Cumbria County Council is continuing to provide core services with a skeleton staff wherever possible during today's strike action over local government pensions.
The council’s administrative centres are open and functioning and the main service impact is in schools where 55 are closed or partially closed. School meals are being provided, albeit in some cases in different ways. School transport is unlikely to be significantly affected.
Approximately three quarters of libraries and two archives offices are closed.
Fire and Public Protection Services are functioning normally, except for Trading Standards where the main headquarters in Kendal are closed but four area offices are functioning with skeleton staff.
The main social care offices are open and cover is being provided for elderly people including residential homes where GMB have granted exemptions to staff. Children’s Social Care Services are being provided, again on the basis of emergency cover for all vulnerable sites. Cumbria Care is providing normal service, following some adjustments –residential centres are open but day care centres are closed.
The council is monitoring carefully the provision of out of hours care following the late refusal by UNISON to exempt key social care staff, particularly out of hours services.
Amey is continuing to provide highways services and core services are being provided by Client Services in premises and cleaning.
Overall the County Council is continuing to function on a skeleton staff basis with resources deployed to key frontline services. We continue to monitor the situation as the day progresses and will advise if anything changes.