The first in-person meeting since lockdown of a partnership is set to bring £452 million into the Borderlands has taken place this week.
Cumbria County Council leader Stewart Young visited The Sill near Hadrian’s Wall this week for the first meeting of the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal Partnership since lockdown.
Members of the board discussed proposals taking place or mooted under the £452 million deal including the Hadrian’s Wall programme.
Councillor Young said: “It was great to meet people face to face again.
“The agenda included approving various business cases, such as the Hadrian’s Wall programme, and update reports on existing schemes – including how to deal with rising costs within the existing funding envelope, as it is clear there will be no additional funding from either the UK or Scottish Governments to meet them.”
Two projects already benefitting from Borderlands funding are the redevelopment of Carlisle’s Grade I Listed Citadel buildings into a University of Cumbria campus and the revamp of the railway station.
A £50 million share of the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal has been marked out for the new campus and a £20 million share of the deal has been earmarked for the Carlisle Station Gateway project.
The meeting was attended by political leaders and chief executives of local authorities in the Borderlands area.
Regions benefitting from the Inclusive Growth Deal, signed in March 2021, are expected to share a Gross Added Value of £1.1 billion and the creation of 5,500 jobs from the projects it will help to fund.
Borderlands Board members were asked this week to endorse the comments of the Place Programme Board on the five Cumbria Place Plans.
Councillor Young told members that funding from Borderlands will be just one piece of the puzzle and putting Place Plans forward will ensure towns are in a good place to bid for other funding.
