ONE of the new councils set to take over in a Cumbrian local government shake-up has this week agreed to host a number of key services.

From April 1 2023, Cumberland Council is set to take over in Carlisle, Allerdale and Copeland.

Westmorland & Furness Council will take over in Eden, South Lakeland and Barrow-in-Furness.

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The existing authorities in those areas will be abolished on that date, including the county council which is currently responsible for countywide services like public health, highways and children’s social care.

Cumberland Council and Westmorland & Furness Council will ultimately deliver all of the local government services in their area individually but for a brief period after April 1, some countywide services will need to be delivered with joint working between the new authorities.

Leaders of the new Cumberland Council met on Tuesday September 20 to carry out important preparation work for their take over next year.

And leaders agreed that Cumberland would take on a number of these host services for a brief period.

Host services are delivered by one of the authorities for the entire county until both councils are fully established.

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At the meeting on Tuesday, the Cumberland Council executive agreed to take on the coroner’s service, social enterprise partnership support, the waste disposal service until the end of the current contract; specific children’s social care services of fostering, adoption, residential and edge of care services and the Youth Offending Service.

Westmorland & Furness Council led by Jonathan Brook and the Lib Dems will be the host authority for the emergency planning and resilience service on a permanent basis, adult learning and the school organisation and admissions service on a transitional basis.

Leader of Cumberland Council Mark Fryer said: “When we set off travelling down this road, everybody’s got the best of intentions on both sides.

“Westmorland & Furness Council have got a community to look after just like we have in Cumberland. They’re working hard on behalf of their community just like we are.

“It’s about trusting your partner and we trust our partner, Jonathan’s a good man, he’s leading that organisation well and now that we’ve got the two Head of Paid Services (chief executives) in place, albeit, shadow like we are, they’re working better, any conflict or any issues are being addressed right at that front end.

“We will be hosting services going forward, there’s no doubt about that. Even post-two years of the formation of the new authority because some of the services are unbelievably detailed and we’ve got to look after our communities in a safe and legal fashion.”

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