Feedback on Copeland Council and Bransty meetings
The December Meeting of Copeland Council took place in Cleator Moor yesterday afternoon (2nd December).
Key issues covered included
* Approval of the Local Development Scheme (This is part of the Local Development Framework which will replace the old District Plan, and sets out how the other documents in that framework will be approved.
* Future of West Cumberland Hospital - the leader of the council agreed with me and with Conservative Group Leader Cllr David Moore that we should pressure the local NHS Trusts to avoid any further delay in taking a decision about the siting for the new hospital. See fuller report on my hospitals blog (link at right.)
* Christmas Parking. We had asked at a committee meeting whether there would be any free parking at Christmas to attract shoppers into Whitehaven and were promised a statement at the December council.
Due to an administrative error it appears that the Portfolio holder, Cllr Clements, had not been advised that he was supposed to be making a statement about this. When asked, however, he declined to agree to any free parking in Whitehaven this Christmas on the basis that the money which might possibly have been used for this was being spent instead on a marketing campaign for the town as recommended by one particular business group. The Conservative group, while not opposed to the marketing campaign, felt that the failure to organise any Christmas parking concession put the town at a disadvantage.
The Bransty and Harbour Neighbourhood Forum was later the same evening.
The possibility of a Town Council for Whitehaven was discussed, followed by a presentation on the four traffic options for the town centre being considered by the County Council. That consultation will continue until March.
Key issues covered included
* Approval of the Local Development Scheme (This is part of the Local Development Framework which will replace the old District Plan, and sets out how the other documents in that framework will be approved.
* Future of West Cumberland Hospital - the leader of the council agreed with me and with Conservative Group Leader Cllr David Moore that we should pressure the local NHS Trusts to avoid any further delay in taking a decision about the siting for the new hospital. See fuller report on my hospitals blog (link at right.)
* Christmas Parking. We had asked at a committee meeting whether there would be any free parking at Christmas to attract shoppers into Whitehaven and were promised a statement at the December council.
Due to an administrative error it appears that the Portfolio holder, Cllr Clements, had not been advised that he was supposed to be making a statement about this. When asked, however, he declined to agree to any free parking in Whitehaven this Christmas on the basis that the money which might possibly have been used for this was being spent instead on a marketing campaign for the town as recommended by one particular business group. The Conservative group, while not opposed to the marketing campaign, felt that the failure to organise any Christmas parking concession put the town at a disadvantage.
The Bransty and Harbour Neighbourhood Forum was later the same evening.
The possibility of a Town Council for Whitehaven was discussed, followed by a presentation on the four traffic options for the town centre being considered by the County Council. That consultation will continue until March.
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