GOVERNMENT and the local authority have moved to clear up concerns that Carlisle could lose its city status in planned county changes.

Cumbria’s structure of local government is set to change by 2023 when all seven existing councils are abolished and replaced by two new authorities.

The new constituency of Cumberland will be created covering Carlisle, Allerdale and Copeland, governed by a single unitary authority.

Westmorland & Furness Council in the east will govern Eden, South Lakeland and Barrow-in-Furness.

The Structural Change Order giving the Government the authority to create Cumberland Council is currently under scrutiny in the Houses of Parliament.

And during a session in the House of Lords this week, concerns were raised that the SCO is not like the arrangements previously made for restructure in North Yorkshire.

Lord Stephen Greenhalgh presented the SCO for approval in the House of Lords on Wednesday revealing that he has intervened to save Carlisle’s city status.

“In response to an issue raised by the noble Baroness Lady Hayman of Ullock and also the noble Lord Campbell-Savours, I want to put absolutely categorically on record, if this order is approved and Carlisle City Council is abolished, the city status of Carlisle will be preserved.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about changes to our county

“My officials are already working with the officers of Carlisle to make sure we follow past precedence for maintaining city status.

“The arrangements for maintaining city status will be to establish charter trustees, the council has asked us to do this and we have agreed.”

Former Workington MP and Baroness of Ullock, Sue Hayman said: “The issue I discussed earlier today was the concerns that there’s a significant omission in the order due to the fact that it would mean the city of Carlisle would lose its city status.

“A similar order has been laid that abolishes the district and county councils in North Yorkshire and establishes the North Yorkshire unitary authority, my concern is that these have been set up differently.

“Because it’s an unparished area, there’s no parish or town council for Carlisle’s charter to pass to when this legislation comes through.”

The options available to Carlisle are either to create a town council or charter trustees so that the city charter can be passed to them. Baroness Hayman thanked Lord Greenhalgh for making a change to allow this.

“Is this just an administrative error?” she said.

Lord Greenhalgh said: “Cumbria certainly didn’t ask for it, whereas North Yorkshire did.”

A spokesperson for Carlisle City Council said: “It was always the intention to create Charter Trustees to preserve Carlisle’s City status and that this would be included within the forthcoming Consequential Matters Order planned for later in the year.  We are however pleased that Lord Greenhalgh has made such a clear statement of intent around our City status.

"This aligns with the way forward that was agreed with Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities in 2021 and also affirms what we had understood to be the position.”

Deputy leader of Carlisle City Council Gareth Ellis said: “As far as we understood we did what we needed to do to make it belt and braces.

“It would take more than that to lose a city status.”

But Cllr Ellis said: “That’s why you have two Houses of Parliament.”

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about changes to our county