Hensingham residents to find out how Together We Can

Residents in Hensingham have taken control of their neighbourhood in a week-long event called Together We Can.

Local people told representatives from organisations including county and district councils, the police and fire and rescue service about the issues that could improve their quality of life and the local environment.

A team of canvassers went going door-to-door to ask residents about what changes they want to make that will help spruce up their neighbourhoods, from removing graffiti to fixing streetlights to giving road signs a good spring clean. 

The five day event saw a raft of community improvements from Cumbria County Council, Copeland Borough Council, Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service, Cumbria Constabulary, Copeland Homes, South Whitehaven Neighbourhood Management and other community and voluntary organisations work together to make a visible difference in the area.

Officers from the county council's highways team were on hand to hear local views on traffic and road safety, whilst county and district councillors went on a 'ward walk' around the area, seeking residents' views on improving the local area. 

Cumbria County Councillor Oliver Pearson, Cabinet member for Communities, said: "We work with local residents all through the year to improve communities across the county, but Together We Can events give us the opportunity to focus intensively on specific neighbourhoods.”

In October last year residents in Cleator Moor were given the power to change their community for the better with their own Together We Can event.

The event was a huge success and after speaking to local people after the event the percentage who felt they could influence decision making in their local area jumped from nine per cent to 20 per cent and there was a 13 per cent drop in the number of people who were dissatisfied with Cleator Moor as a place to live.

Together We Can has shown it can have a very positive impact on the opportunities that people have to influence local decision making.

If you would like to find out more about Together We Can, or any of Cumbria County Council's work to support communities in Copeland, contact the Copeland Area Support Team.