Welcome to YourCumbria magazine

This is a very important issue of YourCumbria because inside we are explaining just how your county council will be prioritising its resources in the year ahead. 

In the face of the global credit crunch, it will come as no surprise that the county council wants to do all it can to help those who are falling into the poverty trap as times get harder. Tackling poverty is a big theme through all our plans this year. 

Cumbria can often seem a prosperous place – but there is real hardship right on our doorstep. Poverty hits communities in many ways – debt and financial difficulties are just the tip of the iceberg. Below the surface lie difficult issues like low aspiration, poor educational attainment, crime and anti-social behaviour. 

Perhaps most striking of all is the health inequality which means that people in some parts of our county can expect to live 20 years longer than those in other parts. 

We work very closely with our partners in the health service to try to address some of these issues. That’s why I am pleased to see that the Primary Care Trust have joined us in this edition of YourCumbria to explain the work that they are doing. 

This is a real sign of the ways that organisations across the county are working together to make your Cumbria a better place to live. I hope you enjoy the magazine.

Stewart Young
Leader Cumbria County Council