Endings and beginnings

Cumbria County Council and the six district/borough/city councils in the county have now come to the end of their time on Friday, and the two new unitary councils - Cumberland in the area previously covered by Allerdale, Carlisle and Copeland, "Westmorland & Furness" in the area previously covered by Barrow-in-Furness, Eden, and South Lakeland - took over yesterday.

The last fortnight has been manic with as many remaining loose ends being tied off as possible.

I attended a large number of final meetings, and here are links to the agendas, documents and when produced minutes of four of them:

The last meeting of the Copeland Local Committee of Cumbria County Council on 15th March at Cleator Moor (link here.)


The last meeting under the pre-LGR setup of Cumbria Pensions Committee on 14th March in Carlisle:

(This was a joint committee and it will continue to exist with almost entirely new membership as a joint committee of the new authorities)

Link to meeting page here.

 

The last ever meeting of Cumbria County Council on Thursday 23rd March at what was then still County Hall in Kendal

Link to meeting page here.


And as a former member of that council, I was invited to and attended the last ever meeting of Copeland Borough council on Tuesday 28th March

Link to meeting page here.


Now the beginnings part of the post: the two new unitary authorities are starting work and I wish their members and officers all the best. I hope that they will deliver the improvements in service to the public which we all want and expect.

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