Councillor Tim Pickstone

Report to Arthuret Parish Council – 2 November 2026

Councillor Tim Pickstone, Cumberland Councillor for Longtown Ward

Longtown Library Consultation

Cumberland Council has launched a consultation on the future locations of Brampton and Longtown libraries. The consultation started on 14 October and runs until 25 November. For Longtown, the Council is considering three broad options: keeping the library in its existing building, moving it to Longtown Family Hub, or co-locating it in Longtown Community Centre or another shared venue.

This is an important decision for the future of library provision in Longtown, and I encourage residents and the Parish Council to take part.

Tour de France 2027

The race organisers published the full routes for the 2027 Tour de France on 22 October. The Council is still developing detailed road closures and access arrangements, and expects to publish them in early 2027.

Cumberland Council has appointed a Residents and Business Engagement Co-ordinator. The first drop-in sessions for residents and businesses are in Carlisle:

• Assembly Rooms, Old Town Hall: Friday 13 November, 2pm to 6pm.
• Botcherby Community Centre: Wednesday 2 December, 11am to 3pm.

A community events guide for anyone interested in getting involved is available at www.cumberland.gov.uk/TourdeFrance. I will update the Parish Council as more details become available.

Road Safety and Speeding

I have continued to pursue residents’ concerns about speeding, including on Moor Road, Carlisle Road and Brampton Road. The Council has agreed to undertake speed surveys on Carlisle and Brampton Roads and the Neighbourhood Policing Team has said it will try to carry out speed-gun monitoring on Moor Road in particular. I understand that the 30mph limit on Brampton Road is now being extended further out, paid for by the developer.

Highways

Highways have agreed to undertake pavement repairs on Netherby Road in front of the two new cul-de-sacs.

Borderlands and Longtown Community Centre

Borderlands has agreed the first phase of the programme: £1.3 million of interior works at the Community Centre. The Council will appoint an external contractor to take forward final designs, contracts and building work during 2027. The Borderlands Town Team continues to work on the second phase, which covers improvements to the A7 corridor through Longtown.

Cumberland Local Plan – Call for Sites

The first consultation stage on the new Cumberland Local Plan closed on 23 October. Separately, the Council has extended the deadline for its Call for Sites to 30 November 2026. Residents, landowners, developers and others can put forward land they would like to see either developed for a particular use or protected in future. Eligible uses include housing, business, open space, community use, allotments and burial grounds.

Sites previously submitted to the former Carlisle City Council or Cumbria County Council must be submitted again. Sites submitted in the first Cumberland Call for Sites in 2025 do not need to be resubmitted. Details are at consult.cumberland.gov.uk/cumberland-local-plan-call-for-sites. The Parish Council may wish to consider whether there is land in Arthuret it would like to see protected, for example as green space.

North Cumberland Speed Limit Review

Cumberland Council extended the informal consultation on proposed speed limit changes across North Cumberland until 31 October 2026. Following feedback, the review expanded from 22 to 26 proposals. The Council will consider the responses before deciding which proposals move forward to the formal Traffic Regulation Order stage.

Weather Ready

Cumberland Council launched its refreshed Weather Ready campaign on 20 October. It covers winter health, flooding and emergency planning, travel disruption, cost-of-living support and support for vulnerable residents.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if there are issues I can help with.