun fair, Owl Magic and Zoo Madness.
With plenty of food stalls open all day, it’s the perfect Bank Holiday outing.
Organised by Cumberland Council with support from the Friends of Hammond’s Pond Group - don’t miss this fantastic free event!
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On the buildup to the bank holiday on Monday 25 May, we are reminding residents how to access our services.
Some of our offices - including Carlisle’s Civic Centre and Cumbria House, Allerdale House in Workington, and Market Hall in Whitehaven - will be closed to customers on Monday 25 May 2026. Online services will be available at www.cumberland.gov.uk
The main customer number (0300 373 3730) will close at 4.30pm on Friday 22 May and will reopen following the bank holidays on Tuesday 26 May at 9am. There will be a recorded message advising of the closure period and out of hours contact numbers for Highways, Homelessness, and Adults and Children’s Social Care, should anyone be calling in an emergency.
Cumberland Council, jointly with the tenants of the Whitehaven Civic Hall, have taken the decision to temporarily close the building to undertake safety improvements.
The council owns the freehold of the Lowther Street building and leases it to the Rosehill Youth Theatre trust who operate it, including its principal events space; The Solway Hall.
The closure decision follows recent inspections which have concluded that the current arrangements need to be improved. Whitehaven Library, which is attached to the Civic Hall building, is not affected by the closure and will continue to operate normally.
With the closure now in place, the council plans to carry out the works required to make the building safe. It is hoped that the building will be able to reopen in the summer.
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Cumberland Council’s Annual Council was held on Tuesday 12 May in Carlisle’s Civic Centre.
At the meeting, a series of appointments to committees were made.
The Leader of the Council, Cllr Mark Fryer confirmed the names of the Deputy Leader(s) and Members of the Executive for 2026-27:
- Deputy Leader (Statutory) and Executive Member for Adult Social Care, Cllr Lisa Hinton
- Deputy Leader (Non-Statutory) Statutory Lead Member for Children's Services and Executive Member for Children’s Services, Family Wellbeing and Housing, Cllr Emma Williamson
- Executive Member for Environment and Planning, Cllr Bob Kelly
- Executive Member for Digital Connectivity and Security, Cllr Chris Southward
- Executive Member for Financial Planning and Assets, Cllr Barbara Cannon
- Executive Member for Lifelong Learning and Development, Cllr Elaine Lynch
- Executive Member for Sustainable, Resilient and Connected Places, Cllr Denise Rollo
- Executive Member for Vibrant and Healthy Places, Cllr Anne Quilter
- Executive Member for Public Health and Communities, Cllr Justin McDermott
Anne Glendinning has been appointed as the new Mayor or Carlisle.
Ms. Glendinning officially began her role this week (Wednesday 13 May) after being chosen by the Charter Trustees of the City of Carlisle during their annual meeting. She replaces Jeanette Whalen who had been mayor for 2025/26.
Justin McDermott will serve as the deputy mayor this year.
Ms. Glendinning, whose son Mark will support her in the role as her consort, has decided to nominate Meningitis Now as her chosen charity in memory of her niece Sally. The charity aims to save lives and rebuild futures through research, awareness, and support.
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We are set to carry out essential carriageway works between Highland View and Silversyke, near Boltonfellend.
The works will begin on Monday 18 May 2026 and are expected to last for 10 working days, subject to weather conditions and site requirements.
A big thank you to local residents, businesses and community representatives who shared their views on potential Active Travel improvements in Carlisle, as the county prepares to play its part in major national and international cycling events.
In mid‑April (16 April), council officers hosted an engagement afternoon at The Halston, giving people the opportunity to talk about early, exploratory ideas for The Crescent and Warwick Road. The session was designed to start a conversation, understand local views and help shape future proposals before any detailed design work progresses.
During the event, officers shared a range of early discussion diagrams, which are not fixed plans but starting points to encourage conversation and gather feedback. This work forms part of the council’s wider ambition to explore where future Active Travel schemes could support people who live, work and travel into Carlisle city centre.
he DEFRA statutory guidance for all animal activities licensing has recently been updated.
If you hold a licence, it’s important to review the latest guidance and ensure you remain compliant with current animal welfare standards.
The updated guidance includes stricter requirements, and you may need to make changes to your practices. Failing to stay up to date could:
- Impact the welfare of animals in your care
- Affect your licence star rating
You can view the latest DEFRA guidance here
We strongly encourage all licence holders to check the new requirements as soon as possible.
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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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