Exclusive: County Council Cllr Tim Knowles quits
Cumbria County Council Cllr Tim Knowles quits cabinet
Cumbria county council propose budget cuts
Cumbria County Council might need to cut £50 million off their revenue budget over the next 2 years, the proposals are under consultation
Nuclear waste store debate
Cumbria County Council's full cabinet is meeting to discuss whether west Cumbria should host an underground nuclear waste store.
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Full Report: Cumbrian councillor resigns
A senior member of Cumbria County Council walked out of a cabinet meeting in protest this morning - and has since quit his post.
Councillor Tim Knowles says that he felt compelled to go as a matter of principle.
His resignation comes a week after the cabinet voted against plans to look for a possible site to bury nuclear waste in the west of the county.
He spoke exclusively to Samantha Parker, and you can watch her full report below.
Exclusive: County Council Cllr Tim Knowles quits
by Samantha Parker
Cumbria County Council Cllr Tim Knowles quits cabinet
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Cumbria County Council's cabinet member resigns
Councillor Tim Knowles has resigned from Cumbria County Council's cabinet.
At the cabinet meeting in Carlisle, Councillor Knowles took the opportunity to read out a resignation speech.
Councillor Knowles, who is a member for Cleator Moor and Frizington for the Labour Party, supported the move towards looking for a possible site to bury high level nuclear waste in west Cumbria- excluding the National Park.
– Councillor Tim Knowles"Sadly, I believe the unique events of last Wednesday left me with no choice but to resign as the Administration's Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment with immediate effect.
"When a council Leader makes comments such as 'I'm not prepared to prostitute our Cumbrian soul or heritage for silver coins', apparently associating them with years of work by members, officers and Cumbrian partners, I think we are entitled to ask what sort of leadership he is providing.
Before he left Councillor Knowles thanked officers and his cabinet colleagues.
Council back nuclear waste site decision
The leader of Cumbria County Council, Eddie Martin, has spoken about the nuclear waste decision:
Cumbria County Council meeting begins
The Cumbria County Council meeting to discuss whether to go to the next stage of plans for an underground nuclear waste store in Cumbria has started.
The council leader Eddie Martin has told the meeting that he will allow one hour of questions.
He also said that councillors have faced unfair and personal campaigning from some people involved in the debate.
The first member of the public to speak was Ronald Stirzaker of Radiation Free Lakeland who handed in a petition against the idea of going to the next stage of the process.
Nuclear waste debate: Decision day for west Cumbria
Three councils will decide today whether or not they want to look at possible sites to bury high level nuclear waste in west Cumbria.
The executives of Allerdale, Copeland and Cumbria County Council's cabinet will hear representations from those for and against moving forward in the process.
Allerdale and/or Copeland can only move progress to search for sites if they have the backing of the county council.
If they decide to go through in depth desk tops studies will look at whether the geology in west Cumbria is suitable.
Cumbria County Council will meet at 10am in Carlisle, Copleand at 10am in Whitehaven and Allerdale at 3pm in Maryport.
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Council launches 'Gritter Twitter' service
Cumbria County Council has launched a Twitter service so people can keep track of gritting plans during the winter months. They've also introduced a new online map which is updated daily showing which routes the fleet of gritters intend to treat.
Twitter users can find it through Cumbria County Council's Twitter account at @CumbriaCC The interactive map can be viewed on the council's website
– Cllr Tony Markley, Cumbria County CouncilThe new online information service will help keep drivers safe on Cumbria's roads during the winter months and is representative of the county council's determination to be innovative in making important information available to members of the public in a timely and accessible way.
'The road is a vital link for communities'
– Cllr Tony Markley, Cumbria County Council"The road from Silloth to Maryport is a vital link for communities along the Solway coast and as the local member who has been underlining the importance of keeping the road open, I'm pleased that engineers are now pulling out all the stops and getting the vital work started before Christmas.
"Without this work starting immediately, there was a very real risk that part of the road would simply have disappeared into the sea and I was all too aware of the consequences that would had for the local road network."
Kingmoor schools planning exhibition
Cumbria County Council are holding an exhibition for parents and locals before it submits a planning application for the expansion of Kingmoor schools.
The council approved proposals to expand the Nursery and Infant, and Junior schools earlier this year.
The expansion would include an extra two classrooms built for the Nursery and Infant school, and increase capacity from 180 to 225 pupils.
The plans for the Junior School would also see two extra classrooms built plus some additional accommodation, increasing capacity from 240 to 300 places.
The event is being held to give people an opportunity to see the plans and to talk to representatives from the school and council.
Copeland council face £2.6m of cuts
As Cumbria County Council consider how to move forward with budget cuts, in West Cumbria the process has already begun to ask people how they think one local council should cut its budget.
Copeland Borough Council is facing £2.6m of cutbacks. Tim Backshall reports
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