SOME families in Cumbria face "a challenging year ahead" a councillor has said in a powerful speech.

Cumbria County Council member for Kells and Sandwith Emma Williamson spoke at a meeting of the full council on Thursday to warn of the impact mounting pressures could have on struggling families this year.

The speech came in a debate about the council's last ever budget.

Cllr Williamson said: "Today I speak in support of our administration producing a balanced budget and our ability to be able to freeze council tax for 2022/23 although this is a small lifeline for our residents, who face a very challenging year ahead.

"The year ahead leaves me with deep concerns for our residents. In my professional and personal life, I continue to witness more families pushed to the limit.

"I see our older population, choosing between eating or heating and a large increase in families seeking support for household essential items with some third sector partners struggling to meet the demands and running over capacity."

The Labour councillor said that there is an "over-reliance" on third sector partners who are grappling with complex issues which were once only provided by statutory services.

"As rising costs of living increase, I believe the worst is yet to come. Last night myself and Councillor Anne Burns listened the the pleas of a mother who talked about the crippling issues with children's mental health as she told us the story of sitting in A&E for 11 hours with her suicidal daughter only to be sent home with no support."

Cllr Williamson and the council's adult social care boss called for "coherent, comprehensive" Government action to tackle these "systemic issues."

"I worry that it will make very little difference to the systemic issues within Cumbria. I worry about the future of our residents."

Conservative councillor John Mallinson said: "I think one of the most unhelpful terms we use in these debates is poverty."

"Poverty does exist, I don't deny it, but it's the measure of poverty that's the issue. The measure we use in this country is anyone on less than 60 per cent of average salaries, are deemed to be in poverty.

"That's fair enough but that is a measure, it's not absolute, and if you use that measure you will never eradicate poverty. We really need to understand what need and want really is."

"The case is today as it always is, we always want more but we never say what that's going to come from. I think history does supply the theory that if you raise taxes you take reduces and it's very easy to hit out those you see as the 'evil fat cats'.

"These are creating wealth and okay, keeping a chunk of it for themselves but they are employing people and perhaps making society work."

Cllr Mallinson said that what is needed is "a sensible argument about prioritisation."