Westmorland and Furness Council has welcomed the findings and recommendations from the recent Cumbria Climate Assembly.
The assembly, which met between March and June, brought together 40 people from across Cumbria to explore the question: “Many people in Cumbria feel unheard and unable to influence those who make decisions on climate change action. What can be done about this?”. It was commissioned by the Zero Carbon Cumbria Partnership (ZCCP) and independently facilitated.
Following over 30 hours of evidence, discussions and deliberations, the assembly developed 17 clear recommendations and a set of guiding principles for good engagement. On 22 July, assembly members presented their reflections and findings to councillors and officers from Westmorland and Furness Council who were there to listen, learn and commit to next steps.
Councillor Giles Archibald, Westmorland and Furness Council Cabinet Member for Climate, Biodiversity and Environmental Services, said:
“We want to thank every assembly member and partner involved in this process. The Council acknowledges the time, energy and thoughtfulness that assembly members dedicated to this work, and we commend the independent, inclusive and rigorous nature of the process.
“Their voices and perspectives offer real insight into what matters most to people in Cumbria. This is about more than a list of recommendations, it’s a demonstration of what happens when people are given the space to engage deeply and collaboratively.
“We are proud to support this work and remain committed to working with our communities, partners and businesses to take meaningful action on the climate and nature emergencies.”
The Climate Assembly is a strong example of Community Power in action, reflecting the core principles of the Council’s “Together we are powered by communities” Strategy. With support from the Council’s Community Power and Climate and Nature teams, the assembly’s work is now helping to shape local climate priorities including the upcoming review of the Climate Change Action Plan and will feed into strategies on biodiversity and adaptation.
The Council is also developing a new Consultation and Engagement Framework to strengthen early, transparent and inclusive dialogue with residents. The assembly also underlined the importance of broader participation in local democracy and the Council remains committed to amplifying youth voices and supporting the idea of future assemblies on key topics and themes.
The Council continues to back local climate action through support for sustainable businesses, Carbon Literacy training for staff and integrating climate priorities into how it commissions and manages its contracts. Looking ahead, the Council will also take the assembly’s recommendations into account when shaping Local Plan engagement strategies and in how it prepares and presents information to the public.