A Lake District charity has called for Cumbria’s mayoral candidates to commit to protecting the county’s landscape – including a tourist tax.
Cumbrians will go to the polls in May next year and with 12 months to go, Friends of the Lake District said it would be quizzing candidates.
The charity has published its Blueprint for a New Mayor, outlining the issues that the mayor should prioritise and the policies that it wants to see the mayor adopt.
The mayor will head up the newly formed Cumbria Combined Authority, which will have access to extra funding.
The new mayoral authority will be given £11.1 million a year from the Government and will be able to choose what it wants to spend the money on.
Mayoral elections were postponed for a year in Cumbria to align with other local government elections in 2027, saving around £1.1m in costs.
Cumbria’s councils say the devolution proposals will unlock ‘substantial’ additional powers and funding to drive economic regeneration across the county.
Friends of the Lake District said it wanted to determine each prospective mayor’s position on issues that will have an impact on the landscapes, environment and communities of Cumbria.
It added: “This is so that we can put together a picture of which mayoral candidates, if elected, would deliver the best outcomes for the county’s landscape. It will also help Cumbrians to be confident in what they will be voting for.”
In its blueprint, Friends of the Lake District is calling on all mayoral candidates to commit to:
- A transformational approach to improving public transport and reducing traffic congestion.
- Housing that prioritises local people, not visitors.
- A clear plan to reduce emissions and adapt to climate change.
- A visitor levy for Cumbria to mitigate the impacts of tourism.
- A new model of regenerative tourism.
- Protecting Cumbria’s landscape by setting goals for, and giving equivalent importance to, the natural environment and community alongside economic growth.
- Recognising the role of the landscape and environment of the county to improving the health and wellbeing of Cumbria’s population.
Michael Hill, CEO of Friends of the Lake District, said: “The election of a new mayor is a huge opportunity for Cumbria – if the mayor recognises the importance of the county’s landscape for communities, businesses and the health and wellbeing of residents.
“We want a mayor that is squarely focused on protecting the county’s landscape by changing how we do tourism, committing to a step-change in public transport and embedding green infrastructure, carbon reduction and landscape resilience into an overarching Spatial Development Strategy.
“With the right focus, the new mayor can help the county’s landscapes thrive to the benefit of Cumbrian residents and nature.”
Candidates for the Cumbria mayor so far are Libby Bateman for the Liberal Democrats, Mike Starkie for the Conservative Party and David Allen for the Labour Party.
