Latest news with #CUMBERLANDCouncil
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Carlisle's Southern Link Road works ‘progressing well'
CUMBERLAND Council have thanked people for their support and patience while they complete works on Carlisle's Southern Link Road. They announced on social media today (Monday, May 19) that works at the Newby West Roundabout are 'on track' and 'progressing well'. Traffic has now been able to move onto the newly built section and pictures of the progress were shared on social media. Cumberland Council added: 'Our teams have been busy removing the old roundabout, the old signage and lighting in preparation for our earthworks contractor and drainage contractor to start in about a week.' READ MORE: Can you drive any car on comprehensive car insurance? Expert reveals all The Carlisle Southern Link Road will connect Junction 42 of the M6 with the A595 to the west. The route will include bridges over two main railway lines and the Caldew and Petteril rivers, as well as a network of footways and cycleways. Plans to build the five mile, multi-million-pound road were approved in 2020 but construction only began in 2023 due to delays caused by the rising cost of materials. You can keep an eye on the progress via the Carlisle Southern Link Road Facebook page here:
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cumberland Council spent over £15m on agency staff
CUMBERLAND Council spent more than £15 million on agency staff last year but the authority is taking steps to try and reduce that figure. The issue was raised during Tuesday's (April 29) meeting of the council, at the Civic Centre in Carlisle councillor Chris Wills (Upperby, Lib Dems) asked a question of one of the members of the executive. Cllr Wills asked: 'In 2024 Cumberland Council spent over £15 million on employing agency staff. 'Whilst much of this money was spent on ensuring essential services, expenditure of over one million pounds a month on agency staff is unsustainable for a local authority. 'Please can cllr Cannon, the portfolio holder for financial planning and assets, explain the plan for significantly reducing this level of spend?' Councillor Barbara Cannon (St Michaels, Labour) said it had been discussed within the authority 'for quite some time' and the use of agency staff sometimes covered roles which were traditionally hard to recruit. She said they used a range of measures including targeted media adverts as well as Google search adverts to recruit more staff. Cllr Cannon said that a number of newly qualified social workers had started at the council and agency use was also linked with sickness absence. She said there were regular meetings with HR staff and there were return to work interviews to try to ensure absences did not recur. She added: 'The aim is to minimise reliance on agency staff.'
