cockermouth logo
Cockermouth Town Council

Cockermouth Town Council was formed in 1973 as the successor authority to the former Cockermouth Urban District Council which disbanded following Local Government re-organisation on 1st April 1974.

The Town of Cockermouth is split into two wards and each ward, All Saints Ward and Christchurch Ward, has six elected members representing it. Elections for the Council are normally held every four years and all members retire at the same time. The Mayor is known as a Town Mayor and is chosen each year by the 12 Council members at the Annual Meeting of the Council which is held in May. The Council regularly meets each month and meetings are held in the Council Chamber at the Town Hall in Market Street, normally in the evenings commencing at 7 pm. Dates of meetings

The Council is responsible for the following:

  • Allotments - it manages and lets 55 allotments in town;

  • The Tourist Information Centre, which receives approximately 40-50,000 visitors each year, and is situated in the Town Hall, offering a full range of services for both tourists and locals alike.

  • A War Memorial on Station Road (and the Council organises the Annual Remembrance Service in November).

  • A monument on Main Street called the Mayo Monument which commemorates a former Member of Parliament for the Town, and who was once a Viceroy of India.

  • The Memorial Gardens, which are well maintained grounds with riverside walks, and a modern and safe children’s play area on the banks of the River Cocker, that stretch from Gote Bridge and up past the 11th century Castle.

  • A very active twinning arrangement - and in this respect the Town has been twinned with the town of Marvejols in southern France since 1983, and in the year 2000 was awarded the top accolade by the Council of Europe, in that together with Marvejols it was jointly awarded the Europe Prize.

  • An annual Summer Festival, for which the Council is responsible for the co-ordination for publicity purposes of the numerous events held in June & July, as well as arranging a good number of events itself in conjunction with Solway Arts and the Kirkgate Centre.

  • An annual Firework Display which is held on the Sunday nearest to the 5th November.

  • A public hall available for letting and known as Victoria Hall, which was formerly a Chapel where John Wesley was reputed to have preached.

  • The Christmas Illuminations in town, which are reputedly one of the best displays in England, and which run from the last week in November through to the 5th January.

  • A running track with football pitch at Tarn Close, which is now run by the Town Council following an approach by a local sports association.

  • A Town Hall which was purchased from Allerdale Borough Council in the year 2003, and is in the course of renovation.

  • Certain fishing rights on town waters on the Rivers Derwent and Cocker, with permits to fish available from the Tourist Information Centre.

  • The Council is also represented annually in Cockermouth Carnival with a float

  • It is the owner of the Youth Hostel in town, which is leased to the Youth Hostels Association.

  • The Council also provides hanging baskets and tubs to compliment others provided by Allerdale Borough Council, and annually plants thousands of daffodil bulbs to commemorate the poet William Wordsworth being born in town.

As well as the services it operates, the Council is also consulted by Allerdale Borough Council on all planning applications for development in town and always sends its replies for or against on all applications. It is also consulted upon numerous matters by the County Council and other public and private bodies and, via the Town Clerk, sends and receives numerous correspondence on all matters of public interest.

The Council, in 2004/05 had a gross budget of £199 K which is set off by income of £60.5 K resulting in a Precept of £138.5 K being made on Allerdale Borough Council for Town Council purposes. If any member of the public wants to contact the Town Council this should be done by writing to the Town Clerk, Cockermouth Town Council, Town Hall, Cockermouth, Cumbria CA13 9NP.
E-Mail cockermouth-tc@co-net.com . Fax 01900 825144.

Information on the town and the surrounding area can also be obtained from Cockermouth Tourist Information Centre, Town Hall, Cockermouth, Cumbria CA13 9NP, Telephone 01900 822634, Fax 01900 822603.
E-Mail cockermouthtic@co-net.com .