A Cumbrian council has announced that its leader and deputy leader will represent it on the county’s new authority.
The new combined authority – which will be led by an elected mayor – is due to come into official being this year.
It is a new partnership of Cumbria’s two unitary councils, Westmorland and Furness and Cumberland, working for the whole county.
There will be an election in May 2027 for the mayor to lead the authority. Until that time, it will be steered by political leaders from the two unitary councils.
At its meeting last week, Westmorland and Furness Council agreed that its leader Jonathan Brook and deputy leader Andrew Jarvis would be its representatives.
The first meeting of the new authority is expected to take place in March.
The combined authority will make decisions on strategic plans and investments in Cumbria and will be granted new powers that currently sit with the Government.
This will include powers to create a single plan for transport in Cumbria, bringing vital investment across networks; unlock regeneration and housing projects and drive environmental resilience.
Cumbria will receive at least £333 million of funding over the next 30 years to fund priority programmes, as well as access to bid for further investment.
Cllr Brook said: “Focus in the first 12 to 18 months of the new authority will be on laying the foundations in key areas such as transport and planning, skills and employment and business and innovation.
“It will also be on supporting existing Cumbria-wide activity, such as refreshing the case for upgrading the Energy Coast Rail Network, ensuring Cumbria is represented as part of the first Great North Investment Summit and strengthening the case with the Government about Cumbria getting a fair share of funding.”
Appointments to positions that will review the performance of the new authority – the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Audit Committee – will be made at a later date.
Matching appointments will be made by Cumberland Council.
