West Cumbria Strategic Partnership

West Cumbria Strategic* Partnership was a subregional policy partnership between Allerdale Borough Council, Copeland Borough Council and Cumbria County Council, for the area of West Cumbria, Britain's Energy Coast.

* The official name was "West Cumbria Partnership", but West Cumbria Strategic Partnership was used for most purposes

The strategic aims of the Partnership between the Councils were:

To commit to developing and implementing a joint Sustainable Communities Strategy for West Cumbria, as the defining framework for individual and joint strategies and actions.
To work together to enhance the quality of life and economy of West Cumbria to create an attractive place for all people to live, work, do business and engage as citizens in community.
To consistently and actively secure the engagement of the communities of West Cumbria (of place and of interest) in developing agreeing and implementing the Strategy and in holding to account those responsible for its implementation.
To support the integration and rationalisation of existing agencies responsible for the delivery of the actions which would achieve the objectives of the Strategy to improve economy efficiency and effectiveness.
To secure the alignment of resources in support of the objectives of the Strategy.
To work together to promote West Cumbria and the objectives of the Sustainable Community Strategy in their dealings with governmental and other organisations, agencies and interests outwith West Cumbria, at subregional, regional, state, European and global levels.

The Partnership was formed in 1986, with an initial focus on economic development and a joint West Cumbria Economic Strategy. In 1998 it also took on a regeneration policy role with the development of the Strategy for Comprehensive Regeneration in West Cumbria as part of the New Commitment to Regeneration initiative of the Local Government Association, which merged into New Commitment to Neighbourhood Renewal in 2000. Also in 2000, the Partnership was involved in developing the New Vision for Furness & West Cumbria which has evolved, in West Cumbria, into the 2007-2027 "Future Generation" Strategy for Sustainable Communities in West Cumbria, broadening the policy coverage from economic development into a holistic strategy for social, economic and environmental well-being for sustainable communities.

Website Archive

The website of the Partnership was archived at the National Web Archive because of its historic significance as the first sub-regional policy partnership in England. To see that website in its archived form, go to the Web Archive website

Sustainable Development policy for West Cumbria is now being taken forward through the Energy Coast Leaders' Group. The secretariat can be contacted at http://britainsenergycoast.com. Tel: 01900 65656 or email margret@britainsenergycoast.com