Plans to reorganise the county’s system of local government took another step forward in the House of Lords this week but concerns were raised about how the process is taking place.
Local government reorganisation will be complete in Cumbria by 2023 and will see seven existing councils replaced by two authorities.
The process, which is designed to improve council services by creating more powerful unitary authorities, will see the creation of Cumberland Council in the west and Westmorland & Furness Council in the east.
Decision making on issues such as planning permission and highway maintenance are currently split between borough or city councils and the county council.
Conservative leaders believe creating unitary authorities with all powers across the local government remit is the best way forward. It is also hoped that the county changes will seat Cumbria at the top table with areas like Greater Manchester and Tees Valley when bidding for funding.
Presenting the Structural Change Order to the House of Lords on Wednesday, Lord Stephen Greenhalgh said: “It will pave the way, as intended in the Levelling-Up White Paper, for a significant devolution deal, involving a directly elected mayor for Cumbria if that is what local leaders wish to pursue.
“These unitary councils will be able to provide stronger more effective leadership.”
But Lord Roger Liddle raised concerns about representation and the delivery of services under the current plans.
Lord Liddle, who is also a county councillor for Wigton, said: “I’m a passionate supporter of unitary authorities and have been for a long time but the proposal for Cumbria, splitting it in two, does two things. It removes the strategic role of the county councillor that it presently plays.
“Secondly, it divides the services in two that the county council presently provides. These services are vast by comparison with what the districts do.
“What you’re doing effectively in this order, is cutting in two, the most effective bit of local government in Cumbria.”
Lord Liddle also raised concerns about representation in the two new constituencies.
“I don’t think the justification for this, that it makes for more local government, stands up to serious examination. The new unitary authority of Westmorland & Furness embraces both the Barrow shipyard and the remote Pennine communities 60 or 70 miles to the north of it.”
