Cumbria Combined Authority (CCA) has agreed to offer more than £4million of funding to help deliver the organisation of the Tour de France next year.
Members of the newly formed mayoral authority held its first annual general meeting (AGM) at the Eden Rural Enterprise Centre near Penrith on Friday (May 29) to consider the recommendation which will hopefully bring a spend into the county from visitors of just under £50million which was considered to be a ‘very good investment’.
Members were told that funding would be split between Cumberland and Westmorland & Furness Councils and the combined authority would agree to underwrite it through its revenue investment fund.
The officer said the recommended total fund was £4,045,813 and that an outline business case was expected in July. He added that costs remained uncertain and it was also proposed to earmark up to a further £100,000 of revenue investment funds if they proved to be higher than expected.
Authority chairman councillor Mark Fryer (St Johns and Great Clifton, Labour) said: “What a great opportunity for our community and our county.” And councillor Andrew Jarvis (Windermere and Ambleside, Lib Dems) said it was a ‘remarkable event’.
Councillor Lisa Hinton (Currock, Labour) added: “Even if you are not a cycling fan it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.” Cllr Fryer proposed that they agreed the recommendations and the members agreed.
According to the report the Tour de France Grand Départ, and stages one and two, will take place in Cumbria in July 2027
It states: “A number of costs requested by the councils also fall within the remit of what a highways authority, which both councils are, would be expected to fund through its normal activities.
“It is accepted that the additional activities from the Tour de France may place a greater pressure on those highways budgets than is currently anticipated by CCA Officers.
“Should that be the case then it is recommended that the CCA offer to forward fund any such costs incurred in 2026-27 by increasing the 2026-27 element of the Transport Revenue Grant approved by the Board at its last meeting with a similar reduction to the level of the Transport Revenue Grant provided by the CCA in 2027-28.”
According to the report hosting the Tour de France 2027 represents a key opportunity to realise policy aspirations in Cumbria.
It adds: “In 2027, the Tour de France returns to the UK for the first time since 2014. This represents the largest international sporting event to take place in the UK since the 2012 Olympics.
“The race will be held in three stages, starting in Edinburgh and ending in London. Cumbria has a pivotal role to play, providing the finish for Stage 1 in Carlisle on July 2 and the start of Stage 2 in Keswick on July 3 before travelling on to Liverpool.”
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