A consultation on changing the date of some parish council elections in Cumberland – so they can be aligned with others in the area - has been launched.
The proposal is to amend the dates of scheduled elections for some parish councils in the former Carlisle City Council district, so they align with Cumberland Council and all other town/parish elections in the area which are to be held in 2027, and four-yearly thereafter
Seven parish councils would be affected, with one election for Dalston Parish Council, pushed back by one year from 2026 to 2027, and six others brought forward by one year from 2028 to 2027. Those affected councils are:
- Brampton Parish Council
- Carlatton and Cumrew Parish Council
- Castle Carrock Parish Council
- Cumwhitton Parish Council
- Hayton Parish Council
- Wetheral Parish Council
The alignment of scheduled parish and town council elections is being proposed as holding combined elections minimises the cost not only to the relevant parish/town councils but also to Cumberland Council who administer local elections.
Parish/town councils are required to cover the costs of their elections, and if these are not combined with the upper tier authority elections these are considerably more expensive.
The move would also reduce confusion and uncertainty for electors by holding elections on the same day instead of in separate years.
The consultation is open to anyone and runs until Monday 8 September 2025.
Agreement to launch a community governance review was made by members of Cumberland Council at a meeting on July 8.
To have your say on the proposals, go to consult.cumberland.gov.uk/community-governance-review