True grit - Cumbria County Council
Transcription
True grit - Cumbria County Council
Inside: Free A-Z guide to council services Winter 2011 True grit Find out more about the workers that are prepared for this Winter Winter warmth l a i c e p s g n i iv Winter gduidre to driving in Cumbria ur Includes yo visit cumbria.gov.uk for regular updates on the issues affecting you YourNews Welcome to the winter edition of YourCumbria magazine How can we improve? Ideas and suggestions for improvement come from all directions. Which is why it is so important that the county council reaches out to harness and encourage your ideas. In other words, let’s try to make the county council less remote, less bureaucratic, and be part of the local community – your community. It’s easy to take pot-shots at the county council; we are a big target. But step outside your front door and almost everything you see around you is provided or controlled or influenced by your county council - care homes, schools, roads, children’s centres, flood control, street lighting, bridge maintenance, animal welfare, trading standards, fire and rescue ... etc. We all appreciate, however, that those services don’t just happen by chance! 8500 people make them happen, and keep on making them happen, everyday – 365 days a year. I am very grateful to them. Given the turbulent year we have had the staff might be excused for feeling a little bruised and battered. But they continue to do a first class job. The county council is responsible for over 800 different functions and inside these pages you can see many of those activities and meet just a few of the staff who make them happen. In this issue you can read more about the work we do during the winter months, from gritting your roads to helping the elderly. The county council, across all its activities, continues to improve. But if you have a criticism or find fault tell us and we’ll try to put it right. Never has ‘closer to the people’ been more important! But it cannot happen without your continuing support and interest. Best wishes. 4 Eddie Martin Leader of Cumbria County Council Follow Eddie Martin’s blog at cumbriacabinet.ning.com Contents 04 05 07 08 12 14 Disabled ramblers Your Cumbria on CD! Children’s centres Reducing Cumbria’s waste Winter warmth 16 20 23 Funding boost takes broadband pot to £23.8 million T he broadband project in Cumbria has been given a £6.7m boost by the government. The funding has been allocated from Cumbria’s Performance Reward Grant. The grant is awarded to local authorities in England and the amount of money received depends on how well each authority has performed in meeting its targets. Local authorities across Cumbria agreed that the grant would be most beneficial to the broadband project and the money adds to the £17.1m funding already received from Broadband Delivery UK. Cllr Liz Mallinson, Cabinet Member for organisational development, said: “Improving broadband availability for Cumbria means improving the quality of life for everyone who visits and lives in the county. I believe that the Performance Reward Grant has been allocated to the best possible cause.” We have a new name! 7 Nuclear news Diary events See it. Do it The broadband project for Cumbria now has a new name – Connecting Cumbria! Along with a new name we also have new ways for you to get in touch. Visit us at connectingcumbria.org.uk Email us at info@connectingcumbria.org.uk Your A–Z guide to services around the county Follow us on Twitter @Connect_Cumbria 12 Cumbria floods - two years on What’s the cost? Each YourCumbria costs around 18p to produce and deliver to your door. It is printed on FSC certified paper from sustainable sources. Please recycle the magazine when you have finished reading it. Any comments? Please contact the editor on 01228 226447 or email barry.alcock@cumbriacc.gov.uk Cover photo: Steve Barber. 01228 606060 01228 606060. 01228 606060. 01228 606060. 01228 226338. through superfast broadband Our vision is to deliver superfast broadband for everyone in Cumbria - every resident, business, public sector organisation and visitor to the county. If you would like an audio CD of this magazine call 01228 221008 New fire stations take shape Connecting Cumbria 01228 606060. 01228 606060 H ave you ever wondered how house prices are changing in your area? How the global economic turmoil is impacting on your neighbourhood? Who lives near you and how health or education varies around the county? The Cumbria Intelligence Observatory is a website where you can find the answers to these questions and a lot more besides. The Observatory brings together existing research and analysis resources from key public agencies in Cumbria. The aim is to help the public sector, businesses and community groups get access to the information they need to work efficiently and effectively. cumbriaobservatory.org.uk/ Did you know? • Cumbria has the lowest rate of burglaries in the country • The county receives over 40 million tourist visitors each year • Part of Risedale in Barrow boasts the best access to services in England • Similarly Irthing, near Carlisle, is one of the best neighbourhoods for the quality of its outdoor environment • Average life expectancy in Greystoke is the 2nd highest in the country • Over the last few years we have seen an increase in the number of babies born in Carlisle following a decline through the 1990s. • Average house prices in Grasmere are 11 times the average income • There are 4 times as many sheep in Cumbria as there are residents (and 6 times as many chickens)! Spotted a pothole? T he Cyclist’s Touring Club, in collaboration with construction company Aggregate Industries, has produced a downloadable free software app for the Apple iPhone which allows you to report a pothole or road fault on the move. By using the iPhone’s built-in camera and GPS locator, together with the large display screen, you can now report potholes and other road defects right from the roadside. Working with the ‘fill that hole’ website, the iPhone locates where you are on a map, looks up the address and allows you to add details if needed. You can then add a photo and upload the report to the website there and then. The details of the road fault are sent through to Cumbria County Council’s Highways department who can then assess and repair the problem. • Compatible iPhone models: The app will work with iPhone models 3G, 3GS, or 4 that are running Apple’s iOS version 3 or 4. This includes many older models as well as the latest ones. • Downloading the app: You can download the app from the App Store for free, simply search for ‘fill that hole’. For more information visit fillthathole.org.uk/ YourCumbria 3 YourEnvironment YourCommunity Disabled ramblers Top 10-year figures for Cumbria Fire and Rescue T Out and about on Smardale Fell C umbria County Council looks after some 4,623 miles (7,450km) of public rights of way network across Cumbria, in partnership with other agencies. The council’s countryside access team works hard to ensure that as many people as possible get the maximum access to this beautiful country. Earlier this year countryside ranger, Tony Burns helped a group of disabled people to take advantage of the good weather and get out and about on the Cumbrian fells. As well as the county council’s Countryside Access Team, Kirkby Stephen Walkers are Welcome and the Dargue family of Smardale Hall, all helped out with the ramble. The group, Disabled Ramblers, organises and runs an annual programme of supported outings which are graded according to difficulty. Its members, who are mainly mobility disabled, use a variety of mobility aids from manual wheelchairs to specially designed cross-country buggies. Winter Workers For more information visit: cumbria.gov.uk Stephen Murray Gritter Driver “I’ve been gritting the roads around Kirkby Stephen for 10 years now. As I can drive over 150 miles in a single shift, I can only imagine the amount of miles I’ve covered over the years! The area I grit covers a lot of high ground – out towards Middletonin-Teesdale and over to Tebay. Some of the conditions I face are unbelievable – people literally don’t believe me when I tell them how deep the snow can be. Sometimes it’s towering over the top of our 4 YourCumbria 12-foot cabin and the only way to get through it is with diggers and snowblowers. I drive the roads a lot of people avoid when it’s freezing – and have to be really switched on. It can be dangerous and, as a lot of the ground we cover has no mobile phone signal, we have to be careful we stay safe.There’s always two of us, we have heaters in the cabin and a survival kit containing blankets and emergency rations. I love the job – I’m Kirkby Stephen born and bred and I love the fact that I’m working in my own backyard. I see things at 3am on a winter’s night that you never normally see – badgers, owls, and the odd reveller staggering out of the pub! Cumbria County Council Countryside Ranger Tony Burns, said: “We were delighted to help with this Disabled Ramblers event as we’re keen to encourage people with mobility issues to get out and about into the Cumbrian countryside. “I worked with members of the Disabled Ramblers group to suggest this route and we carried out some reconnaissance on it to make sure it was suitable. “The countryside is there to be enjoyed by everyone and on our website we have a series of self-guiding walks called “Miles Without Stiles” that highlight routes that can be tackled by people with limited mobility.” Check out the Winter driving guide included in this edition of YourCumbria I wouldn’t want to be a lorry driver though, I like the variety Amey (the council’s highways maintenance contractor) offers me, as when I’m not driving the gritter I can be out mending bridges, sorting out drains or surface dressing the roads.” Stephen’s top tips for winter driving: • Trust your common sense, not your sat nav. • Be prepared: when driving in winter always have essential items such as warm clothes, boots, a mobile phone and a shovel. They show that: • Over the 10 year period Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service has reduced the number of all fire incidents by nearly 41%. • Dwelling fires dropped by 6% last year alone and in the 10 year period have fallen from 542 per year to 287 – a drop of 47%. • False alarm calls have fallen by almost 37%. • Casualties from fires dropped by 30% in the past year alone – the biggest drop in mainland Britain. Firefighters now carry out around 18,000 free home fire safety checks in Cumbria every year. The free checks are designed to make sure people have working smoke detectors, basic fire prevention advice and a plan of how they will get out of their home in the event of a fire. To book a free visit call for free on 0800 358 4777 at anytime. The service is completely free and can only be done by Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service. he number of house fires in Cumbria has nearly halved over the past 10 years making Cumbria County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service one of the best in the country, new figures have revealed. Additionally during this time the number of casualties from fires dropped by over a third and the number of hoax calls has been reduced by 94%. These impressive statistics have been compiled by Cumbria County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service from the past 10 Fire Statistic Monitor reports – yearly nationwide statistics pulled together by the Department for Communities and Local Government. New fire stations take shape C umbria’s new state-of-the-art fire stations are now taking shape, with construction well underway at four of the county’s five new buildings. Artist Impression of the Penrith Building The Penrith build in progress Two are being built in Carlisle - at Durranhill and off Newtown Road to replace the city’s Rickergate station – one in Patterdale and another in Penrith. Construction is due to start on a fifth station, at Moorclose in Workington in March 2012. The Penrith station, just off the Kemplay Bank roundabout, will be the new headquarters of Cumbria County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service and will provide improved operational response facilities, the Fire and Rescue Service Learning and Development Centre, enhanced training facilities and office accommodation for the county council resilience unit. The two Carlisle stations are set to come into operation in spring 2012, the Penrith headquarters in the summer and the Patterdale station this winter. The construction is part of a wider PFI program which will see 16 new fire stations built by Mansell, a Balfour Beatty company, across Cumbria, Lancashire and Merseyside. YourCumbria 5 YourLibraries YourCommunity Libraries modernisation gets the go ahead in Cumbrian schools T hank you to all 3,700 people who took the time to have their say on the future of Cumbria’s libraries through our discussion earlier this year. The council is reviewing libraries in light of falling usage over recent years, and the discussion has looked at ways to make the service fit for the future so libraries can be enjoyed for generations to come. Cabinet members have listened carefully to your feedback and have decided that changes to the service should be made on an area-by-area basis. Councillors will work closely with residents to improve the service in a way that is right for each community. Councillor Gary Strong, Cabinet member for Community Safety and Local Services said: “The review of the service has been about investigating realistic, practical ways to respond to changing lifestyles and new technologies whilst preserving what makes our libraries great. We have decided to look at the service on a local basis because one size does not fit all. We need to balance the need for the service to be as cost effective and efficient as possible while meeting the needs of our local communities.” A variety of ways to modernise the service have been given the go-ahead including • Library Extras: large libraries in main towns which act as community hubs • Library Links: where residents can borrow and return books in rural communities • Community Libraries: book stocks in places like village halls, shops or schools • A Community Librarian: someone who can take the service out to hard to reach areas and people • An improved website: where customers can renew and order books download audio books and more. Projects to test these approaches in communities will begin in the New Year. For a full report on the feedback we received and Cabinet’s decisions go online to: cumbria.gov.uk/libraries/review.asp More than just books Cumbria’s libraries offer loads of different services. Here’s a snapshot of why some people had dropped in to their local library one sunny day this September. Elizabeth I only moved to Cumbria last month. Today staff have helped me find local line dancing classes and a walking group. I’ll also be picking up some reading for the week, ideally a James North Patterson novel. Magnus I use the library for DVDs, reference, cookery books, everything really. From my point of view it’s use it or lose it. Karen I’m a health visitor and I’m on hand to give help and advice to parents every other Thursday at Ambleside library. Right now I’m checking five month old Ollie’s weight at our baby weighing session. Mark I’m from North Berwick, and I’m here on holiday for the week. I’m using the PCs to quickly check my emails and keep up with the news online. Katie Me and my daughter Bethan come every week to the children’s sessions at Ambleside library. There’s play time, a healthy snack and then story time and a sing-along which she loves. 6 YourCumbria Children’s Centres P C umbria County Council is working with the Carbon Trust as part of an exciting national programme to encourage carbon and cost savings within schools. Schools account for a large part of Cumbria County Council’s carbon footprint and reducing carbon here will have a huge effect on improving our carbon emissions for 2012 and beyond. At the same time it will help schools to reduce their own energy costs and help educate children about the wider issues around climate change. A total of 20 Cumbrian schools have now signed up to take part in the ‘Carbon Count’ pilot programme. The pilot aims to drive down energy use and cut the carbon footprint of schools delivering financial savings, while engaging pupils on the wider carbon agenda. Each school has received an individual and realistic carbon reduction target based on findings from the audit and from potential projects that can be carried out at each school. Carbon Count will focus initially on reducing energy use as it accounts for 39% of the carbon footprint for schools in Cumbria and can achieve large savings over a fairly short amount of time. The programme will roll out to include carbon reduction activities in procurement, transport and recycling as it progresses. Carbon Count is being delivered by the county council in partnership with the Carbon Trust. The Carbon Trust will be monitoring and assessing how well Cumbria has developed its low carbon schools programme. For more information visit: cumbria.gov.uk/carboncount/ arents and children across Cumbria are continuing to benefit from advice, help and support on a host of family and health issues after the county council secured the future of all 28 of its Sure Start Children’s Centres. Contracts for the running of the centres (from August 1 until March 31 2014) were awarded this summer to three provider organisations: Barnardo’s, Action for Children and Howgill Family Centre. Offering everything from play sessions for toddlers to courses on healthy living, the centres are used by thousands of families around the county. In some areas of the country Sure Start Children’s Centres have been closed due to spending cuts, but in Cumbria the service has not only been retained, but enhanced, so that it now provides for young people up to the age of 19. Parents at the Workington Sure Start Children’s Centre, run by Action for Children, spoke to YourCumbria about the important role the centre plays in their lives. The Time out Together to Share Scheme, a session for youngsters between the ages of 0 and five, allows the children to get together and play with a variety of toys and equipment and eat healthy snacks while in the company of their parents who can also enjoy socialising with each other. Mum Emma Reay said: “It has been really good for my little one with all the activities and it allows him to mix with other children of his age and just have a good time. The session sets the kids up really well for when they go to school.” It is clear that adults benefit from the centres just as much as their children. Helen Johnson, who regularly uses the Workington Sure Start Centre, said: “I’m not from Workington so when I moved to the area I found the centre was a great way to get to know people and meet other parents. The kids absolutely love it and there are so many different sessions that people can take part in so the centre is something that we really rely on.” YourCumbria 7 YourEnvironment YourEnvironment Reducing Cumbria’s waste W hile excellent progress has been made in reducing waste, reusing and recycling in Cumbria, more than 50% of household waste currently ends up in landfill sites. In 2009 Cumbria County Council signed a 25-year agreement with waste management company Shanks Group plc. The contract will massively reduce the amount of rubbish being sent to landfill and provide Cumbria with a greener, more cost-effective system for dealing with residual waste for many years to come. The work with Shanks will see much of the county’s waste that has up until now ended up in landfill sent to mechanical biological treatment plants at Hespin Wood near Carlisle and Barrow. Once operational, each of the plants will be able to process up to 75,000 tonnes of waste per annum that instead of being sent to landfill will be shredded, dried and transformed into a solid recovered fuel that can be burned to provide an alternative source of energy to fossil fuels. The plant in Carlisle is due to be fully operation this winter and construction of the Barrow plant is in progress, but what kind of reduction in waste that ends up in landfill can we expect? Home recycling Recycleable material Solid recovered fuel Landfill 4 3 5 Waste is delivered to the waste processing plant where it is dried and more recyclable material recovered. The sites near Carlisle and Barrow will be capable of processing up to 150,000 tonnes of waste per year. The new site at Hespin Wood Waste is gathered at local transfer sites. This helps to reduce mileage costs for areas outside of Barrow and Carlisle. for Cumbria 6 25% of 7 the waste is reduced by drying. 22.5% of the waste is recovered for recycling. 8 40% of the waste is processed into a fuel that can be burned to produce energy. 9 District councils collect a total of 115,976 tonnes of domestic waste and kerbside recycling for processing. 1 General Domestic Waste Water removed O ver the last five years people across the county have changed their attitude to waste. Recycling in the home now means that there’s less general waste ending up in landfill sites. Cumbria County Council is building two waste processing plants to help reduce this amount even further, here’s the ten steps that turn your rubbish to potential electricity for the home... Cumbrian households now recycle 45.5% of their waste using a combination of kerbside collection, household waste recycling centres and local recycle points. District council’s collect 96,824 tonnes of kerbside recycling for processing Just 12.5% of the waste that arrives on site ends up in landfill and the county council is looking at ways to reduce this further. 2 54.5% of household waste currently ends up in general waste for collection. In the past, this was collected and buried leading hefty landfill taxes. 10 Fuel that’s produced can be used to produce electricity for the home. For more information visit cumbria.gov.uk 8 YourCumbria YourCumbria 9 YourMoney Balancing the budget YourHealth I Have your say In December the county council will produce a draft budget for 2012/13 which sets out what it plans to spend. A final budget will be agreed in February next year. Last year council tax was frozen, but the council will need to decide what impact a freeze this year would have on the revenue in future years before deciding what its share of council tax should be. As always the council is committed to listening to local people and will be asking people for their views on its proposals for next year and broad ideas for future years. A consultation will take place during December and January, full details will be announced in the local press and on cumbria.gov.uk closer to the time. Make sure you take the opportunity to have your say on how public money is spent in Cumbria. Say E t’s been a challenging 12 months for Cumbria County Council. With increasing pressure to spend less and deliver more, the council has had to make some tough decisions. As the Government takes steps to reduce and repay the national deficit they have significantly reduced the funding they give to the council – because of this the council has had to make £44m savings this year (2011/12) to balance the books. The council has worked hard to make those savings. It has had a recruitment freeze for around a year and has restructured large parts of the organisation to make it more efficient. It is also reviewing its entire estate of offices and buildings that it owns – that should save around half a million pounds this year alone. Where possible the council has sought savings from efficiencies and revised contracting arrangements, in the area of home care and Supporting People, the council aims to save nearly £2m this year from more efficient and effective contracting arrangements. But it doesn’t end there. Over the next years the council will have to make even more savings: • In 2012/13 savings of £16.3m have been agreed but there is £2.4m of new savings still to find. • In 2013/14 savings of £1.2m have been agreed with a further £5.5m of new savings to find. So we’re clear that there are still tough times ahead. Given the council is in a situation where it has to make savings, it is more important than ever that it is clear about its priorities. The big three priorities, which shape all our decisions, are: • Challenging poverty in all its forms. • Ensuring that the most vulnerable people in our communities receive the support they need. • Improving the chances in life of the most disadvantaged in Cumbria. no to local radio cuts arlier this month, the BBC announced how it plans to save £670m a year after a nine-month review of all its services. Radio Cumbria is having its budget cut by 20% compared with an average of 12% across all other local radio stations. The BBC says it plans to reduce the budget at some of its main national platforms at far lower levels than local radio - BBC One’s reduction is 3% and Radio 1 faces a cut of just 2.5%. But the cuts at BBC Radio Cumbria are far greater, with fewer staff to absorb them. The 20% funding cut would lead to the loss of almost 10 full-time jobs at the station and severely affect the ability of journalists to get out and cover one of the largest geographic areas of any of the local radio networks. You can take part in the BBC’s consultation and also vote at Cumbria County Council’s website cumbria.gov.uk on where you think the BBC should save money - at a national or local level. 10 YourCumbria Key facts about the importance of BBC Radio Cumbria include: • • It is the most listened to station per head of population in the whole of England. It has the highest audience reach of any of the BBC’s chain of local radio stations, last year achieving its highest ever audience reach of 39% To find out more about the BBC’s consultation, which runs from 6 October to December 21 December 2011, visit bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/consult/delivering_ quality_first.shtml People can send their views on the proposed cuts to dqf.consultation@bbc.co.uk To request an audio or braille version of the consultation document, or if you have any other queries, please call 0800 068 0116 or Textphone 08000 153 350. YourCumbria 11 YourHome YourCommunity Top tips for keeping warm and well S Winter warmth ummer might have just finished but with November around the corner it’s time to get prepared for the cold winter weather. For many Cumbrians a cold snap isn’t just an inconvenience, it be can potentially life threatening, so getting prepared for the cold weather means you’re more likely to keep warm and well this winter. This winter there will be more than six million UK households living in fuel poverty, with nearly two thirds in rural areas. Any household that spends more than 10 per cent of its disposable income, after housing costs, on domestic fuel is classed as being in fuel poverty and rising fuel bills have put many homes across the county into this category – leaving some of Cumbria’s more vulnerable residents at serious risk during periods of cold weather. Winter Workers Heat your home efficiently So, where can you get help and advice? • If you don’t already get a Government winter fuel payment give them a call on 0845 9 15 15 15 to find out if you’re eligible for the payment. • The Energy Saving Trust is an independent, non-profit making organisation which can advise you how to save energy in the home. Contact them on 0800 512 012 or online at energysavingtrust.org.uk • Age UK can offer information on claiming benefits, saving energy, and staying safe 0800 169 6565. • Citizens Advice Bureau have several branches in Cumbria, call them on 08444 111 444 or contact your local branch for more details. • The Home Heat Helpline provides advice for people having difficulty paying their fuel bills. Contact them on 0800 336699. • The Gas Safe Register should be called on 0800 111 999 if you suspect a gas leak. • For health and illness issues turn to page 11 for NHS advice. Cumbria Community Foundation Winter Warmth Fund Winter can often be difficult for many older vulnerable people. But in Cumbria you could help through the Cumbria Community Foundation (CCF) Winter Warmth Fund. The Government’s Winter Fuel Payment is paid to all eligible older people. For many this is vital, but if you feel that you’d like to give some of your payment to help other local older people, please donate to the Winter Warmth Fund - not only could your donation improve the quality of life for someone, it could extend their life. If you don’t get a Winter Fuel Payment, you can still make a donation. For more information contact CCF on 01900 825 760 or visit: cumbriafoundation.org 12 YourCumbria Mariusz Gebura Community Support Officer “Every autumn the county council encourages people to get their electric blankets checked, so I help out with our countywide free testing events.With rising fuel bills, electric blankets are now popular – but a faulty one could cause a fatal fire. If an electric blanket is found to be faulty we issue one free replacement blanket per household. You should get your blanket tested every three years and anything older than 10 years should be replaced. Tell-tale signs include frayed fabric, scorch marks, loose connections, exposed elements and permanent creases. Lots of people aren’t aware of the potential risk, and might not know how to store them safely by rolling them or laying them flat rather than folding them. It’s really satisfying to do this job and I hope our advice and intervention could save lives this winter.” Cumbria Trading Standards worked with Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service on the electric blanket testing events which ran in September and early October. For a free fire safety check or advice on fire safety call 0800 3584777. For consumer advice contact Trading Standards via Consumer Direct on 08454 040506. By setting your heating to the right temperature - between 18 and 21º celsius or 64 to 70º Fahrenheit – you can still keep your home warm and lower your bills. If you feel cold at night, use a hot-water bottle or electric blanket – but never use both together. Thumbs up for Cumbria’s adoption services Get some financial assistance You could be entitled to grants and benefits that can help you pay your heating bills this winter and make your home more energy efficient. Get more information by contacting Age UK or the Energy Saving Trust advice centre on freephone 0800 512 012. Eat well Food is a vital source of energy and helps to keep your body warm. If you don’t eat, you’ll feel the cold and be more prone to illness. Try and make sure you have hot meals and drinks throughout the day. Get a jab Remember, if you’re over 65 or you have a long-term health condition, you can get a free flu jab from your GP – contact them to find out more. Look after yourself and keep an eye on neighbours and relatives Make sure you wear appropriate clothing to keep warm if you’re out in the cold. Keep an eye on elderly neighbours and relatives during the cold winter months to ensure they’re keeping warm and staying safe and well. A doption services in Cumbria have been given the thumbs up by government inspectors - but new families are still needed to enable this good work to continue. A recent Ofsted inspection gave Cumbria County Council’s adoption service an overall ‘good’ rating, praising the ‘wealth of good practice and individualised care and support children receive’. They also recognised that staff are competent and committed to achieving positive outcomes for children and have the relevant skills and training to work with children involved in the adoption process. However, new families are required to meet the needs of the total of around 50 children in Cumbria waiting for families. The county council’s adoption service usually approves in the region of 20 new families each year but is looking to boost this number to around 30. There is especially a need for families for siblings aged between one and five and slightly older children in the seven to 10 age category. Recruitment for adoptive families takes place all year round and later this year a publicity campaign in the county’s shopping centres will be taking place to tie in with National Adoption Week (first week of November). Extensive information on adoption and advice for people thinking about adopting a child can be found on Cumbria County Council’s website; cumbria.gov.uk/adoption or by calling 01539 713312. Cllr Anne Burns, Cumbria County Council’s Cabinet member for children’s social care, said: “While I’m delighted with our good work, we are always in need of new adoptive families so I’d really encourage anybody who is thinking about adopting a child or would simply like to find out more, to get in touch with us.” During National Adoption week (October 31-November 6) Cumbria County Council will be handing out leaflets in the following shopping centres around the county to try and recruit potential adopters. Monday October 31 – Carlisle, the Lanes shopping centre Tuesday November 1 – Penrith, Devonshire shopping arcade Wednesday November 2 – Kendal, Westmorland shopping centre Thursday November 3 – Keswick, Packhorse Court shopping centre Friday November 4 – Barrow, Indoor Market For more information visit cumbria.gov.uk/adoption YourCumbria 13 YourEnvironment YourCommunity Cumbria floods – two years on has been almost two years since the 2009 floods hit the county and Cumbria County Council has Itworked throughout this time to ensure that communities get back on their feet. A lot of the repair work was carried out immediately after the floods, but in the last year alone five bridges which were damaged or destroyed in the floods have been repaired or replaced and re-opened. Backbarrow bridge nr Ulverston The original Backbarrow footbridge was damaged beyond repair. The footbridge was an important crossing point for local school children attending Leven Valley primary school. It has now been replaced with a new and improved structure at a higher level and with a slight arch to ensure it is less likely to be struck by future flood debris. The bridge was re-opened to the public earlier than anticipated, in time for the start of the new school year in September 2011. Low Lorton bridge, nr Cockermouth Ironbridge in Sockbridge, nr Penrith The Victorian multi-span structure was removed last Christmas by Cumbria County Council and has now been replaced with a new, improved footbridge. The footbridge, which crosses the River Eamont, is the only local crossing point for walkers in the area and is a key link in the footpath network. The new structure has been built to sit higher over the river to reduce the risk of it being hit by debris flowing down the river in future. Little Braithwaite bridge, Braithwaite nr Keswick The old bridge was a 19th century slatestone masonry arch which was completely destroyed when the flood waters burst through the east bank of the river and made a direct line to the A66, depositing tonnes of gravel and boulders across local farmland. As the bridge location is in the national park, the county council got approval from Lake District National Park Authority planners to build a new bridge of similar appearance to the old one. 14 YourCumbria Low Lorton bridge was completely destroyed in the floods and required a full rebuild rather than a repair. Construction to replace the collapsed bridge was completed earlier this year and involved putting in place a new steel girder and reinforced concrete slab bridge with stone cladding. Navvies bridge, Workington The original Navvies bridge was destroyed beyond repair and the new £1.7m single-span replacement has been lifted into place. The steel bow-arch bridge was designed following a public consultation which allowed locals to give their views on how the structure should look. The 96 tonne bridge spans 60 metres over the River Derwent and carries both pedestrians and cyclists, offering an important connection between the community of Northside and Workington town centre. Respecting riverlife It may seem like a long time since the floods and many people ask why we’ve not opened bridges sooner. As well as planning, tendering and building processes, the Environment Agency has restrictions on when river works can take place. From October to May, no works can take place in a river, including bridge repair or replacement. This is to protect riverlife in their natural habitat and also prevents spawning fish from being disturbed. New flood defences at Derwent Bridge Residents near Derwent Bridge in Workington can rest assured that they will have a safer winter as rock armour flood defences have been put in place at the bridge. Defences were installed in September as part of ongoing flood defence measures in the area. The Big One Workington Bridge Work is currently underway to build the new Workington Northside road bridge at a cost of £11m. The original bridge was destroyed and has so far been replaced with the temporary road bridge, which opened in April 2010. The new Northside bridge will be a permanent fixture. Once the new permanent bridge is open to the public, the temporary road bridge - that was built in 72 days - will be closed and removed. The construction programme for Northside bridge is scheduled to be completed in 2012, with the new bridge expected to be open to traffic in mid-June 2012. The new bridge will span 152m over the River Derwent. Look out in local media and on Twitter for progress on Northside Bridge. Preparing for emergencies Are You Ready? F amilies, households and businesses can cope better with emergencies by preparing in advance and working together as a team. The Cumbria-wide floods in 2009, the June 2010 shootings and the recent severe winters all vividly illustrate the potential for emergencies to cause havoc and disruption to our way of life. But by being informed and prepared, local communities can significantly reduce the risk to life and property. Although Cumbria can count itself as one of safest counties in the country, emergencies can still happen, and once you know the type of emergencies that may occur in your area – such as flooding or severe weather - you can start putting arrangements into place. The county council works hard to prepare its services so that they are resilient to emergencies. It also works closely with the police, NHS, district councils and many other organisations to prepare the county and help it recover as quickly as possible from emergencies. Follow these simple tips: • Go in, stay in, tune in – in a major emergency the best advice is to go inside a safe building, stay inside until you are advised to do otherwise, and tune in to local radio or TV for information. • Prepare an emergency pack and keep it handy – include items such as torches, batteries, radio, books and games, medication, sleeping bags, warm clothing, mobile phone and charger, first aid kit, special food for infants, the elderly and people with disabilities. • Stay in touch – make sure you know how you and your family will stay in contact. • Meeting point – agree where you will meet up should you be separated and unable to return home, bearing in mind that children could be at school or parents at work. For more information on planning for an emergency visit cumbria.gov.uk/emergency g Cumbria Community Messagin new free way of Cumbria Community Messaging is the issues to you as getting local information on a range of quickly as possible. latest information The service allows everyone to get the il, voicemail or text. from crime to major incidents by ema uk for more Visit cumbriacommunitymessaging.co. internet access out with information or to sign up. People lication form. app an should contact their police station for YourCumbria 15 YourEnvironment YourEnvironment westcumbria:mrws West Cumbria Managing Radioactive Waste Safely Partnership Why geological disposal? Sellafield (NDA) Nuclear waste Going underground in West Cumbria? A consultation is due to start soon on whether West Cumbria should take part in the search for somewhere to put a repository for higher activity radioactive waste. Entrance to a repository being built in Finland Partnership meeting in Maryport in September W e are now finalising a consultation document setting out our initial opinions on the issues we have looked at. We will then be starting a major consultation so we can get your views before we send our final report to the councils. Although there would still be a right to withdraw from this process during the search for a possible site, the decision we need to make at this stage is an important one. Therefore this will be the time to get involved in these important discussions and decide what you think would be best for the area. A n independent committee of experts, the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM), recommended that geological disposal was the best available long-term approach compared to other ways of managing higher activity radioactive waste. Higher activity waste is currently stored above ground, the majority of it at Sellafield. This waste decays over time but some of it remains hazardous for many thousands of years. The Committee on Radioactive Waste Management said geological disposal would be safer in the longer term than storage above ground e.g. because of the risk of terrorism. They also said that we cannot rely on societies hundreds or thousands of years from now to manage these wastes safely above ground. Their recommendations received wide ranging support. Geological disposal is also the preferred approach in most other countries with nuclear waste. However, some people and organisations are not convinced about the long term safety of geological disposal and oppose having an underground repository. These organisations include Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and Radiation Free Lakeland. What is geological disposal? G eological disposal involves a series of barriers that the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority says would work together to prevent the radioactivity escaping to the surface in amounts that could cause harm. This is known as the multi-barrier approach. The waste is first made as safe as possible and put into a 16 YourCumbria Underground storage vaults specially designed glass or cement and then into specially made packages. The packages are placed in tunnels or vaults constructed deep underground in the disposal facility. The vaults can then be filled and sealed. A further barrier is provided by nature through the rock between the underground facility and the surface. Buffer Surface facilities 200/1000m The Government has asked communities to consider volunteering to have a repository – known as a geological disposal facility – in their area. Allerdale Borough Council, Copeland Borough Council and Cumbria County Council set up the West Cumbria Managing Radioactive Waste Safely Partnership to help them decide whether or not to take part in the search for a site for a repository, without any commitment to have it in the area. The Partnership includes all the local authorities in Cumbria and a wide range of other organisations such as the Cumbria Association of Local Councils, the Lake District National Park, Cumbria Tourism, the National Farmers Union and Cumbria Chamber of Commerce. We have met roughly every six weeks to consider the issues that would be involved in taking part in the search for somewhere to put a repository e.g. geology, safety, impacts and community benefits. We have also been talking to local people. Eurajoki in Finland where a repository is being built Host rock Access shafts Additional Container Conditioned waste in container YourCumbria 17 For more information see the overview section of our YourEnvironment YourEnvironment What might a repository look like? NDA image showing what the underground repository might look like A n underground repository would be between 200 and 1000 metres underground. By comparison, the Eiffel Tower is 300 metres high. The underground facilities could be somewhere between 6 km² and 25 km² (3.5 and 15 square miles) in size, depending on the type of rock, and how much and what kind of waste would be placed into them. This would be between approximately one and four times the size of the Sellafield site. The amount of rock that would need to be excavated to create the facility is similar to what was removed during the building of the Channel Tunnel. There would also be buildings above ground. Although some parts of West Cumbria have already been ruled out as clearly geologically unsuitable for the underground facilities, at this stage the above ground facilities could be sited anywhere in the area. There would be buildings to support the construction of the repository, so these facilities would be at their busiest while the repository is being built. There would also be buildings to handle the waste received from across the country, administration offices, workshops and possibly an interim store and a packaging facility for waste created by any new nuclear reactors. Listening to your views T he Government says a repository will only be put somewhere where the geology is suitable and there is a community that has volunteered to have it. The West Cumbria Managing Radioactive Waste Safely Partnership will look at whether a range of people think our initial opinions are reasonable and we will then amend our final report before sending it to Allerdale Borough Council, Copeland Borough Council and Cumbria County Council. When the consultation starts we will provide a lot of opportunities for you to find out more and give us your views. In particular, we will be encouraging you to read our consultation document and fill in the questionnaire that comes with it. Information about the consultation will be sent to all homes in West Cumbria and will also be available in places like libraries and leisure centres. Members of the public at a Partnership event in 2010 There will be community events across the county where you will be able to get more information, as well as talking to Partnership members and technical experts. As this decision would particularly affect people in Allerdale and Copeland there will also be a large, representative opinion poll to see whether people in these areas are in favour or against entering the siting process. If there is a decision to take part in the search for somewhere to put a repository there would be a series of studies and detailed geological investigations to find out if there is a suitable site. i NDA image showing what the surface facilities might look like The councils would have the right to withdraw from the process up until the point where any construction starts. They would need to show that, there is credible support for a decision either to accept a repository, or to withdraw. For more information visit the Partnership’s website westcumbriamrws.org.uk, call the freephone number 0800 048 8912 or email contact@ westcumbriamrws.org.uk Find out more... You can find out more by visiting: www.westcumbriamrws.org.uk You can also contact us by calling our free helpline on: 0800 048 8912 or by emailing: NDA image showing what the surface facilities for handling the waste might look like contact@westcumbriamrws.org.uk The NDA says the surface facilities could cover an area of around one square kilometre. They could either be above the underground facilities or up to 10km apart, possibly further. The repository would be accessed through sloping tunnels and vertical shafts. You can also join our Facebook page or follow @westcumbriamrws on Twitter. Students at a Partnership event in 2010 18 YourCumbria YourCumbria 19 YourDiary YourDiary • Drawing • Directing • Writing • Reading • Playing an instrument • Textile arts • Jewellery • es im tom Pan • als niv Car • als tiv • Plays • Operas • Fes • Painting • Sculpture • Woodworking • Carnival activities • Embroidery • Furniture making • Add your events to the diary - visit k seeitdoit.org.u Events in your area November October 26 26 26-28 27 27 28 29 29 30 Children’s Workshop: Imaginary Animals The Watermill, Little Salkeld, Nr Penrith 01768 881523 Steam and Romans Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, Ravenglass 01229 717171 Haunted Holker – Halloween fun Holker Hall and Gardens, Cark in Cartmel, Grange over Sands 015395 58328 Lakes Collectives of Artists and Designers Grasmere Buff’s Club, Red Lion Square, Grasmere, Ambleside 015394 34859 Over the Rainbow – the Life Story of Eva Cassidy The Forum, 28 Duke Street, Barrow-in-Furness 01229 820000 Field to Fork Day Kendal Market Place, Market Place, Kendal 01539 729048 Spooky Saturday Halloween Festival Penrith 01768 212150 The Culture of the Border Reivers Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery, Carlisle 01228 618700 Ghost Train Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway, Haverthwaite Station, Haverthwaite 015935 31594 Eva Cassidy 1 A Morning in Dove Cottage Dove Cottage and the Wordsworth Museum, Town End, Grasmere 015394 35544 1 Soup Making The Watermill, Little Salkeld, Nr Penrith 01768 881523 3 An Introduction to Romanticism Dove Cottage and the Wordsworth Museum, Town End, Grasmere 015394 35544 4 The Etherdome Rosehill Theatre, Moresby, Whitehaven 01946 692422 4 -6 Beyond the Frontiers – Literary Festival Senhouse Roman Museum, The Battery, Sea Brows, Maryport 01900 816168 5 Carlisle Fire Show Bitts Park, Dacre Road, Carlisle 01228 817358 5 The Real Story of the Gunpowder Plot Guided Tours Carlisle Castle 0870 333 1181 6 The Snow Queen Sands Centre, Carlisle 01228 625222 7 Celebrity Chef Ooy Windermere Hydro Hotel, Helm Road, Bowness-onWindermere 01524 381820 8-9 Two Day Chocolate for Christmas Course The Lake District School of Food and Wine, Beechcroft, Seagill, Penrith 01931 714580 11-13 Carlisle Blues Festival Swallow Hilltop Hotel, London Road, Carlisle 01228 529255 13 Handel’s Messiah Theatre by the Lake, Lakeside, Keswick 017687 74411 14 Far Eastern Brush Painting – Animal Studies Greystoke Cycle Café, Poplin Dub, Greystoke, Penrith 017684 83984 16-19 ‘Allo ‘Allo Rosehill Theatre, Moresby, Whitehaven 01946 692422 19 Mark Watson Request Stops Tour Penrith Leisure Centre, Southend Road, Penrith 01768 863450 23-24Melancholia Rosehill Theatre, Moresby, Whitehaven 01946 692422 24 Harry Blofeld – Shaken Not Stirred The Forum, 28 Duke Street, Barrow-in-Furness 01229 820000 25 Wonderful Weaving – Shibori Technique Greystoke Cycle Café, Poplin Dub, Greystoke, Penrith 017684 83984 26 Wicked Desserts – Freeze ahead for Christmas Cook in Cumbria, High Chapel House, Ravenstonedale, Kirkby Stephen 015396 23411 27 Vampires Rock Sands Centre, Carlisle 01228 625222 29 Tuesday Trundle Walks High Head Sculpture Valley, High Head Farm, Ivegill, Carlisle 01228 817158 30 Christmas Cake Decorating – Sugarcraft Greystoke Cycle Café, Poplin Dub, Greystoke, Penrith 017684 83984 30 Peatbog Faeries Rosehill Theatre, Moresby, Whitehaven 01946 692422 Handel’s Messia h For more details visit seeitdoit.org.uk 20 YourCumbria Melancholia o Vampires R ck offer n o ts even ull list of e h t n of k for a f o i t c sele org.u you. . a t i t s o is ju eitd ear This k out se at’s on n wh chec YourCumbria 21 YourDiary • Drawing • Directing • Writing • Reading • Playing an instrument • Textile arts • Jewellery • es im tom Pan • als niv Car • als tiv • Plays • Operas • Fes • Painting • Sculpture • Woodworking • Carnival activities • Embroidery • Furniture making • December 2 Rat Pack at Christmas The Forum, 28 Duke Street, Barrow-in-Furness, 01229 820000 2 The Doors Alive Rosehill Theatre, Moresby, Whitehaven 01946 692422 3 Cooking with Fish The Lake District School of Food and Wine, Beechcroft, Seagill, Penrith 01931 714580 3 Royal Marines Band Sands Centre, Carlisle 01228 625222 4 Levens Choir Festive Concert United Reformed Church, Highgate, Kendal 01539 730590 4 The Navarra String Quartet Theatre by the Lake, Lakeside, Keswick 017687 74411 6 In Search of Nature: Recording Cumbrian Wildlife Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery, Castle Street, Carlisle 01228 618700 7-10 The Exorcism Theatre by the Lake, Lakeside, Keswick 017687 74411 9 Isy Suttie Rosehill Theatre, Moresby, Whitehaven 01946 692422 10 Millom Christmas Festival Millom 01229 719680 11 Melody and Mirth Theatre by the Lake, Lakeside, Keswick 017687 74411 11 Shakespeare’s Christmas Party Rosehill Theatre, Moresby, Whitehaven 01946 692422 13-31Cinderella Sands Centre, Carlisle 01228 625222 16-21 Winter Tales Theatre by the Lake, Lakeside, Keswick 017687 74411 18 Santa’s Elf Cruises Ullswater Steamers, The Pier House, Glenridding, Penrith 017684 82229 This is ju chec st a sele k ou c t see tion of t itdoi h t.org e events wha on t’s on .uk for a ful offer near l list you. of 22 YourCumbria Your updated guide now featuring additional useful numbers! Events in your area yourcumbria.org.uk The Doors Alive Any problems? If you are unsure of who to contact or experiencing difficulties in getting through to the numbers listed please phone our main switchboard on Melody and Mirth Winter Tales tet 01229 407377 01228 227285 01539 713540 01946 506420 Arts and culture Aspatria Dreamscheme 01228 606060 A Abandoned vehicles advice line Accidents and Emergencies Adoption and fostering – Adult education Navarra String Quar Archives Barrow Carlisle Kendal Whitehaven contact your district council 999 see Fostering and adoption 01228 227304 / 227303 Adult Social Care Barrow Carlisle Kendal Penrith Whitehaven Workington Emergency out of hours service 01229 407894 01228 227000 01539 713377 01768 812242 01946 506352 01900 706325 01228 526690 Age Concern Carlisle Eden Northwest Barrow Millom South Lakeland 01228 536673 01768 863618 01946 66669 01229 831425 01229 774573 01539 728118 01228 227306 016973 20893 B Barrow Borough Council – barrowbc.gov.uk 01229 876300 Barrow Youth Inclusion Project 01229 871420 Basement Bar, Barrow 01229 894644 Beach cleaning contact your district council Benefits advice centre contact your district council Benefit enquiry line 0800 88 22 00 Bereavement services contact your district council Birth registration see Registration Services The National Blood Service 08457 711711 For details of blood donor sessions blood.co.uk Blue car parking badges for disabled people 01228 606060 Botcherby Healthy Living Initiative 01228 543405 Brewery Arts Centre 01539 725133 British Heart Foundation 020 7554 0000 Building regulations contact your district council Building planning applications contact your district council Bus timetables 0871 200 2233* *Calls from landlines cost 10p per minute How to... REPORT A POTHOLE If you spot a pothole on the highway call the Highways Hotline on 0845 609 6609. Allerdale Borough Council allerdale.gov.uk 01900 702702 Allotments contact your district council Animal health and welfare 01539 713137 Archaeology 01539 713428 YourCumbria 23 A–ZGuide A–ZGuide Your A–Z guide to council services in Cumbria Your A–Z guide to council services in Cumbria Important: For all services highlighted in blue please see district council section for your local council number Important: For all services highlighted in blue please see district council section for your local council number Councillor contacts A L L E R DA L E COP E L A ND C Gosforth & Ennerdale Norman Clarkson - 01946 841126 C Hillcrest Andrew Wonnacott - 01946 63601 L Cleator Moor S & Egremont Frank Morgan - 01946 830759 B A R ROW I Walney South C Hawcoat C Parkside Lisa Hammond - 01229 823071 David Marcus - 01229 470629 David Roberts - 01229 811994 C Ormsgill S Dalton South C Dalton North Jill Heath - 01229 465051 Jim Hamezeian - 01229 829454 Bill Bleasdale - 01229 468804 L Walney North L Newbarns C Risedale le Kevin Hamilton - 07849 847158 Melvyn Worth - 07779 247957 Tina Macur - 01229 836148 EDEN LD Penrith East Patricia Bell - 01768 867826 C Eden Lakes Thomas Lowther - 01931 712284 C C Greystoke & Hesket Bert Richardson - 01768 483704 SOUTH LAKELAND C Kendal Highgate LD Sedbergh & Kirkby Lonsdale Kevin Lancaster - 015396 20800 Geoff Cook - 01539 740133 C Lakes LD High Furness Claire Salisbury - 015394 36611 David Earnshaw - 015394 33573 LD Lower Kentdale C Kendal Castle Tom Clare - 01539 725946 Roger Bingham - 015395 63694 LD Windermere LD Kendal Strickland & Fell Brendan Jameson - 01539 735540 Jo Stephenson - 015394 45448 C Cartmel LD Ulverston East Peter Hornby - 01229 585416 Rod Wilson - 015395 36673 C AR LIS LE L L Moss Bay Barbara Cannon - 01946 834702 C Aspatria and Wharrels Mike Johnson L St Michael’s Alan Barry - 01900 604289 C Wigton Joseph Cowell - 016973 43479 LD Dalston & Cummersdale Trevor Allison - 01228 523923 L St Aidan’s Reg Watson OBE - 01228 521676 I Botcherby Robert Betton - 01228 530747 L Denton Holme Hugh McDevitt - 01228 530223 L Belle Vue Ian Stockdale - 01228 529678 24 YourCumbria C Bowness, Thursby & Caldbeck CM C Duncan Fairbairn - 016973 43160 I Seaton Trevor Fee - 01900 61635 L Maryport West Bill Cameron - 01900 812783 C Cockermouth West Alan Kennon - 01900 826368 C Hensingham & Arlecdon L Bransty Graham Roberts - 01946 692860 Mike Hawkins - 01946 65447 L Millom C St Bees & Egremont David Southward MBE - 01946 841476 Raymond Cole - 01229 774378 C Distington & Moresby L Seascale & Whicham Susan Brown - 01229 774666 Cam Ross - 01946 861552 L Kells & Sandwith Wendy Skillicorn - 01946 692628 Cleator Moor N & Frizington CM L Timothy Knowles - 01946 811687 L Mirehouse John Woolley - 01946 695804 CM L Hindpool Anne Burns - 01229 471824 C Roosecote Ray Guselli - 01229 830739 CM I Old Barrow Oliver Pearson - 01229 836367 St John’s Joe Holliday - 01900 66319 Moorclose Gerald Humes - 01900 63976 Keswick & Derwent Ron Munby - 01900 825355 Harrington, Clifton & Stainburn Marjorie Rae - 01946 831004 Cockermouth East Eric Nicholson - 01900 827944 CM L Solway Coast Tony Markley - 016973 31998 LD Dearham & Broughton LC CM Eddie Martin - 01900 819918 L Maryport East Keith Little - 01900 812981 C C L L CM C LD Ulverston West Low Furness Janet Willis - 01229 861250 James Airey - 01229 588461 C LD Grange Kent Estuary Bill Wearing - 015395 32482 Ian Stewart - 015395 62391 C LD Lyth Valley Upper Kent Jim Bland - 015395 68576 Stan Collins - 01539 821086 LD Kendal Nether Clare Feeney-Johnson - 01539 422939 LD Kendal South Brenda Gray - 015395 61135 C Brampton & Gilsland Lawrence Fisher - 01228 512550 C L Longtown and Bewcastle Val Tarbitt - 016977 42247 C Stanwix & Irthington C John Mallinson - 01228 533746 LD Upperby DL CM L Stewart Young - 01228 541905 C Currock L Heather Bradley - 01228 533162 How to... CATCH A BUS If you are using the bus for the first time or using a bus away from home – the first step is the hardest! When? Where? How much? – Answers to all these questions can be found in a number of places but the simplest way is to contact Traveline on 0871 200 22 33 – calls from landlines 10p a minute. If using a mobile dial 874 as soon as “Welcome” message starts to get straight through to Cumbria Call Centre. Or go online to traveline.info. This service is available daily 7.00 am to 10.00 pm. Information – Timetables etc can be obtained from a number of outlets eg Tourist Information Centres. If you have access to the internet these can be found on the county council’s website cumbria.gov.uk/buses. Copies of the Cumbria and Lakes Rider which gives information on bus timetables and maps of town services for the summer – available from your local library. Something for nothing? – If you are over 60 you may be entitled to travel free on all buses. See page 8 of this magazine. Most services in Cumbria are paid for by the fares collected on the bus. Where fares do not cover costs the county council can provide financial support. Cumbria County Council would be pleased to hear any suggestions to improve services and supply of information. C Appleby C Penrith North Hilary Carrick - 01768 898147 Martin Stephenson - 017683 51378 CM C Kirkby Stephen LD Penrith Rural Gary B Strong - 01228 599435 Peter Thornton - 01539 823640 C Alston & East Fellside I Penrith West Helen Fearon - 01768 892731 Mary Robinson - 01768 896147 Harraby Cyril Weber - 01228 539215 Morton John Bell - 01228 530388 Yewdale Fiona Robson - 07919 374121 Castle Jim Tootle - 01228 546410 Belah Alan Toole - 01228 530681 Community Action Furness Concessionary fares C Wetheral Nicholas Marriner - 01228 561546 CM C Stanwix Urban Liz Mallinson - 01228 533746 KEY: Party: C Conservative L Labour LD Liberal Democrats I Independent S Socialist People’s Party DL Deputy Leader of Council Title: C Chairman CM Cabinet Member LC Leader of Council A Active Cumbria 01228 221263 C Carers see Young Carers Carlisle City Council – carlisle.gov.uk 01228 817000 Carlisle Castle 01228 891922 Car parking contact your district council Cemeteries and crematorium contact your district council Children’s information service 08457 125737 Provides you with details of early years childcare and educational facilities Civil partnerships see Registration Services Coast protection contact your district council Community centres support contact your district council Community events contact your district council Community Law Centre Complaints about county council services Complaints about Adult Social Care 01228 515129 0800 1218800 Contact local offices or ring 01228 227140 Complaints about district council services 01229 832073 01228 226720 Children’s Services Head Office, Portland Square, Carlisle Barrow – Market Street Barrow – Nan Tait Centre Carlisle – Alfred Street North Kendal – Busher House Penrith Whitehaven – Blencathra House Workington Emergency out of hours service 01228 226877 01229 407894 01229 407400 01228 227002 01539 713456 01768 812242 01946 505505 01900 706325 01228 526690 Citizens Advice Bureaux Barrow Carlisle Grange Kendal Keswick Millom Penrith Ulverston Whitehaven Windermere Workington 01229 830367 01228 633909 01539 533100 01539 738772 017687 73472 01229 772395 01768 891503 01229 585585 01946 693321 01539 446464 01900 604735 Connexions Cumbria Free phone number Partnership Office Barrow-in-Furness Carlisle Kendal Maryport Whitehaven Workington 0800 435709 01931 711300 01229 824052 01228 596272 01539 7300456 01900 815928 01946 695541 01900 604674 Consumer advice 0845 4040506 Contaminated land contact your district council Copeland Borough Council – copeland.gov.uk 0845 054 8600 Councillors details 01228 226351 Council meetings 01228 226351 Council tax contact your district council Countryside access 01228 221052 Countryside Rangers (outside the National Parks) Carlisle District 07789 603253 Copeland Borough and Allerdale District 07773 819101 Eden District 07789 602281 South Lakeland and Barrow District 07789 603435 Contact your local district council YourCumbria 25 A–ZGuide A–ZGuide Your A–Z guide to council services in Cumbria Your A–Z guide to council services in Cumbria Important: For all services highlighted in blue please see district council section for your local council number Important: For all services highlighted in blue please see district council section for your local council number How to... FIND OUT ABOUT CHILDCARE AND FREE EARLY LEARNING FOR THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS Cumbria County Council’s Children’s and Families Information Service can give you this information and lots more. To find out about services, activities and entitlements, including the following contact 08457 125 737. • • • • • • • • • • childcare free early learning for three and four year olds out of school and holiday clubs support and advice groups parent and toddler groups activities for children and young people local services, national helplines and websites financial help with childcare costs maternity and paternity rights and benefits parental leave and work-life balance We also • Offer a brokerage service to anyone who has tried to find childcare without success. We will contact providers on your behalf to try to find suitable childcare • Produce a range of information leaflets • Provide information to anyone thinking about becoming a registered childminder • Maintain the Cumbria Children’s Services Web Directory – www.help4me.info • Develop and maintains a website for 13–19 year olds www.wotson4u.com Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership 01768 812369 Cumbria Association of Local Councils 01768 812141 Cumbria Care 01228 227790 Cumbria Centre for Independent Living - providing services and advice for local disabled people 01228 606483 Email info@daceability.org Cumbria Community Foundation 01900 820822 Cumbria Chamber of Commerce (business advice) 01228 534120 Cumbria Youth Support Services Team Allerdale and Copeland Carlisle Eden South Lakes and Barrow Cycleways 01900 706375 01228 226939 01768 242071 01539 713135 01228 226735 Cumbria County Council Comments, compliments and complaints For complaints 0800 121 8800 Email: complaints@cumbria.gov.uk For comments and compliments Email: information@cumbria.gov.uk Write: Corporate Complaints, Cumbria County Council, Freepost NWW6059A,The Courts, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA3 8NA. 26 YourCumbria D DaCE IT & Training - recycle and refurbish IT equipment and provide training for local disabled people. 01228 606485 Email info@daceability.org Dangerous structures contact your district council Day care services, older adults contact Adult Social Care Death registration see Registration Services Derelict land contact your district council Development control contact your district council National Park authority within boundaries Development control planning 01539 713066 Dentist (NHS) To register for a NHS dentist in Cumbria visit cumbria.nhs.uk/yournearestservice/dentist District councils Allerdale Borough Council – allerdale.gov.uk Barrow Borough Council – barrowbc.gov.uk Carlisle City Council – carlisle.gov.uk Copeland Borough Council – copeland.gov.uk Eden District Council – eden.gov.uk South Lakeland District Council – southlakeland.gov.uk How to... FOSTER Interested in fostering and adoption but need more information then contact Fostering and Adoption on 0303 333 1216 or visit cumbria.gov.uk Local plans Locallinks.org.uk Local Links - Alston Local Links - Aspatria Local Links - Ambleside Local Links - Cleator Moor Local Links - Grange-over-sands Local Links - Kirkby Stephen Local Links - Longtown Local Links - Milnthorpe Local Links - Wigton Longtown Youth Project contact your district council 01434 382244 016973 20515 01539 432507 01946 855030 015395 32749 017683 71775 01228 791638 015395 63040 01900 702890 07780 688734 Libraries Cumbria has 49 libraries around the county – the main six are listed below: 01900 702702 01229 876300 01228 817000 0845 054 8600 01768 817817 01539 733333 Doctor To register: Allerdale, Carlisle, Copeland and Eden 01228 603633 Barrow and South Lakeland 01772 221444 Out of hours service: Allerdale, Carlisle, Copeland and Eden 01228 401999 Barrow and South Lakeland 0845 052 4999 Hearing impaired users (South Cumbria) 18001 01539 716999 Dogs – barking and fouling Drop Zone Café, Barrow Dustbin emptying Environment Agency advice, floodline 0845 9881188 Environmental issues including: pest control, food safety, dog control (dirt), health and safety at work, noise pollution contact your district council Environmental protection services contact your district council contact your district council 01229 812888 contact your district council E Economic development 01228 226691 Eden Care Alarms (providing support services 01768 890657 and care alarms to elderly and vulnerable people in Eden) Eden Carers (support for unpaid carers) 01768 890280 Local election offices Allerdale 01900 702550 Barrow 01229 876318 Carlisle 01228 817555 Copeland 01946 598531 Eden 01768 817817 South Lakes 01539 797535 Eden Community Outdoors 017683 51640 Eden District Council – eden.gov.uk 01768 817817 Eden Housing Association 01768 861400 Eden Rural Foyer 01768 861650 Eden Youth Work Project 01768 861404 Education and Education Welfare – see Children’s Services Energy efficiency advice centre contact your district council F Fire service Fly tipping Food inspection control Fostering and Adoption G Girlguiding Grants – community groups Gritting 01900 822503 contact your district council contact your district council 0303 333 1216 01946 694868 See Neighbourhood Development 0845 609 6609 H For health care related matters contact: NHS Direct (24hrs) see panel at bottom right for all numbers Highways Hotline 24 hours / 7 days 0845 609 6609 Email: contact@cumbriahighways.co.uk Home care see Adult Social Care Homelessness contact your district council Hospice at Home West Cumbria 01900 705200 Hospice at Home Carlisle & North Lakeland 01768 210719 Hospitals Furness General Hospital (Barrow) 01229 870870 Cumberland Infirmary (Carlisle) 01228 523444 Westmorland General Hospital (Kendal) 01539 732288 West Cumberland Hospital (Whitehaven) 01946 693181 Household Waste Recycling Centres 01228 227644 Housing advice contact your district council Housing benefit contact your district council I Impact Housing 01946 833100 J Junk Mail (to stop junk mail) 0845 703 4599 Or write to the Mailing Preference Service at: MPS, Freepost 22, London, WE1 7EZ. K Kendal Youth Work L Lake District National Park Land charges Litter and street cleaning Living Well Trust, Carlisle 07709 797534 01539 724555 contact your district council contact your district council Barrow Carlisle Kendal Penrith Whitehaven Workington M Markets Marriages Meals on wheels Millom Youth Partnership Minerals and waste planning Multi-cultural service 01229 407370 01228 227310 01539 713520 01768 812100 01946 506400 01900 706170 contact your district council see Registration Services see Adult Social Care 01229 777500 01539 713066 01229 833933 N NHS Direct 0845 4647 For 24 hour free expert health advice nhsdirect.nhs.uk NHS Trusts in Cumbria •NHS Cumbria (Cumbria NHS Teaching Primary Care Trust) Provides leadership for the NHS, commissions all health care, provides public health and primary health care services across Cumbria. 01768 245317 • North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust Includes Cumberland Infirmary Carlisle and West Cumberland Hospital. 01228 523444 •University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust Includes Furness General, Westmorland General and Royal Lancaster Infirmary. 01539 732288 •Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust Includes mental health and learning disability services. 01228 602000 •North West Ambulance Services NHS Trust Includes Ambulance and Patient Transport Services 01228 596909 For all Trusts: cumbria.nhs.uk 01228 599426 YourCumbria 27 A–ZGuide A–ZGuide Your A–Z guide to council services in Cumbria Your A–Z guide to council services in Cumbria Important: For all services highlighted in blue please see district council section for your local council number Important: For all services highlighted in blue please see district council section for your local council number Neighbourhood Development Community information including rural matters, neighbourhood forums, grants and funding, local councils, volunteering, voluntary sector support and multi-cultural centre. Allerdale and Copeland 01900 706015 Barrow and South Lakes 01229 407578 Carlisle and Eden 01228 227646 ‘Neighbourhood Watch in Cumbria’ - information can be obtained from the Cumbria Neighbourhood Watch Association website at cumbria-nhw.org or by contacting your local policing team officer through the non emergency Police number - 0845 3300247. O Open Access Outdoor activities 01228 221052 01768 772816 P Parish council – Cumbria Association of Local Councils For your parish council contact 01768 812141 Parks, open spaces and play areas contact your district council Parish Paths Initiative 01228 226605 Phoenix Youth Project 01946 814555 Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) 01900 705005 Pest control Allerdale Barrow Carlisle Copeland Eden South Lakeland Phoenix Youth Project Planning Police – non emergencies Print services and photocopying Product safety Property Public conveniences Public rights of way Public transport contact your district council contact your district council contact your district council contact your district council contact Rentokil 0800 2182210 please refer to the yellow pages 01946 814555 contact your district council 0845 3300247 01228 226420 see trading standards contact your district council contact your district council 0845 609 6609 0871 2002233 Recycling contact your district council General information and advice 0845 0551118 Email info@recycleforcumbria.org Household waste recycling centres 01228 227644 Household collections services contact your district council Recycle points contact your district council (eg supermarkets, village halls, pubs etc) Registration services Cumbria Registration Service are responsible for the registration of births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships. The services also provides copies of births, deaths, marriages, and civil partnership certificates for those registered in Cumbria. Details of all our services, office locations and opening times can be found be visiting cumbria.gov.uk/registration Marriages, civil partnerships, copy certificates Barrow 01229 407511 Carlisle 01228 227432 Cockermouth (including Maryport/Workington) 01900 706960 Kendal 01539 713567 Millom 01229 772357 Penrith 01768 242120 Ulverston 01229 404170 Whitehaven 01946 506190 Wigton 01228 223446 Registration of births and deaths Barrow 01229 407511 Carlisle 01228 227430 or 227433 Cockermouth (including Maryport/Workington) 01900 706068 Kendal 01539 713566 Millom 01229 772357 Penrith 01768 242121 Ulverston 01229 404171 Whitehaven 01946 506191 Wigton 01228 223447 Residents parking permits contact your district council Respite care see Adult Social Care and Children’s Services Residential homes see Cumbria Care and Adult Social Care Road safety education/training 01768 812336 For highways safety matters 0845 609 6609 Road safety general 01228 221751 Roads 0845 609 6609 Rural wheels 01228 226721 S Samaritans UK wide Governor Support Team 08457 90 90 90 see Children’s Services School Places Allerdale and Copeland Barrow and South Lakeland Carlisle and Eden School transport – north To include Alston, Carlisle, Kirkby Stephen and Penrith School transport – south To include Barrow, Kendal, Ulverston and Windermere Refuse and special collections 28 YourCumbria contact your district council School transport – west 01228 221582 01228 226775 01228 221198 01228 226008 01228 226044 01228 226045 Scouts Association 01768 862040 Shelter (housing charity) 0808 800 4444 Social Services see Adult Social Care and Children’s Services South Cumbria Award Initiative 01539 742605 South Lakeland District Council 01539 733333 southlakeland.gov.uk Spirit of Youth in partnership with Young Cumbria 015395 36032 Sport and recreation contact your district council Cumbria Stop Smoking Service 01900 324222 cumbria.nhs.uk/healthinformation/givingupsmoking Street cleaning contact your district council Street lighting 0845 609 6609 Student support services 01228 226775 Sure start 0845 712 5737 Sustainability 01228 226314 Swimming pools contact your district council T Theatre by the lake 017687 74411 Tourist information centres contact your district council Town twinning contact your district council Town council – County Association of Local Councils For your parish council contact 01768 812141 Trading standards Animal health licensing Consumer advice Cumbria CVS - Volunteer Centres / Area Offices Barrow 01229 823144 Carlisle 01228 512513 Eden 01768 800350 South Lakes centre 01539 742636 - office 01539 742627 West Cumbria 01900 819191 Voting W Waste management Traveline (public transport) (Calls from landlines cost 10p per minute) Traffic lights Tullie House Website (Cumbria County Council) Wheels to Work Whitehaven Harbour Youth Project Wigton Youth Station Windermere ferry enquiries 01228 226332 01946 820462 01946 690404 016973 44200 0845 609 6609 Y YMCA Carlisle YWCA Cumbria Young Women’s Project 01228 815412 01228 525817 01539 713137 08454 040506 01539 713594 01228 227447 01900 706072 01539 713577 01229 404040 0871 200 2233 0845 6096609 01228 534781 Young Carers Carlisle Eden Furness West Cumbria South Lakeland 01228 542156 01768 890280 01229 822822 01900 810101 01539 815970 Young Cumbria Keswick (head office) West Office Eden Office South Lakes Office 017687 75085 07895 766326 01768 867456 015395 36032 Young Farmers Youth forum How to... 01228 227644 For household collection service enquiries please contact your district council (For other trading standard issues contact your local office) Headquarters Carlisle Cockermouth Kendal Ulverston contact your district council 01768 866550 contact your district council CATCH A TRAIN Finding out train times couldn’t be easier, there is one place you can go to for all timetable enquiries. Call National Rail Enquiries on 08457 48 49 50 - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Alternatively visit nationalrail.co.uk U United Utilities Unsafe goods V VOICES Project Voluntary Action Cumbria Youth Offending Service Headquarters North office South office West office Youthtastic, Workington 01228 227179 01228 227090 01229 826080 01900 813531 01900 842993 0800 195 4141 see trading standards 01229 870150 01768 242130 Youth Work Development Co-ordinators Allerdale and Copeland 01900 706375 Carlisle 01228 226939 Eden 01768 242071 South Lakeland and Barrow 01539 713135 To include Aspatria, Cockermouth, Keswick, Millom and Whitehaven YourCumbria 29 YourHealth Case Study NHS Foundation Trust Sam Cleasby Reablement Support Worker Sam Cleasby has worked as a support worker with Cumbria Care for five years. In December 2010, Sam was one of the first people to join the Reablement team as a Reablement support worker. “When I was approached about specialising in Reablement I said yes immediately. I saw it as an exciting opportunity to help people get back on their feet after a disability, accident or illness. I really enjoy helping people rediscover how to live their lives. This can range from supporting people to get dressed to helping them back into employment or a leisure activity. Once a week I’ll sit with service users and review their Reablement package and let them know about any other services available to them. Every now and again I’ll bump into one of the people who I’ve supported through the service. It’s fantastic to see them out and about and managing independently. Knowing that I’ve played a part in that gives me a huge sense of achievement. I’ve been a Reablement Support Worker for almost a year and every day I look forward to helping more people to regain and retain their independence.” 30 YourCumbria Helping people back to their feet P eople in South Lakeland who are recovering from injury or illness will get help regaining their independence thanks to a new service from Cumbria County Council. The county council’s Adult Social Care department has launched Reablement – a free scheme aimed at helping those who need assistance following disability, illness, injury or loss of their personal support network. Lasting for a short period of time – usually no longer than six weeks – Reablement will work with them and their carers to focus on their strengths and abilities and help build up their confidence in doing things for themselves including: • Getting up, washed and dressed • Preparing meals and snacks • Taking medication • Getting around in and out of the home • Doing household tasks such as shopping and laundry • Getting involved in social and leisure activities. The service is currently available to people in South Lakeland and will be available across the county in the coming months. People who are interested in the scheme should get in touch with their local Adult Social Care office and a member of the team will meet with them to discuss their situation. Cumbria County Council’s Adult Social Care department in Cumbria can be contacted at County Offices, Kendal, LA9 4RQ, telephone: 01539 713377 or email kendalssd@cumbria.gov.uk Becoming a Foundation Trust member couldn’t be simpler... Want to know what is going on in one of your local hospitals? Want to be consulted on our future plans? Sign up or find out more via our website, email or by calling us: Want to receive invites to special member events? www.uhmb.nhs.uk Become a Trust member 01539 716666 Members of our Trust are also eligible to sign up for www.nhsdiscounts.com FTmembershipOffice@mbht.nhs.uk Our hospitals are: Furness General Hospital in Barrow, Westmorland General Hospital in Kendal and the Royal Lancaster Infirmary. a brighter future Over 20 years’ experience of delivering degree level courses Realistic work environments such as the new Castle Dairy restaurant and gallery Stunning facilities including conference and seminar rooms Apprenticeship training in a wide range of vocational areas www.kendal.ac.uk 01539 814700 110929 - yourcumbria ad.indd 1 03/10/2011 11:35