Cumberland (unitary authority)

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Cumberland
The Old Town Hall, Carlisle (geograph 7247695).jpg
Hadrian's Wall at Birdoswald - geograph.org.uk - 1510113.jpg
Whitehaven harbour and town - geograph.org.uk - 4052749.jpg
Town Centre Wkn.jpg
Cumberland UK locator map.svg
Cumberland shown within Cumbria
Coordinates: 54°53′41″N02°56′11″W / 54.89472°N 2.93639°W / 54.89472; -2.93639
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Country England
Region North West
Ceremonial county Cumbria
Historic county Cumberland (part)
Incorporated1 April 2023
Administrative HQ Carlisle
Government
[1]
  Type Unitary authority with leader and cabinet
  Body Cumberland Council
   Control Labour
   Leader Mark Fryer (L)
  ChairmanCarni McCarron-Holmes
   Chief Executive Andrew Seekings
   House of Commons
Area
[2]
  Total1,163 sq mi (3,012 km2)
  Rank 8th
Population
 (2022) [3]
  Total275,390
  Rank 62nd
  Density240/sq mi (91/km2)
Time zone UTC+0 (GMT)
  Summer (DST) UTC+1 (BST)
Postcode areas
CA
GSS code E06000063
Website cumberland.gov.uk

Cumberland is a unitary authority area in Cumbria, England, [4] [5] [6] which means that is a non-metropolitan county and district. It borders Scotland, Northumberland, Westmorland and Furness, and the Irish Sea. Part of the area is in the Lake District National Park and notable landmarks include Carlisle Cathedral, Carlisle Castle and Hadrian's Wall.

Contents

In comparison to the historic county of Cumberland that existed before 1974, the district covers 77% of its area (excluding Penrith area) and 90% of its population. When created, in April 2023, it took over the northern and western part of the 1974–2023 Cumbria non-metropolitan county's administration and the corresponding former Allerdale, Carlisle and Copeland districts, while the new Westmorland and Furness unitary authority took over the remainder. [7] [8]

History

Elections to Cumbria County Council were due to take place in May 2021 but were postponed by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government for one year due to a consultation on local government reorganisation in the area. [9] In July 2021, the government announced that the current authorities in Cumbria would be abolished and replaced with two unitary authorities in the form of an 'east/west split' of the county. [10]

Opponents of the reorganisation claimed that the proposal was pursued to benefit the electoral prospects of the Conservative Party. Cumbria County Council, which would be abolished under the plans, sought judicial review to prevent the reorganisation from taking place. [11] The judicial review was refused by the High Court in January 2022. [12] Draft statutory instruments to bring about local government reorganisation in Cumbria were subsequently laid before parliament. [8] The Cumbria (Structural Changes) Order 2022 (2022 No. 331) [13] was made on 17 March 2022 and came into force the following day. [14]

Governance

The first elections to Cumberland Council took place in May 2022, with the council acting as a 'shadow authority' until the abolition of the three former district councils and Cumbria County Council on 1 April 2023. [15] Labour won a majority with 30 seats. [16] The Conservatives have 7 seats, Liberal Democrats 4 seats, independents 3 seats and the Green Party 2 seats. Turnout was 36.1%. [17]

Cumberland and the neighbouring Westmorland and Furness continue to form the ceremonial county of Cumbria for the purposes of lieutenancy and shrievalties, being presided over by a Lord Lieutenant of Cumbria and a High Sheriff of Cumbria. [18] [19]

Police services are provided by Cumbria Constabulary and fire services by Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service. These are both overseen by the Cumbria Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner. [20]

High Sheriffs pay attention to the work of such statutory bodies as the Police, the Prison Service and the Probation Service. [21]

Twinnings

SettlementTwinned settlement
Carlisle Flag of Germany.svg Flensburg, Germany
Flag of Poland.svg Słupsk, Poland
Cockermouth Flag of France.svg Marvejols, France
Whitehaven Flag of Bulgaria.svg Kozloduy, Bulgaria [22]
Workington Flag of Germany.svg Selm, Germany
Flag of France.svg Val-de-Reuil, France

Geography

A coastal scene in Whitehaven Whitehaven - geograph.org.uk - 19798.jpg
A coastal scene in Whitehaven
Major settlements
Neighbouring council areas
DistrictIn relation to the district
Dumfries and Galloway North
Scottish Borders North east
Northumberland East
Westmorland and Furness South

Economy

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carlisle</span> Cathedral city and county town of Cumbria, England

Carlisle is a cathedral city in the ceremonial county of Cumbria in England. It is the administrative centre of Cumberland Council which covers an area similar to the historic county of Cumberland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cumbria</span> Ceremonial county of England

Cumbria is a ceremonial county in North West England. It borders the Scottish council areas of Dumfries and Galloway and Scottish Borders to the north, Northumberland and County Durham to the east, North Yorkshire to the south-east, Lancashire to the south, and the Irish Sea to the west. Its largest settlement is the city of Carlisle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westmorland</span> Historic county of England

Westmorland is a historic county in Northern England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cumberland</span> Historic county of England

Cumberland is a historic county in Northern England, it mainly corresponds to the district of Cumberland and the part of Westmorland and Furness including Penrith.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Appleby-in-Westmorland</span> Market town in Cumbria, England

Appleby-in-Westmorland is a market town and civil parish in Westmorland and Furness, Cumbria, England, with a population of 3,048 at the 2011 Census. Crossed by the River Eden, Appleby is the county town of the historic county of Westmorland. It was known just as Appleby until 1974–1976, when the council of the successor parish to the borough changed it to retain the name Westmorland, which was abolished as an administrative area under the Local Government Act 1972, before being revived as Westmorland and Furness in 2023. It lies 14 miles (23 km) south-east of Penrith, 32 miles (51 km) south-east of Carlisle, 27 miles (43 km) north-east of Kendal and 45 miles (72 km) west of Darlington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Borough of Copeland</span> Former borough and non-metropolitan district in England

The Borough of Copeland was a local government district with borough status in western Cumbria, England. Its council was based in Whitehaven. It was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of the Borough of Whitehaven, Ennerdale Rural District and Millom Rural District. The population of the Non-Metropolitan district was 69,318 according to the 2001 census, increasing to 70,603 at the 2011 Census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allerdale</span> Former non-metropolitan district in England

Allerdale was a non-metropolitan district of Cumbria, England, with borough status. Its council was based in Workington and the borough has a population of 93,492 according to the 2001 census, increasing to 96,422 at the 2011 Census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cumbria Constabulary</span> English territorial police force

Cumbria Constabulary is the territorial police force in England covering the unitary authority areas of Cumberland and Westmorland and Furness in the ceremonial county of Cumbria. As of September 2017, the force had 1,108 police officers, 535 police staff, 93 police community support officers, and 86 special constables.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Silloth</span> Port town in Cumbria, England

Silloth is a port town and civil parish in Cumberland, Cumbria, England. Historically in the county of Cumberland, the town is an example of a Victorian seaside resort in the North of England.

This is a list of those who have held the position of Lord Lieutenant of Cumbria. Cumbria was formed on 1 April 1974 by combining Cumberland and Westmorland, the area of Lancashire North of the Sands part of the Lonsdale Hundred and the former Sedbergh Rural District of the West Riding of Yorkshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bridekirk</span> Human settlement in England

Bridekirk is a village and civil parish in the Cumberland district in the county of Cumbria, England. It is around 3.2 kilometres (2 mi) north of the Derwent river and about the same distance from the nearest large town of Cockermouth just south of the river. Bridekirk is just outside the Lake District National Park and is not far from the Maryport and Carlisle Railway.

The high sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the high sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been transferred elsewhere or are now defunct, so that its functions are now largely ceremonial. The high sheriff changes every April.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cumbria County Council</span> Former local authority in England

Cumbria County Council was the county council for the non-metropolitan county of Cumbria in the North West of England. Established in April 1974, following its first elections held the previous year, it was an elected local government body responsible for the most significant local services in the area, including schools, roads, and social services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dovenby</span> Human settlement in England

Dovenby is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Bridekirk, in the Cumberland district, in the county of Cumbria, England. It is on the A594 road and is 2.5 miles (4.0 km) north west of Cockermouth, 2.6 miles (4.2 km) east of Dearham, 4.5 miles (7.2 km) east of Maryport, 7.4 miles (11.9 km) north east of Workington and 27 miles (43.5 km) south west of Carlisle. In 1931 the parish had a population of 163.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cumberland Council</span> Local authority of Cumberland, England

Cumberland Council is the local authority for Cumberland in England. It is a unitary authority, having the powers of a non-metropolitan county and district council combined. It was first elected in May 2022 and operated as a shadow authority until taking up its powers on 1 April 2023. Cumberland Council replaced Cumbria County Council, Allerdale Borough Council, Carlisle City Council and Copeland Borough Council.

Structural changes to local government in England took place between 2019 and 2023. Some of these changes continue the trend of new unitary authorities being created from other types of local government districts, which was a policy of Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick from 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westmorland and Furness</span> District in Cumbria, England

Westmorland and Furness is a unitary authority area in Cumbria, England. The economy is mainly focused on tourism around both the Lake District and Cumbria Coast, shipbuilding and the port in Barrow-in-Furness, and agriculture in the rural parts of the area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westmorland and Furness Council</span> Local authority of Westmorland and Furness, England

Westmorland and Furness Council is the local authority for Westmorland and Furness in the north-west of England. It is a unitary authority, having the powers of a county council and district council combined. Westmorland and Furness Council was first elected in May 2022, operating as a shadow authority until it replaced Cumbria County Council, Barrow-in-Furness Borough Council, Eden District Council and South Lakeland District Council on 1 April 2023.

Penrith and Solway is a proposed constituency of the House of Commons in the UK Parliament. Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, it will first be contested at the next general election.

References

  1. "Councillors and committees". Cumberland Council. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  2. "Mid-Year Population Estimates, UK, June 2022". Office for National Statistics. 26 March 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  3. "Mid-Year Population Estimates, UK, June 2022". Office for National Statistics. 26 March 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  4. "The Cumbria (Structural Changes) Order 2022". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  5. "Lieutenancies Act 1997". legislation.gov.uk . Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  6. "The Cumbria (Structural Changes) Order 2022". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  7. "Next steps for new unitary councils in Cumbria, North Yorkshire and Somerset". Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government. 21 July 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  8. 1 2 "The Cumbria (Structural Changes) Order 2022".
  9. "Local elections postponed in three English counties". BBC News. 23 February 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  10. "Cumbria councils to be replaced by two authorities". BBC News. 22 July 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  11. "Cumbria County Council launches legal action over shake-up". BBC News. October 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  12. "Bid to stop local government reorganisation lands county council with £30,000 bill". Cumbria Crack. 18 January 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  13. "The Cumbria (Structural Changes) Order 2022".
  14. "The Cumbria (Structural Changes) Order 2022".
  15. "Names for two controversial Cumbria councils revealed". BBC News. 5 November 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  16. "Cumberland election result". BBC News. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  17. "Results of the Cumberland Council elections | Shadow Authority for Cumberland Council". www.cumberland.gov.uk.
  18. "The Cumbria (Structural Changes) Order 2022: Article 28: Lords-Lieutenant".
  19. "The Cumbria (Structural Changes) Order 2022: Article 29: Sheriffs".
  20. Milligan, Laura (4 April 2023). "PCC officially takes on responsibility for Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service's governance". Cumbria Police and Crime Commissioner. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  21. "High Sheriff".
  22. Jovchev, Stanimir. "Побратимени градове". Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  23. "Associated British Ports | Silloth". www.abports.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2 December 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
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  26. "Stobart Carlisle". Stobart. Archived from the original on 22 July 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2010.
  27. "Nestlé Carlisle". ukbusinesspark. Archived from the original on 18 August 2011. Retrieved 15 July 2010.
  28. "First minister 'disappointed' by EWM move". BBC News. 24 May 2018. Archived from the original on 19 September 2018. Retrieved 18 July 2018.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  29. "Sellafield". Sellafield. Archived from the original on 4 July 2010. Retrieved 16 July 2010.