Community Unit Briefing

test available features

Community Unit web developments

Find your nearest local service points in Cumbria using the community web site. This new facility is being tested to see how useful geographically organised information about services is for Cumbria's web users. Try it out below.

Multimap trial site

A new grants web portal is available from this website. The Open 4 Funding site is being trialled alongside the existing Grants 4 Cumbria portal.  Feedback on either or both sites gratefully received. To access the sites, click on 'Grants and Funding' left.

The Cumbria Association of Local Councils (CALC) has a new website.  As well as the facility to maintain their own online Parish noticeboards, a new section has been created for Parish Clerks to advertise job vacancies.

CALC website

Another development is the community events site. Any organisation or individual can advertise a local event simply by logging the details including time, place, on our site. The site already contains details of neighbourhood forums, Cabinet and other council meetings open to the public. Follow the link below.

Community Events Diary

Cumbria Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund  - The Fourth objective of the ASLF- compensating local communities for the impacts of aggregates extraction -  is administered locally by the Council's Environment Unit and Cumbria Waste Management. Discussions are underway to secure better community voice (including local member/ASM/NDO) in use of this pot. Details likely to be agreed within next month. 

Building active communities  - a public view

A Cumbria Voice panel survey suggests a significant improvement in resident satisfaction about their opportunities to express views on public services and community needs. As a result the County Council will secure part of the LPSA reward grant for 'building active communities'. 

Cumbria Voice report

Building active communities - evidence beyond files and spreadsheets 

Lesely Graham and Sally Orrell are working on the production of DVD based evidence to complement information in the Local Matters framework. This aims to show not just what we do in organising local engagement but also how we do this. 

Local Matters website

December 2005

Kendal Public Transport Review

Extensive consultation involving Public Transport and Communications Units has been undertaken in Kendal aimed at securing public transport in the town, following Stagecoach’s decision to quit. A range of techniques have been used including public meetings, surveys, e-discussion and on street consultation.   The results of this consultation were reported to South Lakeland Local Committee on 12 December.

South Lakeland Local Committee reports 12/12/05

Local Public Service Agreement (LPSA) target – public perception

A Cumbria Voice panel survey suggests a significant improvement in resident satisfaction about their opportunities to express views on public services and community needs.   As a result the County Council will secure part of the LPSA reward grant for ‘building active communities’.

Cumbria Voice report

Civic pioneers

The Home Office have reviewed the Council’s community engagement work, and invited it to become a member of the national Civic Pioneer Network – the first county council to be invited. A civic pioneer is in essence an authority committed to the ethos of community engagement, regarding participatory democracy not as a threat to or substitute for, but a vital complement to representative democracy.  The concept of Civic pioneers was developed by the Home Office, LGA and SOLACE to promote examples of civil renewal.   To be recognised as a civic pioneer, a local authority need not take on new responsibilities.

Home Office Civic Pioneers website

Foot & Mouth 

Following the research report to Cabinet in November, arrangements are being finalised for a Cumbria Strategic partnership event to determine follow up actions for issues raised in the report.

Neighbourhood policing initiative

Discussions are underway with Cumbria Police concerning ways in which the Community Unit can support delivery of the Home Office’s national strategy for neighbourhood policing, building on collaboration with the ‘Building Active Communities’(LPSA) work. Work is likely to commence within Central Barrow and a west Cumbria neighbourhood before more widespread deployment.