Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)

Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)

On 01 April 2023, significant structural changes were made to local authorities in Cumbria, where all six district and county level authorities were replaced by two new unitary authorities.

Cumberland Council’s operating area replaces the legacy Allerdale, Carlisle and Copeland councils, and the new council area borders Cumbria’s other unitary authority (Westmorland & Furness Council), as well as Scotland and Northumberland. 

This is the biggest change affecting local government services in Cumbria; the impact of change to date has led to significant challenges in maintaining the delivery of essential frontline support services and moving forward with alignment, reshape and harmonisation of all council services. 

One of the key benefits of bringing council functions together following LGR is that it provides an opportunity for stronger, joined-up services between Housing, Children’s Services and Adult Social Care. Links have developed and strengthened since the inception of Cumberland Council, especially in the allocation of supported living accommodation. Previously allocations were made by one authority but not integrated with statutory functions delivered by the district councils.  

The geographical area of Cumberland Council and its 14 key services include:

  • Aspatria
  • Brampton
  • Carlisle
  • Cleator Moor
  • Cockermouth
  • Dalston
  • Egremont
  • Keswick
  • Longtown
  • Maryport
  • Millom
  • Silloth
  • Whitehaven
  • Wigton
  • Workington

To align with the new Cumberland Council Local Plan, each housing study reported the data at sub-area level. There are a total of eight sub-areas, two of which cover the Lake District National Park (LDNP). Information is also reported down to parish level.

The sub-areas across Cumberland are:

  • Carlisle City
  • Lakeland Fringe
  • LDNP - North Lakes (West)
  • LDNP - West Lakes
  • Millom
  • Rural Carlisle
  • Solway Coast to Lakes
  • West Cumbria
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Aligning our approach

Aligning our approach

This is not a stand-alone housing strategy, and it is important to acknowledge that success depends on effective collaboration across the council, our partners and people who live in Cumberland.

This is a key strategy which has been designed to be aligned with other key strategy documents that are focused on improving health and wellbeing and addressing inequalities, in particular:

  • Cumberland Council Plan 2023 to 2027
  • Adult Social Care and Housing Vision
  • Homelessness Prevention and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2025 to 2030
  • Home Adaptations and Assistance Policy 2025
  • Cumbria Economic Strategy 2025 to 2045
  • Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2023 to 2028

And will influence the development or review of:

  • Cumberland Local Plan
  • Affordable Housing Policy and partnerships
  • Cumbria Choice Allocations Policy
  • Private sector enforcement policy
  • Supported Accommodation Strategy
  • Empty Homes Plan
  • Accessibility Strategy
  • Tenancy Strategy
  • Sustainable Warmth and meeting Net Zero Targets
  • Cumberland Care Review 2025
  • Equality Objectives 2024 to 2028
  • Community Engagement Framework
  • Applying Corporate parenting principles
  • Joint working protocol between ASCH and children's services
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Cumberland Context

Cumberland Context

The Housing Strategy 2025 to 2039 puts health and well-being at its centre and outlines the key priorities needed to ensure that there are fewer households in fuel poverty and more affordable and suitable homes available.

This strategy is aligned to the aim of Cumberland Council's Plan 2023 to 2027:

"Our aim is to improve the health and wellbeing of our residents. It is at the heart of everything that we do. We want them to be happy, healthy and safe throughout their lives. We will promote independence but also make sure we provide help early when needed. When people are vulnerable, our services will support them to live well."

The Cumberland Plan sets out the council’s values that are embedded in everything that we do. These values cut across all aspects of Adult Social Care and Housing work, both collectively as services and through individual staff behaviours. We are:

  • compassionate
  • innovative
  • empowering
  • ambitious
  • collaborative

The Cumberland Plan aim is improving health and wellbeing.

The key areas of work are:

  • addressing inequalities
  • local economies that work for local people
  • environmental resilience and climate emergency
  • delivering excellent public services

The Cumberland approach to service delivery include:

  • listening, involving and engaging
  • learning and improving
  • sustainabilitity
  • driving change
  • local first
  • leadership
  • collaborative working
  • prevention and early intervention
  • accessible and trusted services

All these priorities interlink and reinforce each other to improve the opportunities, wellbeing, and quality of life of our communities from tackling inequality to making best use of the council’s resources.

By aligning the Housing Strategy with the Cumberland Plan we aim to support residents in our communities by making housing accessible and providing housing that they can aspire to live in.

Housing is part of the Adult Social Care and Housing Directorate, our Directorate Vision, aligned to the Cumberland Plan is:

“People live fulfilled, healthy, independent lives in the place that they call home”

The vision for Adult Social Care and Housing is that we provide excellent care and support and create homes where people feel they truly belong. We support people to live fulfilled, healthy, and independent lives by focusing on what matters most to them and their wellbeing. By listening to people, offering real choice, and embracing new ideas, we will create housing and support that meets people’s needs and ensures everyone has a place that they are happy to call home.

The vision is underpinned by five priorities:

  • excellence in practice
  • valuing our skilled workforce
  • empowered voices, empowered choices
  • right support, right time, right place
  • innovating for our communities

We know the challenges and issues that are faced in Cumberland, and we can only address these through collaboration with our partners and our communities. Our aim is to create strong relationships with others to enable us to deliver on our priorities.

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Consultation and engagement

Consultation and engagement

Consultation and engagement encourage better decision making and problem-solving as well as providing an opportunity to hear new ideas and different voices. The Community Engagement Framework includes four principles of engagement, namely that it should be:

  • inclusive
  • co-ordinated
  • collaborative
  • meaningful

The relevance and success of this strategy involves a wide range of key stakeholders across Cumberland Council’s local communities, and there has been a series of engagement and consultation activities over several months. Consultation began during the development of the housing studies when consultants met with several community panels and presented a mid-point review of emerging findings to key stakeholders.

Consultation on the draft priorities in this Housing Strategy has been undertaken through a range of methods, and amendments have been made as feedback has been received: 

  • staff engagement events
  • directorate team, portfolio holders, and housing lead officers briefing sessions
  • stakeholder engagement event, including developers, registered providers, government funders, neighbouring councils, Lake District National Park, NHS
  • formal stakeholder consultation
  • public consultation (online survey)
  • Cumberland Council elected members
  • community panels
  • members of the Cumbria Housing Supply Group
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