Changes to the size, boundaries and electoral arrangements of Penrith Town Council are set to be approved next week as Westmorland and Furness Council concludes its Community Governance Review.
The review, launched last year, examined whether parish council boundaries and governance arrangements across the area continue to reflect local communities and provide effective local representation. Final recommendations will go before Westmorland and Furness councillors on Thursday.
For Penrith, the review recommends increasing the number of town councillors from 15 to 17, with councillor numbers rebalanced across the town's six existing wards to reflect changes in the electorate. Under the proposals, North Ward will be represented by five councillors, Carleton, East and West wards by three councillors each, South Ward by two councillors and Pategill by one councillor.
The review also considered more far-reaching changes to how Penrith is governed.
Among the suggestions put forward during the consultation was a proposal to replace Penrith Town Council with six separate parish councils, each covering one of the existing wards. Officers rejected the idea, concluding there was insufficient evidence that breaking up the town council would better reflect community identities or provide more effective local governance.
Another proposal suggested renaming Penrith's six town council wards to avoid confusion with the similarly named Westmorland and Furness Council electoral divisions. Alternative names were put forward during the consultation, including Beacon, Castletown, Scaws and Wetheriggs.
However, Penrith Town Council argued the existing ward names are well established and officers agreed the proposed replacements would not better represent the communities they cover. The review therefore recommends retaining the current ward names.
A proposal put forward by Evolve Penrith to change boundary of Penrith Town Council to unify the village of Eamont Bridge is also recommended by the review for approval.
The review will recommend councillors approve the part of Eamont Bridge north of the river Eamont currently within Penrith Town Council boundary is transfer to Yanwath and Eamont Bridge Parish Council, bringing the whole of Eamont Bridge into a single parish for the first time in more than 160 years. The change affects a small number of properties between the River Eamont and the new A66 route west of the A6 with the A66 forming the new parish boundary between Penrith and Eamont Bridge.
The change will see the properties currently subject to the town council precept on the council tax significantly reduced from 2027 as become subject to the Yanwath and Eamont precept following the changes that will be implemented through the Community Governance Order at the May 2027 parish elections.
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