The County Council has signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the NDA, Copeland and Allerdale Borough Councils, the North West Regional Development Agency and Government (through the Government Office in the North West) to work together to manage the changes in the interests of west Cumbria. At the heart of the Agreement, is the West Cumbria Strategic Forum, created by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to 'ensure the region's long-term socio-economic welfare in the light of the new decommissioning focus at Sellafield'. The Forum's Terms of Reference can be found embedded in the Memorandum of Agreement, as Appendix 4.
We have also set up a Nuclear Issues Working Group (NIWG) to monitor all aspects of the nuclear issues agenda. The NIWG is a special cross-party sub-group of Councillors, which considers issues across the nuclear agenda and makes informed recommendations to Cabinet and Council.
All the organisations involved in Cumbria work together on these issues and a West Cumbria Officers Nuclear Issues Overview Network (WC ONION) has been formed to ensure effective communication and efficient information sharing.