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 The festive period is upon us once again and I would like to take this opportunity to extend my best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a peaceful, healthy, and prosperous New Year to all Penrith residents and their families.
Our town has a uniquely special community, and at Christmas it is a great opportunity for this to shine through in our consideration and support for one other. Enjoy spending time with your friends and family, donate to food banks and other local charities if you are able, think, shop and buy local and check in with your neighbours to make sure they are okay! The festive period is a time of celebration for many, but for people struggling with life, feelings of loneliness and mental health stresses can intensify.
I recently visited the Growing Well site at Tebay Services, who run a Council sponsored bus from Penrith – they’re a dedicated mental health provider, and I was struck by the positive impact just talking and interacting with one another can have on mental health. Penrith also has a thriving Talkin’ Tables programme.
For other tips on how to cope, and ways to support someone else with their mental health, please visit the Mind website:
Useful contacts - Christmas and mental health - Mind
Personally, it has been an enormous privilege to have been Mayor for what is now the third time. Since the elections in May, I have seen firsthand the people and organisations in Penrith who have brought such care, compassion, pride and joy to the community.
I am especially proud of all the important work Penrith Town Council has done over the course of the year. When you look around Penrith town centre you will see the fantastic Christmas Light display delivered by the Penrith Business Improvement District (BID) with support from the Council. The Council tendered the works in collaboration with the BID and committed to undertake essential infrastructure safety checks to make sure we can have beautiful light displays, and be confident that the lighting structure is safe and secure.
The Council has awarded grants to several organisations in the town, enabling important projects for our residents.
The Penrith Neighbourhood Plan is due to go to public referendum in 2024, a document based on huge amounts of engagement reflecting what Penrith people tell us they want. It is my hope that this will be positively received, so we can begin to realise Penrith’s potential.
I also anticipate progress in 2024, for taking ownership of assets in Penrith that are currently owned by Westmorland and Furness Council. I look forward to working with them to achieve effective asset transfer and ultimately what’s best for Penrith.
It is such an honour to be Mayor of this great town and Chair of Penrith Town Council. Penrith has a council it can rightly be proud of and no-one in Penrith should be in any doubt that their council is here and is acting for them.
Doug Lawson, Chair of Penrith Town Council & Mayor of Penrith.
 From left to right: Doug Lawson - Penrith Town Council Chair & Penrith Mayor, Carole Donaldson - Penrith Salvation Army Major, Caroline Hodgson - Penrith Salvation Army Church Member and Community Volunteer, Heather Watson - Penrith Salvation Army Church Member and Community Support Worker, Mark Rudhall - Penrith Town Council Deputy Chair & Penrith Deputy Mayor
The Mayor & Deputy Mayor of Penrith have agreed to donate their annual allowance to support the Penrith Salvation Army’s food bank service this Christmas. The Mayor & Deputy Mayor of Penrith’s allowance amounts to £1,000 in total.
The Penrith Salvation Army food bank service provides an essential lifeline for many families and individuals in Penrith struggling to feed themselves and their families.
This Christmas, the Penrith Salvation Army will be supporting more than 300 families in Penrith and the surrounding area with food and toys over the Christmas period.
Doug Lawson, Penrith Town Council Chair and Mayor of Penrith said:
“Unfortunately, the demand for help from food banks has increased exponentially over the past few years.
“This increased need was reported in last week’s Cumberland and Westmorland Herald where I was shocked to read just how many families would be reliant on the Penrith Salvation Army’s food bank service – which prompted Mark and I to take action.
“I am proud we have been able to make this donation which will go a long way in supporting a much-needed cause.
Mark Rudhall, Penrith Town Council Deputy Chair and Deputy Mayor of Penrith said:
“We’re seeing first-hand the devastating impact the rising cost of living is having on our most vulnerable residents.
“Donating £1,000 will enable the Penrith Salvation Army’s food bank service to increase their capacity, enabling more people and families to get the support they need.
“I am proud that we have been able to donate this money to a worthy cause, and in our positions as Deputy Mayor and Mayor, Doug and I felt this was the least we could do to support those most in need in the community over the festive period.”
If you are struggling with the Cost of Living, please visit the Westmorland & Furness Council website which provides local information for Cumbrian residents on a range of helpful topics including food banks:
Cost of living support | Westmorland and Furness Council
 Left: Emilia Szulc, Group – Resource Centre Manager, Right: Doug Lawson, Penrith Town Council Chair and Mayor of Penrith
A grant of £895.94 has been awarded by Penrith Town Council to Riverside Group to deliver a Winter Warmth Club in the Community Café at the Eden Rural Foyer.
The Winter Warmth Club provides a safe, easy and accessible place for people living in the community, so they have somewhere to warm up, have a free hot beverage or a cup of soup, browse the internet, have a chat with somebody or charge their mobile phones at no extra cost.
The grant also contributes towards the Winter Warmth Club’s free weekly movie night where visitors will be able to enjoy watching a film of their choice on a big screen in the café with a free hot beverage.
On Monday 18 December 2023, Doug Lawson, Penrith Town Council Chair and Mayor of Penrith visited the Winter Warmth Club at the Eden Rural Foyer and said:
“The Winter Warmth Club provides a vital service for local people - particularly those who are struggling financially or are suffering from social isolation.
“Sometimes people can be reluctant to access services like these, which is why having the free weekly movie night is so important – as it gives those reluctant people more of a reason to access this service.
“Supporting the Penrith community is always a priority for the Council and that is why I am delighted to see the grant funding for this much needed community project.”
The Winter Warmth Club in the Community Café at the Eden Rural Foyer opened on 1 November 2023 and funding from Penrith Town Council will allow the project to run until 31 March 2024.
The Winter Warmth Club in the Community Café at the Eden Rural Foyer is running as part of “Warm Spots” – places in the community that give people a warm space to relax, work or interact with others in.
There are five spaces in Penrith currently designated as Warm Spots, including Penrith Leisure Centre, Restore Penrith, Penrith Library, Arragons Cycles and the Eden Rural Foyer. Everyone is welcome and you will not need to give any explanation of why you are there.
For more information on Warm Spots, please visit the Westmorland & Furness Council website.
Penrith Town Council has been asked by Westmorland & Furness Council to co-ordinate requests to designate areas in Penrith as 20mph zones.
If you think there are areas in Penrith which would benefit from a 20mph zone which aren’t already, please let us know:
- The exact areas you think should be designated.
- Any safety issues such as known damage or unreported incidents we should be aware of.
- Any other information we should be aware of.
- How many people you have spoken to which would support the application.
Penrith Town Council has created a simple application form which members of the public need to complete and return back to Penrith Town Council in order for us to progress requests.
This can be accessed through the link below:
Penrith 20mph Zone Application Forms
The deadline for submissions is 31 December, so please drop applications into our post box on Friargate or email: office@penrithtowncouncil.gov.uk
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Westmorland & Furness Council
In April 2023 local government in Cumbria changed. The six district Councils and Cumbria County Council were replaced by two unitary authorities.
Copeland, Allerdale and Carlisle formed Cumberland Council and Eden, South Lakeland and Barrow formed Westmorland & Furness Council.
For Penrith residents (and those in the Eden Valley), this meant that all of the functions of Eden District Council and Cumbria County Council were merged and are now operated by Westmorland & Furness Council.
The functions and responsibilities of Westmorland & Furness Council can be viewed below:
Formerly Eden District Council’s responsibility:
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Formerly Cumbria County Council’s responsibility:
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- Building control
- Car parking and on and off street parking enforcement
- Council Tax and Benefits
- Electoral services
- Environmental services e.g. noise, pest control
- Housing services
- Planning
- Licensing and street trading
- Markets
- Recycling and refuse collection
- Sport and Leisure centres
- Street cleaning and dealing with fly tipping
- Town centre management
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- Blue/car badges
- Children’s services
- Concessionary travel
- Education and schools
- Emergency planning
- Health and social care
- Highways, including potholes, signage and gritting
- Libraries and archives
- Public rights of way
- Public transport services
- Registration of births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships
- Strategic planning and some planning applications
- Trading Standards
- Transport
- Waste Recycling Centres
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For enquiries related to Westmorland & Furness Council, please call 0300 373 3300 or visit the Westmorland & Furness Council website.
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Penrith Town Council
What does Penrith Town Council do?:
- Gives views, on behalf of the community, on planning applications and other proposals that affect the parish
- Undertakes projects and schemes that benefit local residents
- Works in partnership with other bodies to achieve benefits for the parish
- Alerts relevant authorities to problems that arise or work that needs to be undertaken
- Helps the other tiers of local government keep in touch with their local communities
- Manages and provides assets and services
Currently, Penrith Town Council are responsible for the following assets:
- Bus shelters: Bridge Lane East, Bridge Lane West, Clifford Road, Newtown Road, Pategill Road, Pennyhill Park A6, Scotland Road opposite Raiselands Croft, Tara Hill
- Allotments: Salkeld Road, James Street, Folly Lane, Brackenber Close
- Green Spaces: Thacka Beck Field, Fairhill Playing Field
- Monuments & Buildings: Cornmarket & Bandstand, Musgrave Monument & St Andrews Churchyard War Memorial
- Benches: Penrith Town Council are responsible for most benches around Town
For enquiries related to Penrith Town Council, please call 01768 899 773, email: office@penrithtowncouncil.gov.uk or visit the Penrith Town Council website: penrithtowncouncil.gov.uk
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What is the Town Council’s role in the Planning Process?
When Westmorland and Furness Council (the Local Planning Authority) receive a planning application, they must consult the Town Council as a statutory consultee. Once The Town Council receives the planning list on a Monday morning, it has 21 days in which to send a response back to Westmorland and Furness Council. The Town Council holds its Planning Committee on the first Monday of every month and publishes its agenda by the previous Tuesday. Agendas can be found at https://www.penrithtowncouncil.gov.uk/meetings/planning/
Members of the public are welcome to send us comments about planning applications within the parish area or are welcome to attend a meeting to put their views to the Committee, who will take them into account before finalising their consultation response. Because planning is quasi-judicial, the Town Council must base its responses to Westmorland and Furness Council on material planning considerations.
It should be noted that any comments should also be sent to Westmorland and Furness Council who make the final decision about whether to grant an application.
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Penrith Town Council News is now available in printed format!
Get copies of Penrith Town Council News at the Penrith Town Council offices on Friargate, Another Weigh - Penrith, Penrith Restore, Penrith Tourist Information Centre, Eden Rural Foyer, Penrith Library, Penrith Railway Station and Newton House.
More venues will be approached over the coming months to increase the reach of the printed newsletter.
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New bench installed on Beacon Edge!
A bench on Beacon edge has been replaced following damage.
The bench had some of the slats removed and had extensive damage to the wooden support struts.
A new bench has now been installed, allowing residents to take a rest and soak up the views of the Lake District fells!
Newton Road Bus Shelter improvement
Following a request from a member of the Castletown community, the Council has replaced a panel on the bus shelter on Newton Road.
Previously, a panel with the Penrith Town Council logo blocked the view of upcoming traffic when sitting in the bus shelter.
The logo has now been removed, meaning residents can take shelter and still see oncoming buses!
For more information about the Assets owned by Penrith Town Council, please visit: Services & Assets - (penrithtowncouncil.gov.uk)
If you notice an issue with one of our assets, please do not hesitate to get in touch via office@penrithtowncouncil.gov.uk or by phone: 01768 899 773
Please note: the Penrith Town Council Office will be closed from Thursday 21 December 2023 - Tuesday 2 January 2024.
Any member of the public can attend Council meetings. The Council's upcoming meetings are detailed below with dates, times and venues.
Full Council Meeting
- Date: Monday 29 January 2024
- Time: 6.00pm - 8.00pm
- Venue: Unit 2, Church House, 19-24 Friargate
Finance Committee:
- Date: Monday 15 January 2024
- Time: 6.00pm - 8.00pm
- Venue: Board Room, Unit 1 Church House, 19-24 Friargate
Planning Committee:
- Date: Monday 15 January 2023
- Time: 4.00pm - 6.00pm
- Venue: Unit 2, Church House, 19-24 Friargate
Communities Committee:
- Date: Monday 26 February 2023
- Time: 5.00pm - 7.00pm
- Venue: Boardroom, Unit 1, Church House, 19-24 Friargate
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