Town Council to consider motion to put Penrith back into Cumberland.

An Extraordinary meeting of Penrith Town Council has been called by two Penrith Town councillors to consider a motion to request that a Community Governance Review be carried out by the new Westmorland and Furness Council using powers under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, to consider the transferring the parish of Penrith to different upper-tier authority of Cumberland Council.

Penrith along with the rest of Eden has been placed in the new Westmorland and Furness Council district under the local government reorganisation that will see the biggest change to local government in Cumbria since 1974 when Penrith was then in Cumberland along with other parish areas north of the River Eamont.

The council will consider the motion proposed by Councillor Jonathan Davies and Seconded by Councillor Margaret Clark at an extra ordinary meeting called for by the two councillors on Monday the 13th of March.

The motion says “The local government reorganisation taking place in Cumbria has caused many to feel they have no connection with the new Westmorland and Furness Council Penrith now finds itself part of.

With the loss of Eden as a geographical identity and Cumbria relegated to ceremonial place by name only. Penrith finds its self-adrift with no historical identity it can connect to.

Placing Penrith back into the newly created District and County of Cumberland will give Penrith a sense of place I has historical links with and with the proposed parliamentary boundary changes set to take place mean Penrith is in the same local government area as the rest of the proposed constituency area.”

“Penrith has natural connect with neighbouring areas in Cumberland Carlisle Wigton Keswick and natural links with the M6, A66 and West coast mainline.

Many people travel for work and education between Carlisle and Penrith daily.

Penrith as is much of the North of the Westmorland and Furness council area disconnected by the Fells from the south of the new council and has little natural links with Kendal and Barrow to the south who see themselves as naturally drawn to Lancashire and the Bay area than they do Penrith and the North areas of the new Westmorland and Furness county area.”

The two town councillors have used provision in the councils standing orders to call for the extra ordinary meeting to consider the motion that will if approved see Westmorland and Furness asked to conduct a community governance review that will give members of the public in Penrith the opportunity for the first time to have a say on what council Penrith is covered by and what part of the county the town is placed in through a public consultation process as part of a community governance review.

The meeting of Penrith Town Council that will take place on Monday the 13th of March starting at 17:15 held Unit 2, Church House, Friargate, Penrith.

The full motion due to be considered by Penrith Town Council members can be viewed at https://goto.penrith.town/Penrith-Community-Governance-Review-Motion

What’s your thoughts is a community governance review a good idea?