Please see below my regular email update to residents across Longtown Ward. If you would like to add your name to the list please email me tim.pickstone@cumberland.gov.uk. Emails are just once a month and you can unsubscribe at any time.

I hope this email finds you safe and well. Please see below information about the local area which I hope is useful. 

Christmas Opening Times
Cumberland Council offices are closed in the week beginning 25 December 2023. Online services are available on the Cumberland Council website. The main customer number (0300 373 3730) will close at 5pm on Friday 22 December and will reopen on Tuesday 2 January at 9am. There will be a recorded message advising of the closure period and out of hours contact numbers for highways, homelessness, and adults and children’s social care, should anyone be calling in an emergency.  

Residents can check your bin collection dates on their refuse and recycling webpage. There will be no collections on Christmas Day (Monday 25 December) and Boxing Day (Tuesday 26 December). Collections will take place two days later than normal. There will be no collections on Monday 1 January. Collections will take place one day later than normal.

Rockclife – Proposed New  Waste to Energy plant
A planning application has been received for the North West Recycling site just south of Rockcliffe. This is for: “the establishment of an Energy from Waste facility comprising of a Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF) fed Gasification Plant with a 20m high flue stack and associated synthetic gas fuelled Combined Heat & Power (CHP) generation engines and other associated ancillary equipment, machinery, plant and development including the formation of new hard-surfaced areas and drainage infrastructure; and the erection of a modular office and welfare block building”.

More details on the application here. The deadline for comments is 8 January 2024. I will make a comment as your local councillor, please let me know what you think about the proposals so I can best represent your views.

Residents are also encouraged to make your own comments using the above link or can be sent to MWPlanning@Cumberland.gov.uk, quoting planning reference 1/23/9005.  If you are opposed to the proposals then the campaign group CRAIN (Carlisle Residents Against Incinerators) have produced this example but it is always better to write in your own words. 

Sleetbeck – Proposed New Woodland 
Forestry England has completed its consultation on the proposed new woodland to the north of Sleetbeck Road (Bewcastle Parish). The responses received have been summarised into a consultation report together with their response to the key issues raised, and can be viewed at:  https://consult.forestryengland.uk/forest-districts/sleetbeck

Forestry England will shortly be applying to the Forestry Commission for permission to plant the new woodland.  As our plans progress we will update our website athttps://www.forestryengland.uk/sleetbeck-wood

Council Budget Consultation
Cumberland Council is consulting on the Council budget for 2024-25. Residents are asking fortheir views on the options available to the council as part of a review of services made necessary by the significant financial challenges that all Councils face. Options include maximising income from fees and charges, further reducing the duplication of services and improving customer services.  Council tax provides around 50% of the council’s net budget. To continue to provide the services residents need, the council’s leadership is proposing a rise of 4.99% in its portion of council tax from 1 April 2024. This is a 2.99% rise in council tax with a further 2% rise for the Adult Social Care levy. This would see a band D bill rise by £86.35 a year, or £1.66 a week. They are also proposing a 100% council tax premium on second homes to double their bill from 1 April 2025. 

The link for the consultation is: Budget Consultation – Cumberland Council – Citizen Space 

Grants Available
Both of our local wind farms have community funds which can provide grants to local organisations and projects (this is restricted to the areas closest to the wind farms).

Beckburn Windfarm Community Grants (£1000-£20000), next deadline is 2 February 2024. Please complete the application form, click here. Hallbank Windfarm Community Grants (up to £20,000), next deadline is 17 January 2024. Please apply here 

Heathwatch Cumberland Update
Healthwatch Cumberland are undertaking looking for residents experiences and views on two important issues:

They are running a men’s mental health survey, to question if there is still a stigma around mental health for men in Cumberland. It is open to both men and women to respond. Please find the survey at: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/HWCMMH/

Secondly, if you have had any contact with Hospice at Home, they would love to hear your experience. The survey link:https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/HWCHHCNL/

Upcoming Roadworks
Thankfully not so many roadworks coming up over Christmas. In January we have:
The Road from Newtown of Rockcliffe up to Justicetown, road closure from 3-9 January 2024, diversion via the A7.
Electricity North West works continue on the road past Dandy Dismount in Blackford from 2 January 2024. 

Current Planning Applications
Current planning applications in our area. Please get in touch if you have any queries or issues you would like me to raise. Erection Of Commercial Building Re-Using Existing Slab Base Of Former Commercial/Storage Building… 
Land at Fauldmoor Wood, Sandysike, Longtown CA6 5SN
Ref. No: 23/0856 | Received: Wed 13 Dec 2023 | Validated: Wed 13 Dec 2023 | Status: Registered 

Certificate Of Lawful Existing Development For The Siting Of 1no. Mobile Home In Residential Gard… 
The Bungalow (Grey Barrack), Penton, Carlisle, CA6 5QX
Ref. No: 23/0851 | Received: Thu 07 Dec 2023 | Validated: Thu 07 Dec 2023 | Status: Registered

Discharge Of Conditions 3 (Construction Environment Management Plan); 4 (Surface Water Drainage S… 
Hidden River Cabins, Brackenhill, Longtown, Carlisle, CA6 5TU
Ref. No: 23/0848 | Received: Thu 07 Dec 2023 | Validated: Thu 07 Dec 2023 | Status: Registered 

Erection Of Detached Garage & Workshop With Home Office To First Floor (Revised Application) 
Warwicksland Cottage, Penton, Carlisle, CA6 5QD
Ref. No: 23/0845 | Received: Wed 06 Dec 2023 | Validated: Mon 11 Dec 2023 | Status: Awaiting decision 

Construction & Installation Of A Battery Energy Storage Facility, With Associated Infrastructure,… 
Land Situated Between the Villages of Todhills and Westlinton, Carlisle, CA6 6AL
Ref. No: 23/0833 | Received: Mon 04 Dec 2023 | Validated: Tue 05 Dec 2023 | Status: Registered 

Replacement Of Existing Treatment Plant & Septic Tank 
Spinney House, Cannon Field, Roadhead, Carlisle, CA6 6NB
Ref. No: 23/0815 | Received: Tue 28 Nov 2023 | Validated: Thu 30 Nov 2023 | Status: Registered 

Erection Of Single Storey Rear Extension To Provide Garden Room 
Highfield Park Rigg, Easton, Longtown, Carlisle, CA6 5RS
Ref. No: 23/0807 | Received: Mon 20 Nov 2023 | Validated: Wed 22 Nov 2023 | Status: Registered 

Erection Of 1no. Agricultural Workers Dwelling 
Haggistone Holme Farm, Longtown, Carlisle, CA6 5TS
Ref. No: 23/0797 | Received: Wed 15 Nov 2023 | Validated: Wed 22 Nov 2023 | Status: Registered 

Discharge Of Condition 5 (Pests And Gulls Measures) Of Previously Approved Permission 22/0670 
MOD Longtown, Longtown, Carlisle, CA6 5LX
Ref. No: 23/0791 | Received: Tue 14 Nov 2023 | Validated: Tue 14 Nov 2023 | Status: Registered

Hope all of this is useful. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any queries.