27/9/2023.. Despite strong opposition Cumberland Council has approved block
of flats on land below Harris Park. As is often the case, consultation is an
empty phrase.
Protest march planned , see full details.
What
is planned can be viewed here..
May 4 2023: Labour now have a 3 seat majority on the Town Council (9 out of
12 seats) - All Saints ward; Isabel Burns, Chris Bridgman Jim Samson.
Christchurch ward; Helen Tucker Julie Laidlow.
Fitz ward: Gillian Telford. Double Mills ward:Marion Mowman. South Lodge ward:Howard
Beanland, Richard Watson.
After the needless costly pipeline from Thirlmere was completed United Utility and its shareholders want to drop Crummock and Ennerdale Water as reservoirs..what will they do to our lakes? Report on 'consultations'...
The government's plans for local government reorganisation will be complete
in Cumbria by 2023, with two new unitary authorities having the decision-making
powers of the existing county and borough councils. Carlisle, Allerdale
and Copeland will make up the new Cumberland Council, with Eden, South
Lakeland and Barrow-in-Furness forming the new Westmorland and Furness
Council.
Labour chalked up a historic victory in the May election for a new Cumberland
Unitary Authority Council. Of the 46 seats, Labour won 30, with the Tories
bagging only 7, a crushing defeat. Workington constituency member Mark
Fryer, elected in St John's and Great Clifton ward, is the new leader
of the Council, with Lisa Brown (Carlisle's Currock ward) and Emma Williamson
(Whitehaven's Kells and Sandwith ward) as deputy leaders. The 10 person
executive group has a majority of women members. The Council, currently
meeting as a Shadow authority, takes power from the Borough and County
Councils next April. The new councillors' contact details are on the Cumberland
Council website www.cumberland.gov.uk
Allerdale had been "suggested" by private groups as future underground
nuclear waste dump. Carlisle based developers GenR8 North have put forwards
the use of land under Allerdale for a possible dump, which will have to house
nuclear waste for 100,000 years. FT
news.
In 2023 some officials stated that Allerdale had now been ruled out as an option.
Copeland remains a likely candidate. The quango pushing the matter.... Allerdale
Working Group
Read about the dump project here and see former County Councillor Martin's guidance here.
Cockermouth Hospital Hospital website...
And are lockdowns a win-win option?...personal
opinion piece on the issue.
In 2023 Marstons closed operations at the Jennings Brewery and placed the site
for sale on the open market.
23/5/2020 Marstons (owners of Jennings) agreed a deal with Carlsberg that was
welcome news for shareholders as Marston had run up over £1 billion debt before
the Virus also hit trading. Shares in Marstons rose 40% on the news. But the
new company (60% owned by Carlsberg) says it will focus on its pub estate and
plans cost savings of £24 M from the merger.
The town has been spared (7/1/2020) an out of town centre B&M Mega
store. A government inspector has endorsed the views of Allerdale councillors
who refused planning permission for the giant B&M store opposite the
Fitz.
Allerdale councillors had last year over ruled their own planning officers
and voted 7-4 to refuse permission for a B&M superstore in Low Road.
But the applicants had appealed against the council for a final ruling.
Not only was the appeal rejected (September 2019) and all the costs claimed
by the applicant will have to be paid by the applicants , not Allerdale.
For some reason the planning officers had recommended ignoring the council's
own policy local plan documents: namely that the land is not zoned for
retail; the land is in high risk flood risk Zone 2; the threat to the
Heritage of the Fitz and that the council should protect the future of
town centre shops.
The Town Council, Civic Trust and Chamber of Trade and Allerdale ward
councillor Joan Ellis had all opposed the plans.
The Tourist Information Centre is now located in the Library Community Hub: Telephone 01900 822634.
Video Tour of Cockermouth
A short video tour of the town and its setting.
Cockermouth Video from 1960s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-80A4kdABo
Can you guess where this is in Cockermouth....answer at foot of the page..
Cockermouth residents voted overall in favour of Brexit and departure from the EU. The votes were 50-50 between Remain and Leave in all wards except Highfield, where the voters were around 75% for Brexit. London and Scotland voted to Remain in the EU. The British pound fell 11% against the US dollar after the UK vote. The pound recovered some ground when a partial "deal" led to UK departure from EU in 2021.
A great new tourist attraction has landed just five miles from Cockermouth.
The former Bassenthwaite Lake Station has lain derelict since the closure
of the Cockermouth, Keswick and Penrith Railway in April 1966. Now a developer
has opened a cafe and restored the old station buildings. And the icing
on the cake is a giant steam engine and Orient Express style carriages...The
giant engine is a full size replica of an SNCF Class 241.
It was in 1939 that the Rotary Club of Cockermouth started giving 'service above self'.
Answer: Wellington Farm..great teas and llamas ...