JUST five days remain for residents and organisations to give their views on Cumbria County Council’s plans for tackling poverty and promoting health and wellbeing.

This year Cumbria County Council is publishing its Anti-Poverty Strategy (2014-17) – a document setting out how the council will provide a range of services to support people facing financial challenges.

And to help ensure this strategy has the right focus, the council launched a consultation last month inviting public comments.

The consultation, available at www.haveyoursay.org.uk or www.cumbria.gov.uk, closes on Monday 17 March.

Key consultation questions to help inform the strategy include: How best to support low to middle income households in work, children and families in poverty and how to work with communities to provide solutions to the challenges of poverty.

Coun Patricia Bell, Cumbria County Council’s cabinet member for public health and community services, said: “Poverty limits opportunities and prospects for young people, damages the quality of life for individuals and families and ultimately harms the long-term health of those caught in its grasp.

“The council’s anti-poverty strategy sets out our priority actions for helping to support and lift people in Cumbria out of poverty and improve the lives of those on low incomes, so it’s a crucial part of the county’s drive to minimise poverty’s impact on our communities.”

Coun Anne Burns, Cumbria County Council’s cabinet member for children’s services, said: “Public feedback in this consultation will be key to shaping the final document so we’d encourage people to take the time in the last few days before the deadline to let us know their thoughts and views.”