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Westmorland and Furness Council is marking its first 100 days in service with action to make good on its commitment to being a caring council.
In its first centenary of days, a priority has been to ensure residents have received continuous services as the new council beds in and starts its long-term journey of transformation.
Leaders of the authority said staff deserved credit for getting to grips with key tasks and ensuring vital services, such as children’s and adults social care, were not impacted by the changeover.
A team of 120 volunteer staff ‘Change Champions’ are now helping embed the values the council wish to see across the new organisation.
The group uses monthly forums and development sessions to be a catalyst for change. This month it’s looking at how the authority can meet its ambition to be a caring council, taking practical steps to demonstrate its commitment.
Find out more about the council's first 100 days on the Westmorland and Furness Council website.
The first 100 days has seen a notable calendar of council activity including:
- £5m of new investment to be spent this year on 14 priority projects. All the projects will be delivered by the end of March 2024.
- Showcasing growth and housing investment opportunities on the Furness peninsula and the wider Westmorland and Furness area at both the UK’s largest real estate exhibition and a high-profile event at the House of Lords.
- Planning permission secured to transform the frontage of Barrow’s Market Hall and The Forum.
- More than £500,000 invested to back an ambitious plan to make the area ‘smoke free’ by 2030.
- £8.5 million earmarked for fixing potholes this year.
- £11 million for other road repairs and maintenance
- £2.5 million for bridge maintenance.
- Work on the introduction of 20mph speed limits after requests from communities across the area.
- A 100 per cent reduction in council tax for those on low incomes, which it is estimated could help more than 13,000 households.
- Establishing three Locality Boards – Eden, Furness and South Lakeland – to promote close working with communities.
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