PLANS to improve local highways could soon take place a lot quicker thanks to a vote by county councillors this week. Councillors approved individual budgets of £6,000 for each electoral area (division) to be spent on local highway-related work, enabling councillors to have a greater influence on small highway improvement in their local areas. The new money and power has gone down well with some, but others are more skeptical. Cllr Peter Thornton, the deputy leader of Cumbria County Council has already prepared his local list around Kendal. He said: I’m commissioning a study of the junction between Sparrowmire Lane, Horncop Lane, and Burneside Road, to see if it can be made safer. Also, to see if we can get a better crossing for schoolchildren coming from Hallgarth and crossing.
BUDGET: Reflecting a changing force, Roger Marshall said the pandemic had had an effect ‘Policing has changed a lot during the pandemic’. That was the message from Roger Marshall, joint chief finance officer for both Cumbria Constabulary and the office of the county s police and crime commissioner, while updating the police and crime panel at Cumbria County Council. Mr Marshall said: There have been additional costs of investing in home working and policing in the pandemic. “But we also have not had to pay out as much on training, transport and fuel, as policing has changed a lot in the pandemic.