Cumberland Council leader Mark Fryer begins meeting teams

On Saturday, April 1 Cllr Mark Fryer Cumberland Leader, deputy leader Cllr Emma Williamson and CEO Andrew Seekings went out first thing with staff at Lillyhall depot.

The day marked the dawn of the council authority coming into force.

The leadership then split up across the patch to 'get stuck in', working side by side with Cumberland crews as they filled in potholes and cleaned gullies.

The council leader in Carlisle city centre with Cumberland teams (Image: Supplied)

The group also continued similar efforts today alongside other members of the council’s executive throughout the weekend, including deputy leader Lisa Brown.

Our leader, councillor Mark Fryer, has been out with teams today in Workington and Carlisle. He and other members of his executive will be out again tomorrow, heading to the south of our new patch. If you spot them stop and say hello! pic.twitter.com/qOXT38rLHE

— CumberlandCouncil (@CumberlandCoun) April 1, 2023

Council Leader Mark Fryer went out to thank the council teams for ‘the absolutely fantastic work’ they do for the people of Cumberland as well as meet with people within the authority.

Speaking to the News & Star today, Cllr Fryer said: “I have been out in Whitehaven this morning, the teams have been out since 6 o’clock, I got down there about half past eight, they were half way up King Street power washing the street.

"These are the things that people don’t see. They’ll have been out along Botchergate this morning, out through Workington town centre, Cockermouth... all the centres of towns to make sure that when we get up and have a walk around then things are really clean.

The leader also visited Carlisle Library to discuss the new authority (Image: Supplied)

“I just wanted to go out and sort of pat them on the back. I had a cup of coffee with them and got them a bacon sandwich and just thank them really for what they do."

The leader is hoping to visit all towns and villages with a Cumberland pub, street or named building over the coming weeks as he gets to grips with his new role.

He said: “I’m really looking forward to it, hopefully people will stop me to have a crack and have a natter, tell me what their woes are and what your happy with and we will go from there.

“I am just so happy that we have got here and the people that we are working with are absolutely fantastic.”