Councillor Tim Pickstone

Earlier in the month was the full council meeting of Cumberland Council. This is the meeting, held five or six times a year, where all Cumberland councillors attend together.

This year the meeting was extended to include the Annual Meeting of the Council. This is where appointments are made for the following year.

Written Questions
Councillors may submit written questions (up to two each), and the Liberal Democrat group always try to ask as many as we can.

I asked about two issues at this meeting:

What the Council was doing to address the poor state of the road edges on many rural roads. As people will know many roads, particularly those that see a lot of HGV traffic, have really poor edges where ‘ruts’ have been created. This feels particularly bad after two years of wetter than average weather.

I also asked about the the closure of the West Coast Mainline for two weeks next year, and for a further four weeks over the subsequent two years (bridge repairs south of Penrith and then electric cable renewal). I know many people are concerned that the main line often just ‘shuts’ at Preston, and given that we know about these closures in advance, provision should be made for trains using diversionary routes to Carlisle.

A full text of the questions asked by myself and other Liberal Democrat members is here:

Motions
The Liberal Democrat group proposed a motion on the 80th anniversary of VE Day and VJ Day. The full text of the motion is below. This received support from all other parties and is now Council policy.

Verbal Questions
We also have the opportunity to ask verbal questions, but only on issues that are mentioned in the Executive Member written reports. The Executive Member for education had highlighted the recent report which showed academic underachievement in schools for boys, asked a question what Cumberland Council was doing to address this.

Annual Council
Annual Council made appoints to Committees and Sub-Committees for the next year.
I have been reappointed to:
– Standards and Governance Committee (as the Vice-Chair)
– Police, Fire and Crime Panel (currently the Vice-Chair, but appointment takes place in July)

Full papers are here and here, any questions please ask.

Liberal Democrat Notice of Motion on VE Day and VJ Day
80th Anniversaries of VE Day and VJ Day

Proposer: Councillor Dobson
Seconder: Councillor Wills

This Council notes with pride:

1. That 2025 marks the 80th anniversaries of VE Day on 8 May 2025 and VJ Day on 15 August 2025, both of which are significant milestones in our national and international history, commemorating the end of the Second World War in Europe and the Pacific respectively.
2. The remarkable contributions made by the people of Cumberland during the Second World War, whether through service in the armed forces, in war-related industries, agriculture, civil defence, or in everyday life under challenging wartime conditions. The Council also remembers and honours those who made the ultimate sacrifice and the many who were deeply affected by the war.
3. The ongoing commitment of Cumberland Council to honouring service and sacrifice, as demonstrated through our adoption of the Armed Forces Covenant, and the valuable work already being undertaken by both officers and elected Members to support our armed forces community.

This Council welcomes:

1. The dedicated efforts of veterans’ groups, armed forces charities, community organisations, and town and parish councils who are already preparing to mark these important anniversaries across Cumberland, ensuring the legacy of VE and VJ Day continues to be remembered and respected.

This Council resolves:

1. To use the mechanisms available to us as a local authority to support commemorative activities, including but not limited to, promotion through our communications channels, assistance with temporary road closures, and facilitation of community-led events where appropriate.
2. To request that the Chief Executive writes to local representatives of the armed forces and veterans’ organisations in Cumberland and/or Cumbria, sharing this resolution and reaffirming this Council’s respect, gratitude, and continued support for their service and contributions.