Thursday 22 October 2015

Halloween at Barrow Library - 30 October


Cumbria CVS AGM and Annual Cumbria Compact Conference



Thursday 5 November 2015, 9.45–3.15pm

The Forum, 28 Duke St, Barrow, LA14 1HH

Join us at our Annual AGM and Compact Conference. All welcome and attendance is free.

The day will look at connections between communities in Cumbria and will include updates from:
  • Professor Tony Chapman (St. Chads College, Durham) who has recently completed detailed research on the third sector in Cumbria, looking at size and composition, employment, volunteers, income, partnerships and the future
  • the Cumbria Third Sector Network, who connect and represent the voluntary and community organisations in Cumbria at a more strategic level
  • the Cumbria Compact, which outlines the relationship between the public sector and the third sector in Cumbria and details a common set of principles and commitments, which encourage a way of working that can help deliver real outcomes and improvements for people and communities
  • the New Economics Foundation, the UK’s leading think tank promoting social, economic and environmental justice. They will look at Coproduction – a way of working whereby decision makers, people who use services, and service providers work together to create a service which works for them all. The approach is built on the principle that those who use a service are best placed to help design it – and Commissioning for Outcomes
  • the Department for Communities and Local Government, discussing the devolution of power away from national government. They will be looking particularly at how powers can be devolved down to neighbourhoods and local community groups.
We hope you will join us at this exciting and forward thinking event.
There will also be networking opportunities and display space is available. Contact us for further information.

Please book your place by Monday 26 October 2015 info@cumbriacvs.org.uk

Cumbria is all geared up for another busy winter


Cumbria County Council is all geared up for winter on our roads, with 24,000 tonnes of salt stockpiled and a 33-strong fleet of gritters ready to roll.

With a budget of nearly £3.7 million set aside to fund the highways winter maintenance service, the council will once again be routinely treating around 2,400km (approx 1,490 miles) of highway, covering around one-third of the county’s whole road network – the equivalent of driving from Penrith to Barcelona. Find out more

Thought for the Week



“Love life and life will love you back. Love people and they will love you back.” Arthur Rubinstein

Wednesday 21 October 2015

Very Vintage Christmas at the Dock Museum


Constabulary “overwhelmed” by public support in the face of “devastating” cuts



Following the recent announcements that Cumbria could potentially lose millions of pounds, there has been an “overwhelming” amount of support from the local public and media.

Proposed changes to how money is allocated to police forces in England and Wales (the funding formula), combined with forecasted cuts as part of the upcoming Comprehensive Spending Review, could mean that Cumbria could face budget cuts of £26 million.

The Constabulary has already made £20 million worth of savings by reducing officer and staff numbers, closing stations, and restructuring the way policing works in the county.

Chief Constable Jerry Graham said “We have been overwhelmed by the level of public support we have received in the face of potentially devastating cuts. I feel fortunate to work with dedicated individuals and teams whose service is so important to the people living in this county.

“Thousands of people across Cumbria have responded to news of the cuts by signing a petition set up by local media (which can be found here), making their views known across social media, and by contacting their local MPs.

“This demonstration of support for policing in Cumbria has been gratefully received by officers and staff working for the force in a challenging time, during which they are continuing to provide the best policing service we can afford to keep people safe.

“I have given my personal reassurance that we will do everything we can to protect policing in Cumbria.”

A video is available online which outlines Mr Graham’s concerns regarding the cuts - click here to watch the film.