Chief Executive Recruitment

Westmorland and Furness Council

About the Council

Our Stats

Further Reading

About the Westmorland and Furness Council

Last year the Government made the decision to create two brand new councils for Cumbria – Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council. Westmorland and Furness Council will comprise of the area covered by Barrow-in-Furness, Eden and South Lakeland districts.

Key to this decision was the business case that committed us to:

  • Put our customers and communities first, to be at the very heart of everything we do.
  • Delivering better outcomes for our customers and communities, enhancing their life opportunities.
  • Deliver excellent services and undertake transformation and change that will ensure services are better and more cost-effective in the future.
  • Create organisations that are flexible and agile and enable us to respond to change and be more adaptable to our customer needs in the future.
  • Create opportunities for our staff.
  • Work in partnership to deliver better outcomes for all.
  • Create more financially balanced and sustainable Council.

The role of the new council is to create the conditions for Cumbria’s diverse people and places to thrive. Delivering lasting transformation that improves lives, and in that we have a proven and proud track record of achievement.

We will only be able to do this through strong and effective leadership, working closely with partners and communities.

We now have a unique, once-in-a-generation opportunity, to shape public services for the better – building on the best and transforming services for the future.

Crucially our future will be shaped by our staff, members, communities and partners – together we will make the two new councils a great success.

We want to:

  • Look positively to the future and build on the best.
  • Feel confident about the future.
  • Embrace and understand that this change presents real opportunities.

**Cumbria County Council is the Fire and Rescue Authority (FRA) for Cumbria. As a result of LGR, changes will need to be made to the governance arrangements for Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service. Options are being assessed.**

Leader’s key messages

  • We will ensure that our customers and our communities are at the heart of everything we do.
  • We will design services around our communities’ needs.
  • This is an opportunity to undertake transformation and change to ensure our services are more joined-up and efficient.
  • We aim to deliver better outcomes for our customers and communities, enhancing their life opportunities, through a progressive and inclusive policy agenda.
  • Westmorland and Furness Council is one of the largest Unitaries in the country – based on its size/land mass
  • We want to deliver council services at a local level and as close to communities as possible
  • We want to delegate as much power and decision making to local communities as we can
  • Addressing Climate change is a priority for us and we want to support a prosperous and ‘green’ economy
  • We want to create an agile workforce structured to best deliver customer-centred services and enabled to respond to change and be more adaptable to our customer needs in the future.
  • We will work in partnership to deliver better outcomes for all.
  • We will become a more financially sustainable Council.