Latest news with #CumberlandCouncil
ITV News
10 hours ago
- Business
- ITV News
Carlisle's Sands Centre reopening delayed again
The reopening of the Sands Centre auditorium has been delayed until at least 2026 as the work to remove RAAC panels from the roof continues. Cumberland Council says the delay to the work is due to storm damage from earlier this year. The council had previously stated that work would be completed by spring 2025, but the events programme at the Sands Centre is now not expected to begin again until early 2026. Leader of Cumberland Council, Cllr Mark Fryer, said: 'Our project team and contractor have had to face several challenges, and the storm in January had a major impact on the completion of the necessary works. The team worked tirelessly to deal with the storm damage. 'The Sands is the region's premier venue, and the investment in the new roof and the works planned for the auditorium will ensure it is the venue of choice for our residents and wider audiences." Following the temporary closure of the auditorium last year, GLL, who manage the venue on the council's behalf, moved their classical concert programme to the sports hall within the Sands. A Cumberland Council statement said: "The temporary closure of the events space to allow the works to be undertaken does not impact on the day-to-day running of the main leisure centre. "The new main Sands Centre building's leisure provision is unaffected, which includes the pools, gym, studios and sports hall."
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
‘No Kremlin Plot', Councillor says after ‘human error' changes party affiliation
A LONG-serving councillor has confirmed he has not left the Labour party after his profile was changed to 'Independent' on the council website in a 'human error'. Cllr Bob Kelly, who represents Millom on Cumberland Council, said the change was made in error due to a council officer mistaking him for an Independent councillor whose first name is also Robert. Cumberland Council said it was a 'human error' and has apologised to Cllr Kelly for the confusion. A screenshot of the page was shared on social media at the weekend by the former Workington MP Mark Jenkinson, who wrote that 'another Labour councillor' had resigned the party whip 'as Keir Starmer's Labour government continues its attacks on the elderly, the vulnerable, and working people.' Councillor Bob Kelly was listed as an Independent on the Cumberland Council website in a 'human error' which led to speculation that he had left the Labour party (Image: Submitted) Cllr Kelly then responded on his social media page, saying: 'I have been informed that Mark Jenkinson - the former MP for Workington - has posted a photo of me claiming that I have resigned from the Labour Party. 'Given his history of Facebook contributions I shouldn't be surprised at him getting things wrong, but I can assure everyone, both friends and opponents that I have not done this and have no intentions of doing so. 'I do thank him, however, for giving me this opportunity to show how accurate his postings are and for raising my public profile.' Cllr Kelly told The Whitehaven News: 'I can confirm that I have not resigned from the Labour Party nor have ever considered doing so. 'I can confirm I have been a member of the Labour Party since the early 1980s, have held a number of party offices in different constituencies around the country, was a Copeland Councillor from 2015-19 and at no point have I ever been in doubt that the Labour Party with its history of transforming society for the better should be something I would wish to leave. 'The confusion was due to an officer mistaking me for an Independent councillor whose first name is also Robert – so no Kremlin Plot to destabilise Cumberland Council after all!' Mr Jenkinson said: 'No one claimed that Cllr Kelly had left the Labour Party, but reported his 'defection' to sit as an independent councillor, which was backed up by the change of party affiliation on the Cumberland Council website. 'On the software the council uses, that is not a mistake easily made accidentally. A thorough internal investigation will reveal all, no doubt. 'Had Cllr Kelly had the courage of his convictions, he would have been the fifth Cumberland Labour Party councillor to have done the right thing in the face of this Labour government's attacks on the elderly, the vulnerable and the workers of this country, all while those breaking the law are consistently rewarded. That Cllr Kelly continues to defend this government tells us all we need to know.' A Cumberland Council spokesperson said: 'Human error meant this information was recently changed on our website, and we are, of course, looking into exactly how that happened. The information was corrected as soon as we were aware of the mistake, and we apologise to Councillor Kelly for the confusion.'
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Lake District pub can serve alcohol until 2am despite residents' noise concerns
A LAKE District pub can serve alcohol until 2am, despite residents' concerns over noise from the venue, after the proposed variations to its licence were approved this week. Members of Cumberland Council's licensing sub-committee met at Allerdale House in Workington on Monday (June 2) to consider the application. Wolverhampton-based Marston's submitted the licensing application to make the changes at Oddfellows Arms in Main Street, Keswick. The proposed changes included: The sale of alcohol 2am with the opening hours running until 2.30am; To match permitted live music hours with sale of alcohol; The playing of recorded music and late-night refreshment within current licensed areas to be matched with the sale of alcohol. Speaking after the evidence had been considered committee chairman, councillor John Mallinson (Houghton and Irthington, Conservative), told representatives from Marston's they had considered it very carefully and added: 'And we have decided to grant your application for the following reasons. 'We felt that your presentation was well thought out, well presented, and thoroughly professional. 'We found the designated premises supervisor (DPS) to be experienced and a competent individual who we have confidence in this venture. 'The noise concerns that were raised as an issue, we find that the existing conditions for noise control would appear to be sufficient and working well, and therefore, we grant your application as applied for.' During the meeting Deborah Fletcher, a council specialist in licensing and compliance, told members that an additional condition relating to a risk assessment on whether to deploy security on Friday and Saturday evenings had been agreed. Relating to the separate condition the report states: 'The DPS will complete a risk assessment to deploy security on Friday and Saturday evenings or when there is a specific event in the town that would impact the expected customer base, for example, bank holiday weekends, annual events or events that would increase footfall within the town and nighttime economy. 'This risk assessment should be retained on site and available for review by responsible authorities on request.' A Marston's spokesman told members that the permitted hours were currently 10am to 1.30am and the extra time would allow at a 'staggered' dispersal of customers. He said that Marston's was a national pub operator and the DPS also ran two other establishments in the Lake District town – The Twa Dogs and The George – and he had more than 22 years of experience in the industry. Members were told that there were no complaints from neither the police nor environmental health and the residents who had complained had not bothered to turn up for the hearing.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Solar panels 'to cut leisure centre running costs'
Solar panels have been installed on a leisure centre as part of efforts to reduce costs and protect the environment. Workington Leisure Centre in Cumbria has been fitted with 160kW panels, which will provide about 20% of the site's electricity demand. The installation is expected to save money on running costs and generate income by exporting electricity back into the National Grid during periods of low consumption. Cumberland Council's executive member for vibrant and healthy places, Anne Quilter, said the solar panels were one way the council was working to "build a greener, more sustainable future for [its] communities". She said their installation also aligned with the Labour-led local authority's "commitment to tackling the climate emergency and building environmental resilience" across the region. The solar panels were paid for using capital grant funding from the Sport England Swimming Pool Support Fund, which also helped to pay for panels at The Sands Centre in Carlisle. Tom Rice, partnership manager at Greenwich Leisure Limited, which runs the centre, said: "One of our key priorities is to futureproof leisure facilities across [the area] and champion environmental resilience." He said the cost savings made from selling electricity back to the grid would be reinvested back into the leisure centre. Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. £2.5m work to replace events space roof to begin Crane brought in to remove Raac from venue's roof Cumberland Council
BBC News
2 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Workington Leisure Centre solar panels 'to cut running costs'
Solar panels have been installed on a leisure centre as part of efforts to reduce costs and protect the Leisure Centre in Cumbria has been fitted with 160kW panels, which will provide about 20% of the site's electricity installation is expected to save money on running costs and generate income by exporting electricity back into the National Grid during periods of low Council's executive member for vibrant and healthy places, Anne Quilter, said the solar panels were one way the council was working to "build a greener, more sustainable future for [its] communities". She said their installation also aligned with the Labour-led local authority's "commitment to tackling the climate emergency and building environmental resilience" across the solar panels were paid for using capital grant funding from the Sport England Swimming Pool Support Fund, which also helped to pay for panels at The Sands Centre in Carlisle. Tom Rice, partnership manager at Greenwich Leisure Limited, which runs the centre, said: "One of our key priorities is to futureproof leisure facilities across [the area] and champion environmental resilience."He said the cost savings made from selling electricity back to the grid would be reinvested back into the leisure centre. Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
