Representatives of each existing Cumbrian council are being nominated to lay the groundwork for their successors.
Local government reorganisation will soon see Cumbria’s seven existing councils abolished and replaced by two unitary authorities, one governing the west of the county and another for the east.
Cumberland Council will take over in 2023 governing Carlisle, Allerdale and Copeland. Westmorland and Furness Council will be the new authority for Eden, South Lakeland and Barrow-in-Furness. Cumbria County Council will be abolished.
Each of Cumbria’s existing local authorities in the soon to be Cumberland authority are now sending their representatives to a Joint Committee. These will lay the groundwork for the new authorities, making recommendations on the code of conduct and constitution.
Cumbria County Council will be represented on the committee by leader Stewart Young, transport boss Keith Little and cabinet member for the environment Celia Tibble. The cabinet agreed to nominate the three councillors at a meeting this week.
Carlisle City Council agreed on Tuesday to nominate the leader John Mallinson, deputy leader Gareth Ellis and leader of the opposition Les Tickner.
It was the final budget meeting of the city council’s lifespan before the new authorities take control.
Allerdale council leader Mike Johnson will take part in the joint committee along with two members of the opposition, Alan Smith of Labour and Nicky Cockburn of the Allerdale Independents Group.
Elections will be held throughout Cumbria in May to appoint shadow authorities which will oversee the transition which will include the drawing up of budgets.
Although members of the joint committees are being given a say on what comes next, the shadow authority is not obligated to accept their recommendations.
Copeland Borough Council’s political groups will reveal their nominees at a meeting of the full council on February 22.
Executive member David Moore said: “The executive decided to take it to full council which is the right thing to do because the Joint Committees will have both executive and full council powers. What they have to be is politically balanced so there’ll be one Conservative nomination and two Labour.”
This would be representative of the number of seats held by Labour on the borough council.
The Structural Change Order – a document giving Central Government the authority to change how the county is run – is currently being passed through Parliament.
Political groups throughout Cumbria will soon be putting their nominations forward for the elections in May.
Cllr Moore said: “Once the SCO is completed, probably some time toward the end of March and once the elections are held on May 5 the new unitaries will technically be able to make decisions.
“The last day to call an election is March 25.”
