Elections on 5 May 2022 will elect councillors for the new unitary authority. Vesting day for the new council is 1 April 2023. From this day Cumberland Council will provide district and county council services across the current areas of Allerdale, Carlisle and Copeland.  

The new Cumberland Council will have 46 councillors. They will initially sit on a Shadow Authority until vesting day, and then serve on the new council for a further four-year term.

There are three sessions being organised. The locations, dates and times are:

• Carlisle City Council’s Civic Centre on 28 February 2022 at 4pm  
• Copeland Borough Council’s Copeland Centre on 1 March 2022 at 6pm  
• Allerdale Borough Council’s offices in Workington on 3 March 2022 at 6pm

Each district council is organising the election for the wards in their area. Therefore, prospective candidates are encouraged to attend the session in the area organising the election for the ward they wish to stand in. However, if this is not convenient, they can attend either of the other sessions.

The briefing will cover the nomination process, the plans for verifying and counting the votes, the management of the overall Cumberland election and there will be some information on the role of the shadow authority councillors and the local government reorganisation process. Nomination packs will also be available to collect for the relevant wards.

Andrew Seekings, the Returning Officer for the Cumberland Council elections, said: “This is a major change in the way local government services are provided in our area. Therefore, we wanted to give prospective candidates and agents every opportunity to find out more about the election process and the role that councillors will have.”

To attend the session organised by Allerdale Borough Council email electoralservices@allerdale.gov.uk or ring 0303 123 1702.

For queries about the Carlisle session email elections@carlisle.gov.uk or call 01228 817555/6.

To book and for any queries about the session organised by Copeland Borough Council email elections@copeland.gov.uk .