Cumberland Unitary Authority Area

Cumberland is a unitary authority area in Cumbria, England, and 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.

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.

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. 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.

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. The judicial review was refused by the High Court in January 2022. Draft statutory instruments to bring about local government reorganisation in Cumbria were subsequently laid before parliament. The Cumbria (Structural Changes) Order 2022 (2022 No. 331) was made on 17 March 2022 and came into force the following day.

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. Labour won a majority with 30 seats. The Conservatives have 7 seats, Liberal Democrats 4 seats, independents 3 seats and the Green Party 2 seats. Turnout was 36.1%.

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.

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.

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

Twinnings

Geography

Major settlements;

Economy

* Associated British Ports Holdings own and operate the port of Silloth.
* Plastic film maker Innovia Films has its headquarters and only UK factory in Wigton, which employs almost 1,000 people and is Wigton's biggest employer.
* Sealy Beds UK (which is part of the Silentnight Group) own a factory at Aspatria, which employs around 300 people.
* Carr's is a successful foodstuff and agricultural brand that was established in 1831 in Carlisle. It owned a large factory at Silloth which makes the 'Carr's Breadmaker' range and at one time Carr's farm feeds. This has been sold to Whitworths.
* Window maker West Port Windows owns a large factory at Maryport, which makes UPVC windows and doors.
* World rally company M-Sport has its headquarters at Dovenby Hall, Dovenby, near Cockermouth.
* Swedish paper maker Iggesund Paperboard has its only UK factory at Siddick, near Workington.
* U.S.-based Eastman Chemical Company had a factory at Siddick, near Workington. It made plastic bottle pellets and products for the smoking industry and employed 100 people. This has been subsequently demolished and production transferred overseas.
* Steel company Tata Steel owns a cast products plant at Workington, which employs 300 people.
* Eddie Stobart Logistics owns a large warehouse at Workington, which was once owned by truck and bus maker Leyland.
* Packaging company Amcor owns the former Alcan packaging plant at Salterbeck, Workington.
* James Walker Ltd, an international high-performance sealing manufacturer, has a large factory at Cockermouth.
* Close to 1,000 people work in one of only two Pirelli tyre plants in the UK.
* Stobart Group owns the Carlisle Lake District Airport and its rail maintenance business is based in Carlisle.
* Eddie Stobart, which is one of the UK's largest logistics companies, used to be headquartered in Carlisle.
* Nestlé operates a factory on the outskirts of Carlisle.
* Cavaghan & Gray (owned by the by 2 Sisters Food Group) is a food manufacturing business based in Carlisle and a significant employer in the city.
* Crown Holdings owns two factories in Carlisle, locally known as 'Metal Box'. Both factories make products for the beverage industry.
* Edinburgh Woollen Mill announced plans to move their HQ from Langholm, Scottish Borders to Carlisle.
* Sellafield is the largest private employer in the unitary authority area; many people from Cumberland have links to the site.

Media

Local television services for the area is provided by ''BBC Look North'' and '' ITV News Lookaround''.

Radio stations for the area are BBC Radio Cumbria, Greatest Hits Radio Cumbria & South West Scotland, and Heart North West.

The local newspapers are: ''The Cumberland News'', ''News and Star'', and ''North West Evening Mail''.

See also

*2019–2023 structural changes to local government in England

References

{{Unitary authorities of England

Non-metropolitan districts of Cumbria
Unitary authority districts of England
States and territories established in 2023
2023 establishments in England