Meet the councillors – your newly elected representatives on Cumberland Council

Voters selected twelve new councillors to represent Copeland on the new Cumberland Council last month in an historic local election.

A shadow authority has now formed, which is overseeing the planning and preparation for the new unitary council which will take over in April 2023.

Labour will be the largest party on the new Cumberland Council, after winning 30 of the 46 available seats in May’s elections.

The Conservatives took seven seats, Liberal Democrats four, Greens two and independents three.

Each week, The Whitehaven News will introduce three of Copeland’s newly elected councillors, who have opened up about themselves and shared what they hope to achieve in their new roles.

David Moore - Gosforth

Conservative

"I was born in Seascale and have raised my family here. My grandchildren are now the sixth generation to be raised in the village. I worked in the family dairy business all my life and have served as a Parish Councillor and a Borough Councillor representing Seascale and surrounding area for over 37 years.

"I served as Retained Fire Fighter with Seascale Fire Station for 42 years. Retiring in 2013 allowed me more time to devote to the community and my council work.

"During the last six years I have served on the Mayor's Executive as portfolio holder responsible for Nuclear and Corporate Services. I have spent the last four years as Deputy to the Directly Elected Mayor of Copeland and am also the current Chair of the Nuclear Legacy Advisory Forum for local authorities in England and Wales.

"I have worked with the Nuclear Industry for over 20 years as the Seascale Parish representative on the West Cumbria Sites Stakeholder Group, ensuring the communities views are represented and heard and currently chair the main group and the Emergency Planning Working Group.

"I am passionate about my local area and feel privileged to have been elected to represent the Gosforth ward on the new Cumberland Authority, my priorities are to continue to push for improved infrastructure on both road and rail networks, give our community a strong voice on nuclear issues and bring investment into our villages and rural areas."

Bob Kelly - Millom

Labour

"I am Bob Kelly and I am the elected member of the Cumberland Shadow Authority for Millom. I have been a Millom Town Councillor since 2015 and was a Copeland Councillor for four years from 2015. I am Mayor of Millom this year and the portfolio holder for Policy on the new authority.

"I retired in 2011 from the Open University for whom I had worked firstly as a part-time lecturer and then as a full-time member of the Social Science Faculty for a total of thirty-five years, having previously taught in secondary and further education. I have a BA in Politics and Dip.Ed. from the University of Wales, Swansea and a PhD in West African Studies from Birmingham University.

"My main aim with the new authority is to work with my fellow executive and councillors to improve the health and well-being of the people of Cumberland. We need to improve so many aspects of the residents’ lives so that they do not have to move away to find well-paid jobs and they can enjoy the natural beauty that Cumberland has.

"I want make people in my own ward of Millom and other parts of the Authority feel they are fully integrated in Cumberland and that their interests are always being considered, which has not always been believed in the past. The creation of the Cumberland Authority creates wonderful opportunities which must not be wasted."

Graham Minshaw - Egremont North and St Bees

Labour

"I represent the division of Egremont North and St Bees- an area of coastal, rural and urban populations and I’m immensely proud to do so.

"The new unitary authority is an opportunity to develop a closer local council for residents who can access all services from the one body. It is vital that residents are represented and listened to, my role is to make that happen, whether it is chasing up concerns or assisting with issues directly. I do this now as a councillor on Copeland Borough Council and I’ll continue to do so.

"It's vital that councils are not distant, this transformation will make it much easier for residents. However I also hope we can also maintain the closest possible relationship with the other Cumbrian Council to ensure our county can retain its influence and identity thus gaining benefits from the creation of two new councils without losing the advantages of a larger identity. Some strategic functions such as highways or fire and rescue services will be better served by a whole county approach and ran by both councils.

"I have lived all my life in Cumbria and have worked in the chemical industry, in education and also spent some time in hospitality, retail and forestry, whilst currently I work in the nuclear industry which is so important to our area. Married with one grown up son, when not at home or at work you’ll usually find me on the terraces at Carlisle United or up on the fells."

READ MORE: Meet the councillors –your newly elected representatives on Cumberland Council