A COUNCIL held its last ever annual meeting this week ahead of its dissolution in 2023.

The final Annual Meeting of South Lakeland District Council (SLDC) has confirmed which councillors will oversee the running of services in the district for the next 12 months, ahead of the start of the new Westmorland and Furness Council in April 2023. 

Councillor Jonathan Brook will remain as leader of SLDC, and all but one Cabinet role will stay unchanged in what Cllr Brook described as “an important period of continuity.’’

The Annual Meeting on May 18 was the last before SLDC is dissolved on April 1, 2023, along with Cumbria’s five other district councils and Cumbria County Council, to be replaced by two new ‘unitary’ councils.

From that date, Westmorland and Furness Council will deliver all services in the Barrow, Eden and South Lakeland areas, and Cumberland Council will deliver services in the Allerdale, Carlisle and Copeland areas.

Cllr Brook – who was also elected this week as the leader of the new Westmorland and Furness Council – said that it is key that the transition to the new council is as ‘seamless as possible’, and the best way to ensure SLDC’s positive legacy, is through a consistent approach at this ‘critical time’.

Read more: Leader selected for new Westmorland and Furness Council

He said: “This is an important period of transition and we want to make sure that services are maintained through this process and improved thereafter. We want to end SLDC well and provide the best possible foundation for the new council.

“Our Cabinet has a strong track record of delivery on key priorities and it is vital that this knowledge and experience is retained, so that we can try to ensure that we finish as many of the SLDC projects we’ve already started, as possible. We will also need to work with counterparts in the new authority and to provide strong and consistent support for that smooth handover.’’

The only change in the SLDC Cabinet confirmed at last night’s meeting sees Councillor Eamonn Hennessey replace Councillor Phil Dixon in the Customer and Locality Services portfolio role.

The full Cabinet is as follows:

  • Leader and Promoting South Lakeland and Innovation portfolio: Councillor Jonathan Brook
  • Deputy Leader and Finance and Assets portfolio: Councillor Andrew Jarvis
  • Housing Portfolio: Councillor Helen Chaffey
  • Economy, Culture and Leisure portfolio: Councillor Robin Ashcroft
  • Climate Action and Biodiversity portfolio: Councillor Dyan Jones
  • Health, Wellbeing and Poverty Alleviation portfolio: Councillor Suzie Pye
  • Customer and Locality Services portfolio: Councillor Eamonn Hennessey 

Councillor Tom Harvey remains as leader of the Conservative group and will also shadow Cllr Brook’s Promoting South Lakeland and Innovation portfolio.

Other Shadow Cabinet portfolio holders:

  • Shadow Finance and Assets portfolio and Deputy Leader of the Conservative Group:  Councillor John Holmes
  • Shadow Housing Portfolio: Councillor Pat Bell
  • Shadow Economy, Culture and Leisure portfolio: Councillor Roger Bingham
  • Shadow Climate Action and Biodiversity portfolio: Councillor Kevin Holmes
  • Shadow Health, Wellbeing and Poverty Alleviation portfolio: To be confirmed
  • Shadow Customer and Locality Services portfolio: Councillor Janette Jenkinson

Councillor David Webster will remain as Leader of the Labour Group.

At the Annual Meeting Councillor Pete McSweeney was also re-elected as chairman of the council and Councillor Matt Severn was re-elected as vice-chairman.