Cumbria County Council is to invest some £2m over the next year to modernise the way its services are delivered.

It is expected that this investment could bring about a ten-fold increase of money to put the Council on a much stronger financial footing and improve the quality of services provided for the people of the county.

The Council is embarking on an ambitious four-year programme following the review of how best to deliver the many services it provides from Education to Social Services, from Highways to Libraries as well as the Council's own businesses such as the Port of Workington, Cumbria Outdoors, Talkin Tarn, Eskdale Mill and Birdoswald.

A wide range of options has been considered, including working with other public sectors agencies and drawing on the private sector expertise.

Over the last couple of months PricewaterhouseCoopers have provided top quality consultancy advice to help the council decide on the way forward.

Council Leader, Rex Toft, explains: "We are already gaining substantial benefits from involving private sector expertise to help us make decisions on the way forward.

"We have already seen substantial improvements in the way Cumbria Contract Services are being managed and the expected savings will cover the cost of employing the consultants."

Rex Toft is convinced the investment needed to drive the programme forward will be well worth it.

"We need to bring in expertise and spend money on deciding how we tackle the information communications technology agenda," he added.

"What businesses within the County Council should we pass on to the private sector while still retaining an overall quality standard?

"In some areas we want to work in partnership with other public sector agencies. A prime example would be the Port of Workington, where we want to secure its strategic role in the County and work with Allerdale and Copeland District Councils."

In recent months the Council has invested around £720,000 to improve the infrastructure of the Port of Workington - at the same time hoping to encourage new business through the dock gates.

It is ideally situated for good road and rail links to other parts of the North West and beyond.

The Council would prefer it to stay in public sector ownership.

Mike Ash, Deputy Leader of the County Council, explains: "The Port of Workington is an excellent example of how we can invest now to bring long-term savings and increase the range of work that is undertaken.

"The Port has an excellent reputation and a determined workforce.

"We think that by working, with Allerdale and Copeland District Councils, we will produce a bright future that can help support economic regeneration in West Cumbria.

"But that's only one way forward. Other services such as libraries will remain with the County Council.

"There is not a single blueprint for everything we are doing."

It is hoped that investing in service reforms now will ensure that the County Council is a better position to cope with increases in service demand, any changes that may happen through Central Government grant funding and ensure the services provided by the Council are what the people of Cumbria need, are accessible and are at a price they can afford.

Over the next few months the County Council is consulting on its budget and how these many changes will affect Council Tax levels in the year beginning April 2003.

Inside Cumbria County Council News, on pages four and five you will find details of how you can let the Council know what you think and get involved in this very important debate.