Press releases issued before 2009.

2008
2007
2006

2008

12 December 2008: Carlisle traffic regulation order referred to renaissance board

A decision to approve a traffic order to reduce the volume of vehicles in Carlisle’s historic core has been referred to Carlisle Renaissance and Carlisle City Council.

A discussion on whether the revised traffic scheme would go ahead was due to be heard by Cumbria County Council's Local Committee for Carlisle on December 17.

Cllr Cyril Weber, Chair of Carlisle Local Committee, said: “We support the scheme and we have heard concerns about the current proposals from the business, retail and religious establishments with regard to the economic impact in the area.

“Apart from these issues we have also heard from Carlisle Renaissance that wishes to refer the matter back so that further discussions can take place with the business community with regard to the economic impact that this decision.

“That board includes Cumbria County Council and Carlisle City Council and will allow a decision to be reached that will best suit the needs of all involved.”

 

18 November 3008: Progress on Carlisle Renaissance

The Carlisle Renaissance Board met yesterday and agreed its first Action Plan for Carlisle Renaissance.

Bryan Gray, Chairman of the Board commented  “This is an exciting and challenging time for Carlisle. As we navigate a period of economic uncertainty it is now more important than ever that we focus on priorities, transformational actions that can deliver lasting benefits for residents and businesses alike.”

The Action Plan sets out the Board’s priorities and what needs to be done to get them delivered, including key activities for the year ahead. The plan will now go forward to be considered for approval by Carlisle City Council, Cumbria County Council and the Northwest Development Agency.

The Programme Director, Ian McNichol updated the Board on progress on its priorities “At the moment our main focus is on the new University of Cumbria facilities at Caldew Riverside, planned to open in 2012. This may seem like a long way off but this will be one of the largest and possibly the most complex development projects in the City Centre since the Lanes Shopping Centre was built”

Work to improve Castle Street will begin in January next year and this is a sign of things to come in Historic Quarter of Carlisle. “This area has a truly unique mixture of cultural and heritage assets. When you put all the pieces together in the right way not only does it put Carlisle on the map as one the UK’s leading heritage City’s but it can also be the focus for investing in its culture and creativity”

At its last meeting the Board agreed the need for businesses in the City Centre to play a leading role in deciding what needed to be done to improve its competitiveness. A business led group is now being set up by the City Council to make recommendations on future City Centre Management. This will help to determine how public investment should to be targeted for example into marketing, maintenance and the public realm.

“Our role is to provide leadership and support to make sure that our priorities get delivered on the ground. We rely upon the commitment and support of our partners in order to do this and I am pleased at how quickly they are responding. This is often not easy for large public sector organisations but up and down the Country there are many, many examples of what can be achieved” commented Bryan Gray.

"Outside the City Centre the focus in on the M6 motorway corridor and how it can be developed over the long-term to deliver new sites for businesses, particularly those in sectors with recognised growth potential. “This is all about thinking ahead and having a clear plan. We need masterplans for all three motorway junctions and one that presents to business and investors the benefits of the entire corridor. And of course we need to link these opportunities to areas of greatest need in Carlisle, both urban and rural”

The Board also agreed how it wishes to see resources targeted to support it priorities and recognised the significant financial commitment that is being made by the partners to support its activities.

Summing up Bryan Gray commented “This is a new chapter for Carlisle Renaissance. The fortunes of Carlisle will not transform overnight but I believe we are beginning to bring this about by concentrating on its unique strengths and grasping genuine once in a generation opportunities.”

 

8 September 2008: Board gets to work

The Carlisle Renaissance Board met today to agree its priorities and how it plans to go about delivering them.

Bryan Gray, Chairman of the Board commented “Carlisle Renaissance is about establishing Carlisle as a leading heritage City with a growing University, a successful regional commercial centre, the infrastructure to support business investment and good access.  We will focus on the things that need to be done to achieve this.

The Board reviewed status reports on each of the four transformational actions that it believes can make a significant contribution to the growth of Carlisle: -

• Developing a new City Centre Riverside Campus for the University of Cumbria
• Maximising the potential of the Historic Quarter and its key assets
• Delivering major new employment sites on the M6 corridor
• Strengthening the mix of retail, office and ancillary uses in the City Centre

Plans for each will be worked up over then next two to three months but the immediate focus will be on the University of Cumbria and the Historic Quarter.

The University needs to be able to develop a first class teaching and learning environment with the highest quality facilities and space for growth. Achieving this will mean securing a suitable site, preparing it for development and making sure that there is a long-term plan in place for expansion.

The Programme Director, Ian McNichol, commented “ Caldew Riverside presents unique challenges, particularly its former use as a gas works and its sensitive location adjacent to the Caldew Riverside and West Walls. I also believe we can work with Tesco to deliver the right solution for the University”

The Board sees the need to develop a compelling vision for the Historic Quarter that demonstrates its true significance. It wants to play a leading role in driving this vision forward with partners representing the major heritage and cultural assets in the area.

“We need to go about harnessing the contribution that the arts and culture can make to the revitalisation of Carlisle and the Historic Quarter can be a focus for this. It is without doubt an area with tremendous potential and Tullie House must be at the heart of our vision ” commented Bryan Gray. “

The Board signalled a shift of emphasis on work to strengthen the mix of retail, office and ancillary uses such as hotels and restaurants. It wants to focus on the underlying factors that will improve the performance of the City Centre, such as City Centre Management, improvements to the public realm and better access. It wants to take a less interventionist approach, moving away from major development schemes, and help established businesses to provide a clear direction on what needs to be done to stimulate investment.

It plans to adopt a similar approach to the delivery of strategic employment sites on the M6 corridor, focusing on identifying and the long term requirements of existing potential growth sectors for Carlisle and the wider city-region.

The Board considered that range of key actions that other stakeholders will need to bring forward in order to deliver the overarching economic strategy for growing Carlisle, including measures to increase the provision of housing and associated community infrastructure.

Summing up Bryan Gray commented “We are committed to doing what needs to be done to deliver Carlisle Renaissance. Everyone I have spoken to since taking up this position believes we can and should make Carlisle better. We have brought focus and direction to this aspiration and I believe we are building the wider consensus and the support that is needed to make it happen”

 

25 July 2008: Local community groups have their say

Local residents have until next Thursday (31 July) to give their views on plans to raise the quality of Carlisle’s city centre areas.

The draft Carlisle City Council planning guide sets out a blueprint for how key parts of the city could be developed. The ‘Urban Design Guide and Public Realm Framework’ is intended as a handbook for developers, architects and designers and is out for public consultation until Thursday, 31 July.

As part of the public consultation, views are being sought from a range of specialist groups including those representing young people, are being asked to give their views on plans to raise the quality of Carlisle’s city centre areas.

Young people have also been asked their views and they, along with other consultees, and have had their opinions caught on camera. Eden Film has been commissioned to capture the consultation on film and the finalised DVD will form part of the consultation feedback.

Display material, setting out the plans, is also on show in The Lanes shopping centre. The exhibition was used as part of a recent public consultation held in the Tourist Information Centre’s Assembly Rooms, during mid June.

The exhibition sets out why the Urban Design Guide and Public Framework document has been compiled and what suggestions have been forward by consultant’s Gilliespies, to improve city centre public spaces and buildings. They will be on show in a vacant shop, next to BHS.

The technical planning document includes guidance and principles on how buildings should be designed throughout the city centre as well as setting out how the city’s public spaces can be improved including paving materials, seating and lighting.

Four "city squares" – Court Square, Market Square, Rickergate Square and a new square at Caldew Riverside (Viaduct Estate), where the University of Cumbria is proposing its new headquarters, are all suggested. Plans are also proposed for the Caldewgate and Shaddongate area, in addition to the Botchergate South area.

Copies of the document have been available, throughout the six-week consultation period at the Civic Centre’s Customer Contact Centre, the city centre Library (based in The Lanes) and an online version is also available on the City Council’s website www.carlisle.gov.uk.

Leader of Carlisle City Council, Cllr Mike Mitchelson, said: "Carlisle has a unique and important array of buildings and open spaces in its city centre. This new draft planning guideline document will help us have stronger planning regulations so we can make sure that we have well designed, high quality buildings and public spaces. This will help define how the city will look and develop in the future."

"This is another important step forward for Carlisle Renaissance and we urge local residents to give us their views on the design principles, including making the city centre more accessible and pedestrian friendly."

Comments are sought on the document by Thursday, 31 July. Written responses can be sent to: Local Plans and Conservation Manager, Carlisle City Council, Civic Centre, Carlisle, CA3 8QG, handed in at the public exhibition or emailed to lpc@carlisle.gov.uk

Feedback on the responses will be made in early autumn.

 

25 July 2008: School leavers’ course begins

From next week (Monday, 28 July – Friday, 1 August), school leavers from Carlisle are being given the chance to get some free construction training.

Carlisle City Council, Construction Skills, Carlisle College and Connexions have joined forces to provide a specialist week-long ‘Construction Experience’ course. Twelve young people who have recently left school (Year 11 leavers) will be trying their hand at some practical tasks, as well as visiting local construction sites.

Training will be provided by qualified professionals. It will include painting and decorating; carpentry and joinery; plastering and brickwork and will also provide the chance to visit construction sites. Connexions will also help students apply for jobs, college courses or training programmes.

As part of the course, a visit to Story’s construction site on Burgh Road (near to Vallum House) is planned next Tuesday (29 July), between 1pm and 2pm. The students and course leader, David Galloway, will meet Story’s Health & Safety Manager, David Sanderson.

Leader of Carlisle City Council, Cllr Mike Mitchelson, said: "This is a great opportunity for new school leavers to get some hands-on practical experience and advice about careers in the construction industry. It will hopefully provide a stepping stone for those seeking a job in the construction business or looking to take part in further training or study."

In addition to a free megarider bus pass and free breakfast and lunch, £60 of vouchers will also be provided to those who have signed up and complete the course.

The event has been organised by Carlisle City Council, as part of the Learning City priority and sponsored by Carlisle Renaissance.

 

17 July 2008: Board members consider priorities

A meeting of members of the new Carlisle Renaissance Board took place last Friday (11^th July 2008).

They discussed the role of the Board to set and maintain the focus of Carlisle Renaissance on “transformational” actions capable of making a significant contribution to the growth of Carlisle.  It will focus its efforts on making sure that these things get done.

At this stage the emphasis of the debate was on what needed to be done and why rather than on the where and how. This was also seen by Board members as an opportunity to take stock of the work to date and reassess the rationale for action.

The members of the Board agreed to concentrate on the following four transformational actions for Carlisle Renaissance: -

• Developing a new City Centre Riverside Campus for the University of Cumbria
• Maximising the potential of the Historic Quarter and its key assets
• Delivering major new employment sites on the M6 corridor
• Strengthening the mix of commercial activity in the City Centre

It was recognised that these are not the only things that need to happen in Carlisle but that these four actions and getting them delivered should form the heart of the renaissance agenda.

The new Programme Director, Ian McNichol, reviewed the sort of resources that would be necessary to deliver these actions including how the new delivery team would be structured and role of partners organisations and stakeholders in the delivery process.

The first official meeting of the Board will be held in September to consider more detailed plans for the transformational actions and the wider programme that would form part of a 3-5 year action plan for Carlisle Renaissance. The Board is expecting to meet every 2-3 months thereafter

Bryan Gray, Chairman of the Board commented “This was an extremely positive meeting. It is the first time all the members of the Board have met as a group and I am pleased that there was a considerable degree of consensus about what Carlisle Renaissance needs to focus on and why. This is very much a new chapter and it is vital that we spend the time now on getting the right plans in place and then getting on with them.”

 

2 July 2008: Places available for free training

School leavers from Carlisle are being given the chance to get some free construction training this summer (Monday, 28 July – Friday, 1 August).

Carlisle City Council, Construction Skills and Carlisle College have joined forces to provide a specialist week-long ‘Construction Experience’ course. Twelve places are available for young people who are due to leave school (Year 11 leavers) and want to try their hand at some practical tasks.

In addition to a free megarider bus pass and free breakfast and lunch, £60 of vouchers will also be provided to those who sign up and complete the course.

Training will be provided by qualified professionals. It will include painting and decorating; carpentry and joinery; plastering and brickwork and will also provide the chance to visit construction sites. Connexions will also help students apply for jobs, college courses or training programmes.

The closing date for applications is next Friday (11 July). Anyone who is interested in attending should contact Emma Titley, Learning City Manager, Carlisle City Council on 01228 817597.

Leader of Carlisle City Council, Cllr Mike Mitchelson, said: "This is a great opportunity for new school leavers to get some hands-on practical experience and advice about careers in the construction industry. It will hopefully provide a stepping stone for those seeking a job in the construction business or looking to take part in further training or study."

The event has been organised by Carlisle City Council, as part of the Learning City priority and sponsored by Carlisle Renaissance.

 

June 2008: Graduation ceremony for local job seekers

Seven local people will graduate from a Carlisle Retail Academy training course funded through Carlisle College ‘Skills For Jobs’ project tomorrow (Friday, 13 June), at 11.30am, at Tullie House Museum.

The Retail Academy was launched last year and is aimed to address recruitment and skills issues within the retail sector in Carlisle. Carlisle College has secured funding from the Learning and Skills Council for the ‘Skills for Jobs’ pilot. This initiative is aimed at equipping individuals with the skills and confidence to secure long term employment.

Moira Tattersall, Principal at Carlisle College, said: "Carlisle College is delighted to be a partner in this innovative project. Training and development is essential to economic prosperity for individuals and the city of Carlisle. This is central to the core purposes of the College."

The Carlisle Renaissance scheme was backed by Carlisle City Council and the Northwest Development Agency and was created following a suggestion from the Commercial Director of The Lanes Shopping Centre, David Jackson, who had seen examples of similar initiatives in other parts of the UK.

The courses have been delivered by 'Winning Way' initiatives, a specialist retail training company. A steering group was set up to manage the content and monitor the effectiveness of the pilot project. The membership includes Carlisle City Council, JobCentre Plus, Carlisle Housing Association, Carlisle College, Hoopers, BHS, Debenhams, Fat Face and Marks & Spencer. The retailers lead the group.

Retail growth features prominently within the plans for Carlisle Renaissance and the City Council is keen to develop the initiative that looks at addressing some of these issues in partnership with local retailers.

The training delivered is aimed at assisting individuals in developing their self-confidence and also their understanding of working within retail. This hoped to enable them to secure long-term careers within the sector. The course lasts for three weeks, 16 hours per week and included:

• an introduction to retail;
• delivering first class service;
• communication skills;
• team working;
• creating solutions;
• positive thinking and improving self confidence; and
• interviewing techniques and job search skills.

Carlisle City Cllr Marilyn Bowman, Portfolio holder for Economic Development & Enterprise said: "The Carlisle Renaissance agenda is highlighting the wider need to diversify Carlisle’s economy. We need to assist our workforce in gaining new skills and to work with local employers to ensure that they are able to address their recruitment issues and skills gaps.

"I would like to be the first to congratulate our Retail Academy graduates and I wish them the best of success for the future."

20 June 2008: Public exhibition continues

Local residents have until next Tuesday (24 June) to visit a public exhibition setting out plans to raise the quality of Carlisle’s city centre areas.

The draft Carlisle City Council planning guide sets out a blueprint for how key parts of the city could be developed. The ‘Urban Design Guide and Public Realm Framework’ is intended as a handbook for developers, architects and designers and is out for public consultation until Thursday, 31 July.

As part of the public consultation, an exhibition opened this Monday (16 June) and will continue in the Tourist Information Centre’s Assembly Rooms on:

• Saturday, 21 June 1.30pm – 3.30pm
• Monday, 23 June 10am – 6.30pm
• Tuesday, 24 June 10am – 5.30pm

The exhibition will set out why the Urban Design Guide and Public Framework document has been compiled and what suggestions have been forward by consultant’s Gilliespies, to improve city centre public spaces and buildings.

The technical planning document includes guidance and principles on how buildings should be designed throughout the city centre as well as setting out how the city’s public spaces can be improved including paving materials, seating and lighting.

Four "city squares" – Court Square, Market Square, Rickergate Square and a new square at Caldew Riverside (Viaduct Estate), where the University of Cumbria is proposing its new headquarters, are all suggested. Plans are also proposed for the Caldewgate and Shaddongate area, in addition to the Botchergate South area.

Copies of the document will be available, throughout the six-week consultation period at the Civic Centre’s Customer Contact Centre, the city centre Library (based in The Lanes) and an online version is also available on the City Council’s website.

Leader of Carlisle City Council, Cllr Mike Mitchelson, said: "Carlisle has a unique and important array of buildings and open spaces in its city centre. This new draft planning guideline document will help us have stronger planning regulations so we can make sure that we have well designed, high quality buildings and public spaces. This will help define how the city will look and develop in the future.

"This is another important step forward for Carlisle Renaissance and we urge local residents to give us their views on the design principles, including making the city centre more accessible and pedestrian friendly."

Comments are sought on the document by Thursday, 31 July. Written responses can be sent to: Local Plans and Conservation Manager, Carlisle City Council, Civic Centre, Carlisle, CA3 8QG, handed in at the public exhibition or emailed to lpc@carlisle.gov.uk

Feedback on the responses will be made in early autumn.

 

June 2008: Public exhibition starts six-week consultation

Local residents are being asked to give their views on plans to raise the quality of Carlisle’s city centre areas.

The draft Carlisle City Council planning guide sets out a blueprint for how key parts of the city could be developed. The ‘Urban Design Guide and Public Realm Framework’ is intended as a handbook for developers, architects and designers and is out for public consultation from next Monday (16 June) for a six-week period.

As part of the public consultation, an exhibition will be held in the Tourist Information Centre’s Assembly Rooms on:

Monday, 16 June	10am – 5.30pm
Tuesday, 17 June	10am – 5.30pm
Wednesday, 18 June	10am – 5.30pm
Saturday, 21 June	1.30pm – 3.30pm
Monday, 23 June	9.30am – 5.30pm
Tuesday, 24 June	9.30am – 5.30pm

The exhibition will set out why the Urban Design Guide and Public Framework document has been compiled and what suggestions have been forward by consultant’s Gilliespies, to improve city centre public spaces and buildings.

The technical planning document includes guidance and principles on how buildings should be designed throughout the city centre as well as setting out how the city’s public spaces can be improved including paving materials, seating and lighting.

Four "city squares" – Court Square, Market Square, Rickergate Square and a new square at Caldew Riverside (Viaduct Estate), where the University of Cumbria is proposing its new headquarters, are all suggested. Plans are also proposed for the Caldewgate and Shaddongate area, in addition to the Botchergate South area.

Copies of the document will be available, throughout the six-week consultation period at the Civic Centre’s Customer Contact Centre, the city centre Library (based in The Lanes) and an online version is also available on the City Council’s website www.carlisle.gov.uk

Leader of Carlisle City Council, Cllr Mike Mitchelson, said: "Carlisle has a unique and important array of buildings and open spaces in its city centre. This new draft planning guideline document will help us have stronger planning regulations so we can make sure that we have well designed, high quality buildings and public spaces. This will help define how the city will look and develop in the future.

"This is another important step forward for Carlisle Renaissance and we urge local residents to give us their views on the design principles, including making the city centre more accessible and pedestrian friendly."

Comments are sought on the document by Thursday, 31 July.

Written responses can be sent to:

Local Plans and Conservation Manager,
Carlisle City Council,
Civic Centre,
Carlisle CA3 8QG

They may also be handed in at the public exhibition or emailed to lpc@carlisle.gov.uk

Feedback on the responses will be made in early autumn.

 

March 2008: University announces campus proposals for Carlisle

This week the University of Cumbria announces its plans to develop its estate in Carlisle, which could include the creation of a new campus on the Caldew Riverside - one of the key city centre sites earmarked for regeneration, as part of Carlisle Renaissance.

The University is working with Carlisle City Council and local stakeholders to develop the proposal that could see £70m investment in the Carlisle area. One of the proposals looks at developing a new campus on the Caldew Riverside regeneration area adjacent to the main railway station from 2010. It would be developed as a high quality state of the art campus housing the new headquarters and include the majority of the University's academic activity for Carlisle. Students would benefit from a new vibrant Students' Union facility, easy access to the Milbourne Street library and resources building via a new footbridge and a 'Riverside walk' leading to playing fields, parks and Devonshire Walk car parking.

Professor Christopher J Carr, Vice Chancellor of the University says: "The University of Cumbria is now established in name however we must now begin the journey from being a collection of legacy institutions to a respected and high-performing county university with national and international reach. The student experience is paramount and we want to ensure that any developments and investment we make meet the needs of our current and future students. These plans are at a very early stage in development and a lot of work still needs to be done. We face some challenges however this is an exciting time for us, the city and the county. All the developments that have been considered are designed to ensure we develop our curriculum to meet the needs of our students, local employers and targeted industry sectors. This encompasses our commitment to widening participation and engagement with employers through our enterprise activity and provide the very best IT and learning technology facilities for our students in the future."

Councillor Ray Bloxham, Deputy Leader of Carlisle City Council says: "The proposals are a huge step forward for the regeneration of Carlisle’s city centre and provide an exciting opportunity for both the City Council, the University, the local economy and the future development of education opportunities in Carlisle.

"We are committed to moving Carlisle on as a Learning City and the Caldew Riverside option provides opportunities for further regeneration in areas to the West of the city and allows for the riverside to be opened up and utilised to its best potential.

"We are pleased to be working with the University and look forward to moving this development on for the benefit of local communities and the area as a whole. This is what Carlisle Renaissance is all about."

 

February 2008: City return to work scheme launch

A new scheme which aims to help residents receiving incapacity benefit get back into work will be launched at the Carlisle Jobs Skills & Training Fair today (Friday, 15 January).

Managed by Carlisle City Council on behalf of Cumbria County Council, the employment initiative will provide tailored and personal support to residents who want to return to work but need help to upgrade their skills.

Part of an overall countywide £1.6 million Return to Work scheme, which will run between 2008 and 2010, the City Council have been chosen as the agency to deliver the Carlisle element – The Return to Work Carlisle project. Routes To Work will deliver the Allerdale & Copeland scheme, Furness Enterprise will deliver the scheme in Barrow and Cumbria Rural Enterprise Agency will provide it in Eden and South Lakeland.

There are around 23,000 working age people claiming incapacity benefit in Cumbria including some 5,000 in the Carlisle area. The Return to Work Carlisle project will offer hundreds of claimants one-to-one advice and guidance and provide some vocational training.

County Cllr Tony Markley the County Council’s Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Regeneration says:  "Unemployment might be low in Cumbria in general, but that masks significant pockets of worklessness, particularly amongst those people who have been on Incapacity Benefit for some time. This is a good example of public bodies co-operating for the benefit of local people.

"Cumbria County Council has put in more than £600,000 of its own money whilst the NWDA has put in almost a million pounds and the city council are delivering this scheme in Carlisle to help people find work. Together we are determined to try and help as many people as we can who are able to work to find a job and increase their standard of living."

The City Council will build on their links with local employers to help residents get back into work and aims to follow on from the success of their other Carlisle Renaissance backed employment schemes, such as the Job Brokerage and Retail Academy initiatives.

Local residents can register their interest in the Return to Work scheme on Friday (15 February) at the Jobs Fair, staged at The Sands Centre between 10am and 4pm. More than 1,000 are expected to attend the Carlisle City Council organised event.

The free event will follow on from the success of another Jobs Fair organised last September, which attracted 1,200 people, resulted in 440 people getting jobs, 2,500 application forms being submitted and 250 training courses being signed up to.

More than 60 stalls and 40 employers, representing public, retail, manufacturing, construction, technical and caring sectors, will be in attendance throughout the day. All will be actively looking at filling current vacancies.

Those looking to develop skills or change career direction, including setting up your own business, will also be catered for. Training providers and business advisors will also be attending the Fair.

There will also be a range of other organisations on hand to talk about higher education, volunteering opportunities, support available and advice services.

Cllr Marilyn Bowman, Portfolio holder for Economic Development & Enterprise said: "The Carlisle Renaissance agenda is highlighting the wider need to diversify Carlisle’s economy. We need to assist our workforce in gaining new skills and to work with local employers to ensure that they are able to address their recruitment issues and skills gaps."

The Carlisle Jobs & Training Fair has been organised by Carlisle City Council in partnership with Carlisle Renaissance, Cumbria County Council, Job Centre Plus, Northwest Regional Development Agency, Carlisle Housing Association and the CN Group Ltd.

For more information about the event telephone Carlisle City Council on 01228 817415.

 

27 January 2008: Progress on the University and Historic Quarter

The Carlisle Renaissance Board met yesterday and focused on what was being done to tackle growing economic uncertainty in Carlisle and strengthen the long-term prospects of the City.

Bryan Gray, Chairman of the Board commented “Carlisle is already benefiting from major investment in its infrastructure and there is more to come. The University will bring over £70m of direct new investment into the heart of the City over the next 2 to 3 years and we can see real progress towards the delivery of these exciting plans. Both Councils are working together to make this happen and the University is committed to a development that delivers new facilities for the whole community.”

“Alongside this we recognise the need for confidence building measures in the short term and we are planning to invest in events, marketing and promotional activities in the City Centre in the coming months, based on the unique historic and cultural offer of Carlisle’s Historic Quarter. We are especially keen to provide support for the City’s cultural and creative entrepreneurs who are able to maximise the economic benefits of this kind of investment.”

The Programme Director, Ian McNichol updated the Board on progress on each of its four priorities “Our focus remains the University. Negotiations have started with Tesco to acquire their site and detailed plans are being drawn up for the development, which will begin later in 2009 with the remediation of the site. The intention is for the new campus to be very much a part of the City and a focus for commercial as well as academic activities”

Since the last Board meeting steps have been taken to encourage businesses to get involved in a new City Centre Management Partnership and the response had so far been very positive. “Rather than us speculating on what might be required to improve the competitiveness of the City Centre, such as improvements to the public realm and better car parking, it is up to the business community to come to the table with their ideas and we can support them to bring them to fruition” commented Bryan Gray.

The Board discussed work to develop a strategic masterplan for the M6 corridor and each of the motorway junctions and bring forward brownfield sites in the south of the Carlisle. I also received a presentation on work led by the County Council to assess the transport implications of its priorities. Work is now underway to look into the feasibility of improving inner orbital traffic flows and reduce the amount of through traffic and congestion in the City Centre.

Summing up Bryan Gray commented “Now that we have agreed the priorities for Carlisle Renaissance we have been able to make good progress. It is vital that all public sector agencies unite and focus their resources on those activities that can have a real and lasting impact on the prosperity of the area. I am pleased to see that this is happening, there is a long way to go but I think we are beginning to turn a corner.”

 

January 2008: Support for local tourism businesses

Carlisle’s main attractions and its stunning scenery is being showcased in a new series of web clips specially produced to help local tourism providers up grade their websites.

Spearheaded by Carlisle City Council as part of a range of Carlisle Renaissance business support schemes, the development of the web clips has been overseen by CREA (Cumbria Rural Enterprise Agency). Funding has come from the City Council and the North West Development Agency.

Areas such as the Solway, Hadrian’s Wall, the Eden Valley and Carlisle’s historic city centre are shown within the 19 minute film and include interviews will local experts. These include:

• Carlisle’s historic quarter - presented by Peter Shaw, a local expert and guide of the city.
• Borderlands - presented by David Role, a cycling enthusiast who had has ridden and raced extensively throughout the area.
• Eden Valley - presented by James Carr, expert fisherman and trustee of the Eden Rivers Trust.
• Hadrian's Wall - presented by Jeff Barnett, expert on the wall and all things Roman.
• Solway Coast - Brian Irving, Manager of the Solway Coast AONB and wildlife photographer.

Local accommodation providers, including local B&B owners will be given the opportunity to use the clips within their own websites, to provide the web-browser the opportunity to see what the Carlisle area has on offer.

A seminar promoting the use of the DVD will be held on Monday, 28 January at Carlisle Racecourse. Forty-eight tourism businesses have signed up to attend, so far.

Cllr Marilyn Bowman, Portfolio holder for Economic Development and Enterprise said: "Through Carlisle Renaissance we are delivering projects on the ground that are helping people into employment, set up new businesses and provide support to existing businesses. The web clips are an example of this work and will provide benefits for local tourism providers.

"In this digital age websites are an important marketing tool. The audience is worldwide and the potential for selling the city and its region is enormous. We hope local tourism providers take up the opportunity to get involved. "

2007

December 2007: Public consultation drop-in sessions

From next week ( w/c 17 December 2007), local residents, businesses and visitors to Carlisle’s city centre will be asked to give their views on proposals to enhance the city’s historic core.

As part of an ambitious Carlisle Renaissance plan, proposals are in place to enhance the city’s most historic area, including Castle Street, Finkle Street, Market Street, Annetwell Street, Paternoster Row, Market Street and West Walls.

The scheme proposes the use of high quality materials and includes plans to extend the pedestrianised area of the city centre to include part of Castle Street. A 'Restricted Zone' is also suggested for other parts of the historic core that would limit the amount of unnecessary traffic entering the area. The plans aim to boost the economic and tourism aspects of the city centre.

Sessions will be held at the Old Town Hall’s Tourist Information Centre on the following dates and times:

• Tuesday, 18 December between 2pm and 5pm;
• Wednesday, 19 December between 2pm and 5pm;
• Wednesday, 9 January between 2pm and 5pm;
• Thursday, 10 January between 2pm and 5pm;
• Friday, 11 January between 2pm and 5pm; and
• Saturday, 12 January between 1pm and 3pm.

Carlisle City Cllr Ray Bloxham, Portfolio holder for Environment & Infrastructure said: "This is the first phase of future enhancement works planned for the city’s historic core. The high quality finish proposed for this scheme is to be reflected in other schemes. We want to work with local residents, businesses to ensure this scheme, wherever possible, to reflect the needs of those who live, work and visit the city centre."

The public consultation will be seeking views on the following:

Traffic Management

• A one-way system with traffic entering by Market Street and leaving by West Walls.
• The historic core would become a "restricted zone" for traffic with parking available only for residents, special-permit and disabled-badge holders and vehicles loading or unloading. Parking would only be allowed in the marked bays so allowing the removal of many road markings, signs and street clutter.
• Market Street would remain two-way, as would the southern end of West Walls to allow access to the Market Hall and Marks & Spencers’ car park, the Diocesan car park and the Tithe Barn.
• All other streets would be one-way, with vehicles entering from Market Street and leaving via West Walls.

Pedestrianisation

• To extend the existing pedestrianised area to include Castle Street, to the junction with Paternoster Row, and Fisher Street to the junction with Market Street (including St Mary’s Gate).
• This is to draw visitors from the main city centre retail area, towards the Cathedral, Castle Street and the historic core beyond, making the whole area more inviting to pedestrians.
• Delivery vehicles would still be allowed into this new pedestrianised area, but only between 7am and 10.30am and between 4.30pm and 7pm. They would leave Castle Street via St Mary’s Gate, Fisher Street and Market Street.
• This part of Castle Street would be closed by using automatic bollards or gates, opening at the appropriate time to allow access for businesses to load and unload in the area. At all other times the bollards or gates will only allow access to emergency and utility vehicles in addition to special permit holders.
• The proposed pedestrianised area will be repaved using natural materials, with a widened footway flagged with Lazonby sandstone, granite setts on roads and other natural materials in shared use areas.

Other Enhancements

• Improvements will be made to other roads and footways in the area involving work on Dean Tates Lane, Abbey Street/ Annetwell Street junction and Heads Lane/West Walls. The aim is to enhance pedestrian routes into the area.
• The enhancements will involve the use of natural materials, footways flagged with Lazonby sandstone and granite setts for roads.
• Carlisle City Council in partnership with Cumbria County Council is funding the £840,000 scheme.
• Comment sheets can be returned using a freepost envelope or using the ballot boxes at the Old Town Hall, Civic Centre, Tullie House or Carlisle Library by Thursday, 31 January 2008.

For further information telephone Carlisle City Council on 01228 817200 or visit http://www.carlisle.gov.uk/

 

December 2007: Carlisle Christmas Market opens for business

This Saturday (1 December) will see the return of Carlisle’s popular Christmas Market.

Following the success of last year’s event, the 2007 Market will be extended and will be bigger and better. Staged within the city centre’s pedestrianised shopping area, the nine-day event (Saturday, 1 December – Sunday, 9 December) will include more than 80 stalls from around the World. Shoppers will be able to sample culinary delights from as far a field as Australia, India, China and many European countries.

Quality Christmas crafts will also be on sale, for those on the looking for that special handcrafted gift.

Building on the success of previous Continental Markets, which have attracted thousands of visitors to the city centre, the event will be bigger than ever before and will be open late each day except Sunday, and will remain open till 9pm for Thursday late night shopping.

Made In Cumbria will join the market between Tuesday, 4 December and Saturday, 8 December. Each day will see different Made In Cumbria traders.

Cllr Mike Mitchelson, Leader of Carlisle City Council said: "This year we have made a major effort with our partners, to significantly strengthen and enhance our Christmas City programme for the benefit of both visitors and residents alike. The Christmas Market is a valuable part of the programme, and will help us compete in the same league as Lincoln, Manchester and other established Christmas market destinations. It will once again raise the profile of the city as an attractive visitor destination and will provide another popular event for residents too."

The market will operate alongside the city’s Victorian Market Hall, which offers a wide-range of traditional, local traders.

Carlisle – the Christmas City hopes to attract more than two million visitors to the city. Carlisle’s flagship Christmas programme includes a sparkling new ten metre tall tree as the city centre's centrepiece, incorporating colourful decorations and lights. The feature is set to dazzle and delight and is yet another attraction to savour as part of Carlisle city centre's overall illuminations and festive features.

The city's decorations include the illumination of key city landmarks - including the Citadel and Castle. These contemporary illuminations have been funded by Carlisle City Council, Cumbria County Council and English Heritage. A unique Nativity scene will also be placed in the city centre outside the Old Town Hall. A Carol Parade will also be held on Thursday 13 December.

During the Christmas Market period 2006 there was an 8% increase in footfall compared to the same period in the previous year. Visitor income for November and December in 2006 also increased by 4% compared to 2005 and the 2006 accommodation occupancy was also up by 12% compared to the previous year. Group travel enquiries have already been received for next year.

Carlisle City Council has attracted sponsorship and support from Story Homes, Cumbria County Council, English Heritage, Carlisle Renaissance and The Lanes Shopping Centre.

 

October 2007: Ambitious plans to boost the economy

Proposals to increase Carlisle's population by over 40%, over the next 20 years have been put forward as part of a Draft Economic Strategy which is about to go out for public consultation.

The strategy has been drawn up by a partnership of representatives from leading private, public and voluntary sector organisations.

It sets out what is necessary to grow the economy and secure long-term economic prosperity in the area. Alongside population growth, it advocates measures to improve skills in the workforce, revitalise deprived urban and rural neighbourhoods and provide support for business innovation.

John Nixon, who jointly chairs an Economy & Enterprise Group, which has drawn up the strategy, said:

Like people, towns and cities periodically need to take stock of their economic circumstances and to think how the future is to be shaped and how their prospects will be improved.

The intention is to be bold, ambitious and confident about Carlisle's prospects. Accordingly, the Strategy is based on the opportunities arising from significant population growth over the next 20 years. The presumption is that growth is needed to make Carlisle's economy stronger and to support the range and choice of services and facilities expected in a dynamic, University City.

At this stage, the draft is a statement of intent, to generate comment and to gauge public reaction. The Strategy, which is being developed with involvement from the public, private and voluntary sectors is the means of securing local commitment to a vision of Carlisle's future economic development.

The City Council has facilitated the work of the Economy & Enterprise Group, which is part of the Carlisle Partnership formed last year. Cllr Mike Mitchelson, Leader of Carlisle City Council and Chairman of the Carlisle Partnership, said: "When Carlisle Renaissance was launched, it was widely recognised that our aspirations could not be achieved without a cohesive strategy for achieving economic growth and one that addresses the needs of the local community alongside the needs of business.

The City Council and its partners have already begun to deliver projects on the ground to help people into employment and help small businesses to grow and, early next year, the first improvement works in the City Centre will start. Now we have a strategy that draws together all the different aspects of the renaissance agenda.

It is abundantly clear that we cannot expect Carlisle to prosper without making bold decisions now about how we plan to help shape the future. The strategy contains some exciting proposals and I look forward to engaging in a debate in the coming weeks about out priorities for action.

The strategy incorporates an indicative action plan for 2008-11 that sets out the type of project activity that will be required to implement proposals on the ground. The public as well as key local, regional and national partners are being consulted on the proposals over the next six weeks and the final strategy will be presented for adoption by key stakeholders at the end of the year.

Copies of the Consultation Draft Economic Strategy (and a proforma for submitting comments) are available from Carlisle City Council's web site (http://www.carlisle.gov.uk/) or by calling 01228 817110.

 

October 2007: Enterprising Hotelier

Hotelier Kath Dowle who six weeks ago took over the Wallfoot Hotel is determined to get as much assistance as possible to make her business shine.

Kath has already signed up to an intensive course offered by Carlisle City Council as part of a business assistance package provided through Carlisle Renaissance, 'For Profit Through Productivity'. This scheme is part of the Council's £95,000 investment designed to enhance businesses in the district, so far 13 businesses have taken advantage of the programme that started in April 07 and runs until 31 March 08.

Additionally her Hotel Manager Mathew Webster has recently attended the 'Welcome Management' customer service course, run by Cumbria Tourism with funding from Carlisle City Council. A Course that is designed to equip managers with the skills and leadership qualities to create customer service focused teams and therefore increase sales and profitability.

Cllr Marilyn Bowman says: "Kath and her staff at the Wallfoot have firmly grasped all of the help on offer from the City Council through Carlisle Renaissance. She has recognised that going that extra mile to help make her business a succeed through business development and training will help her achieve this, which is exactly what the year one Renaissance Programme For Profit Through Productivity is designed to do."

Kath's is firmly embracing all things local and is celebrating her arrival in the district by taking part in the sixth British Food Fortnight, which began on 22 September and runs to 7 October.

Her chef Rory McCallum has created a mouth-watering menu made from locally sourced produce. Rory says his style of ''cooking is about inspiring people to re-discover the varied, diverse and delicious food our county produces. '' As part of the To sample the Wallfoot's wares TV chef Annette Gibbons is attending the restaurant to sample Rory's menu at 7.00pm on the evening of Wednesday 3 October.

To find out more about the business support packages on offer contact Carlisle City Council Business Development Officer Don Taylor on 01228 817123.

 

October 2007: Have your say on revitalising city centre

From this Friday (19 October) local residents are being asked to give their views on Carlisle's city centre and how it could be enhanced.

As part of Carlisle Renaissance the City Council have appointed Gillespies, experts in urban design, to prepare an Urban Design Guide, Public Realm Framework and Public Art Strategy for Carlisle's city centre.

Their proposals for improvement will take around six months to draw up and public involvement is sought at the first stage of their work. A series of questions will be posed in the Cumberland News on Friday (19 October), on the City Council's website http://www.carlisle.gov.uk/ and via paper copies available from the Civic Centre's Customer Contact Centre.

Local people will be asked:

• What do you think is the most attractive space in Carlisle's city centre; where do you take visitors and feel proud of the city?
• What is the least attractive area in the city centre? What areas do you try to avoid and why?
• Is there anything you find frustrating about living, working and shopping in the city?
• What other cities or towns in the northwest or elsewhere do you like to visit, any why is that visit a good experience?
• How does Carlisle's compare with other cities and towns?
• How important do you think it is for the city centre to look attractive?

Responses should be returned by 12noon on Tuesday, 13 November 2007 to: Roger Higgins, Carlisle Renaissance, Civic Centre, FREE POST CE98, Carlisle, CA3 8BR or by e-mailing lpc@carlisle.gov.uk.

Leader of Carlisle City Council, Cllr Mike Mitchelson said: "Carlisle city centre has many fine attributes - it's medieval street pattern, its wide, open market place and its exceptional historical architecture. It's important that we take steps to protect these but also look at how we can enhance them for the benefit of local residents and visitors.

"We want to know what local residents think of the city centre areas and how they think they compare with other towns and cities that they visit. This information will help our consultants draw together some ideas for how it could be enhanced in the future. We are the first stages and a more detailed consultation is planned early next year."

In addition to seeking local residents views, an initial consultation will also involve statutory planning stakeholders and other local interest groups.

Victoria Farley, General Manager of Hoopers said: "This work is an important stepping stone towards achieving a high quality appearance for Carlisle's city centre. This is key when attracting visitors and helps us keep ahead of our competing cities and towns."

A public consultation on Gilliespies proposals is planned early next year. Following this, and City and County Councils' approval, the draft guidance will be made into Supplementary Planning Documents that will be referred to when planning applications are submitted.

 

September 2007: City Council submit regeneration bid to NWDA

A Carlisle City Council Executive have given approval to move forward with plans to regenerate key parts of the city centre today (Monday, 24 September).

Members of the Executive were asked to approve a £1.2million funding bid to the Northwest Development Agency (NWDA) to be used to buy property within key 'transformational' sites.

The regeneration areas have been identified as part of the ongoing Carlisle Renaissance proposals and include the Rickergate and Victoria Viaduct areas of the city. The NWDA funds could be used to acquire properties, within these areas, that are currently up for sale or where the owners have previously approached the City Council.

Deputy Leader of Carlisle City Council, Cllr Ray Bloxham said: "The NWDA have indicated that they want to support the overall economic position of Carlisle and in particular areas of the city which have already been identified as in need of regeneration. The £1.2 million bid is not a proposal to buy up residential properties that aren't currently up for sale but rather use funds outside the City Council's resources to purchase appropriate proprieties that come up on the market. The action is pre-emptive to avoid speculators buying up property opportunistically and running areas down."

Following today's Executive committee City Council officers will now assess potential properties, organise formal valuations and condition surveys and have detailed negotiations with the property owners.

 

6 August 2007: Local tourism businesses see stars

Nine local bed & breakfast providers will be seeing stars this Friday (8 August), when they each receive a national tourism accreditation.

The Mayor of Carlisle, Cllr Jacquelyne Geddes will present the prestigious ‘Welcome to Excellence’ plaques to the Carlisle-based accommodation providers at a special Civic reception held in their honour at the Civic Centre, at 12noon.

As part of a Carlisle Renaissance initiative, Carlisle City Council has been working with Cumbria Tourism to deliver a programme of customer care training. This has led to the businesses achieving the prestigious Welcome to Excellence standard.

Jointly funded by the North West Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and the City Council, the scheme was part of a series of initiatives that aimed to help tourism businesses to improve their productivity and performance.

Carlisle City Cllr Marilyn Bowman, Portfolio holder for Economic Development and Enterprise, said: "Through Carlisle Renaissance, we are delivering projects on the ground that are helping people into employment, set up new businesses and provide support to existing businesses. The customer care training undertaken by some our of local b&bs shows that they constantly wanting to improve their business and they recognise that achieving a national accreditation is a useful marketing tool to attract potential visitors. Well done to all the nine businesses who have met the national ‘Welcome to Excellence’ standard."

Additional help has included one-to-one business advice, advice on making better use of IT including trading on line, as well as a series of business development days where businesses can learn best practice from each other. The City Council has also been working with Cumbria Tourism to deliver a programme called Profit through Productivity.

Paula Scott, Business Development Manager, Cumbria Tourism, said: "Excellent customer service is crucial to the success of tourism businesses and we are pleased to work with Carlisle City Council in encouraging local businesses to participate in the Welcome to Excellence programme."

 

August 2007: Christmas comes earlier to Carlisle...

Christmas will be coming early to Carlisle next month (Friday, 7 September) when some of the county's employers seek out potential new seasonal and permanent staff.

Help will be hand for local residents who want to branch out their careers at the county's biggest Jobs Fair, to be held at The Sands Centre, Carlisle between 10am and 4pm.

A similar event was staged last September and resulted in 430 people getting jobs, 600 training courses being accessed and 200 advice sessions being signed up to. Around 2,500 job applications were also completed.

This autumn's event has been planned to coincide with seasonal jobs coming up for offer and is scheduled at a peak time for employment. In addition to the Christmas job opportunities, permanent positions will also be up for grabs.

More than 90 stalls and 70 employers, representing public, retail, manufacturing, construction, technical and caring sectors, will be in attendance throughout the day. All will be actively looking at filling current vacancies.

Those looking to develop skills or change career direction, including setting up your own business, will also be catered for. Training providers and business advisors will also be attending the Fair.

There will also be a range of other organisations on hand to talk about higher education, volunteering opportunities, support available and advice services. Cllr Marilyn Bowman, Portfolio holder for Economic Development & Enterprise said: "The Carlisle Renaissance agenda is highlighting the wider need to diversify Carlisle's economy. We need to assist our workforce in gaining new skills and to work with local employers to ensure that they are able to address their recruitment issues and skills gaps. Next month's Jobs Fair is not just about people who have been made redundant but anyone who is not working or would like to improve their skills levels and improve their future prospects."

The Carlisle Jobs & Training Fair has been organised by Carlisle City Council in partnership with Carlisle Renaissance, Job Centre Plus, Northwest Development Agency and the CN Group Ltd. For more information about the event telephone Carlisle City Council on 01228 817415.

 

August 2007: Former Deputy Prime Minster pledges continued support

The former Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott MP has pledged to give his continued support to Carlisle Renaissance.

At an informal visit to Carlisle City Council's Civic Centre on Wednesday (15 August), Mr Prescott, at the request of the City Council's Chief Executive, Maggie Mooney, has agreed to continue to give Carlisle support and advice as Carlisle Renaissance progresses.

Mr Prescott has always taken a personal interest in Carlisle since the January 2005 floods and was involved in the launch of Carlisle Renaissance.

Yesterday's visit was intended to be low key and informal and was on the request of Mr Prescott. The former Deputy Prime Minister, met with the City Council's Chief Executive, Maggie Mooney, who gave an update on Carlisle Renaissance and the future aspirations for the city. Carlisle MP Eric Martlew also attended the meeting.

The discussion also included an update on Carlisle's flood defences and how the City Council and the County Council were supporting those areas across the country which have recently been flooded. He was particularly interested to hear about how the City Council's Emergency Planning Officer, John Mallinson, had spent time in Doncaster to give support and advice and to share Carlisle's own experiences with the Council and the emergency services.

 

August 2007: Castle Street improvement proposals to be discussed

Carlisle City Council's Executive committee will discuss a proposal to give one of Carlisle's most historical areas a high quality makeover next Tuesday (28 August).

A report to Members of the committee sets out ambitious Carlisle Renaissance plans to improve Castle Street, an integral part of the city's 'historical core'. The draft scheme is part of wider plans to improve the economic and tourism aspects of the city centre and is regarded as setting a high standard for future improvement proposals to follow. The scheme plans are at an early stage but propose a quality finish. They include

• an increased use of high quality natural materials -granite and local lazonby sandstone;
• the removal of unnecessary street clutter;
• the use of consistent street furniture with a traditional appearance;
• reducing unnecessary vehicle access;
• installing a more effective parking layout; and
• improving pedestrian access to the area.

It is proposed that the £840,000 scheme could be financed by Government LABGI funding and includes

• Repaving footways and road surfaces - the existing footways on Castle Street are a mixture of concrete flags and concrete modular paving, most of which have been in place for many years. The proposed scheme replaces the existing paving with new traditional materials.
• Traffic management and parking - amend the layout of parking spaces in Castle Street.

Proposals include:

• Having no disc or disabled parking on the West side of Castle Street with parking for deliveries only.
• Parking between Finkle Street and Paternoster Row (east side of Castle Street) to be disc parking, 1 hour duration of stay cars to be parked in 'echelon' to maximise the number of spaces without causing undue visual intrusion.

• Parking between Paternoster Row and St Mary's Gate (east side of Castle Street) to be for Disabled Drivers (Blue Badge Holders). This replaces the parking, which at present takes place on the Cathedral frontage.

• Parking between St Mary's Gate and Greenmarket (both sides of road) to be for Disabled Drivers (Blue Badge Holders) as existing.

• Castle Street to be 'one way' in a southbound direction.

The parking layout reduces the total number of spaces from 54 to 42 and frees up the Cathedral side of Castle Street from parked cars. The needs of disabled blue badge holders are protected by ensuring spaces are located between Paternoster Row and the Greenmarket. The creation of the Restricted Parking Zone will minimise the number of signs required in the area and remove the need for yellow lines, which can be unsightly in an historic conservation area.

• Pedestrian access - in addition to the works in Castle Street itself the project includes improvements to pedestrian access into the Historic Core. These include:
• Dean Taits Lane and a speed table across West Walls;
• Improve the existing speed table over West Walls at Heads Lane;
• Re-configure the junction of Abbey Street/Annetwell Street and West Walls using sandstone and exposing existing sett carriageway;
• Re-paving works at the junction of Devonshire Walk and Castle Way. Improving the pedestrian crossing using sandstone and natural materials.

The initial proposals were discussed at a special Infrastructure Overview and Scrutiny workshop last Monday (13 August), also attended by members of the Highways Working Group.

In addition to the Executive next Tuesday (28 August), the proposals will also be discussed at the County Council's Highways Working Group on Wednesday, 5 September, the City Council's Full Council on Tuesday, 11 September and the County Council's Local Committee on Monday, 24 September.

If approval to progress the scheme is agreed a consultation with businesses and residents within the Castle Street area will be undertaken this autumn. Any agreed work is then proposed to start in January next year and could take between six and nine months to complete.

 

February 2007: More than 1,300 job seekers make a visit

Last week’s Carlisle City Council Jobs Fair (Friday, 15 February) is being hailed as a great success after more than 1,300 people made a visit to the free event.

More than 60 stalls and 40 employers, representing public, retail, manufacturing, construction, technical and caring sectors, were in attendance throughout the day. All were actively looking to fill current vacancies. The event resulted in:

• 3,000 application forms being handed out;
• 1,000 application forms being completed on the day;
• 100 interviews being arranged;
• 820 enquiries on training courses being sought; and
• 150 enquiries being made to support agencies.

Cllr Marilyn Bowman, Portfolio holder for Economic Development & Enterprise said: "Evaluation forms completed on the day demonstrated a 92% satisfaction rate with the event and its usefulness. The feedback from employers was also extremely positive, some employers attended for the first time making a commitment to attend future events and to link into community based recruitment activities."

A new scheme which aims to help residents receiving incapacity benefit get back into work was also launched at the Carlisle Jobs Skills & Training Fair and resulted in 50 people requesting further information.

Cumbria County Council has put in more than £600,000 of its money into the countywide Return to Work scheme whilst the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) has provided almost £1 million.

As part of the overall countywide £1.6 million Return to Work scheme, which will run between 2008 and 2010, the City Council have been chosen as the agency to deliver the Carlisle element – The Return to Work Carlisle project.

Managed by Carlisle City Council on behalf of Cumbria County Council, the employment initiative will provide tailored and personal support to residents who want to return to work but need help to upgrade their skills.

There are around 23,000 working age people claiming incapacity benefit in Cumbria including some 5,000 in the Carlisle area. The Return to Work Carlisle project will offer hundreds of claimants one-to-one advice and guidance and provide some vocational training.

County Cllr Tony Markley, the County Council’s Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Regeneration, says:  "Unemployment might be low in Cumbria in general, but that masks significant pockets of worklessness, particularly amongst those people who have been on Incapacity Benefit for some time. This is a good example of public bodies co-operating for the benefit of local people.

Cumbria County Council has put in more than £600,000 of its own money whilst the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) has put in almost a million pounds and the City Council is delivering this scheme in Carlisle to help people find work. Together we are determined to try and help as many people as we can who are able to work to find a job and increase their standard of living."

Routes To Work will deliver the Allerdale & Copeland scheme, Furness Enterprise will deliver the scheme in Barrow and Cumbria Rural Enterprise Agency will provide it in Eden and South Lakeland.

Lis Smith, Director of Skills Policy at the NWDA, said: "It can be difficult for those who have been out of work for a long time to get back into work but the NWDA is working hard to ensure that people in Cumbria can access the skills and advice they need in order to secure employment. Return to Work will provide invaluable one-to-one advice sessions and vocational training to improve employability and I am delighted to see that so many people in Carlisle have already been inspired by the scheme. I hope as the scheme rolls out across Cumbria many more people will access Return to Work and find long-term employment."

The City Council will build on their links with local employers to help residents get back into work and aims to follow on from the success of their other Carlisle Renaissance backed employment schemes, such as the Job Brokerage and Retail Academy initiatives. The Carlisle Jobs & Training Fair was organised by Carlisle City Council in partnership with Carlisle Renaissance, Cumbria County Council, Job Centre Plus, Northwest Regional Development Agency, Carlisle Housing Association and the CN Group Ltd.

2006

27 December 2006: Carlisle Renaissance boosted by visit of DPM

Cumbria County Council leader Tim Stoddard has welcomed today's visit of the Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott MP to Carlisle to monitor the ongoing progress of the Carlisle Renaissance project.

"It's now over a year since the floods and Carlisle has shown its resilience and determination in getting to where it is today," said Councillor Stoddard.

"The council has been part of the Renaissance project from the outset, and it's not just about getting back to where we were before the floods - it's about regenerating the city so it's a more prosperous and vibrant place than ever before."

Councillor Stoddard met the Deputy Prime Minister this morning, along with Carlisle City Council leader Mike Mitchelson and chief executive Maggie Mooney.

Cumbria County Council is working jointly with the City Council on the development framework and movement study to ensure planning and transport policies encourage Carlisle’s renaissance.

The DfES has agreed in principle to provide £30m to develop secondary education in Carlisle following the floods. Cumbria County Council is leading the review of schools in Carlisle by working with the college, higher education, the LSC, and schools to ensure the delivery of the ‘Learning City’ agenda. 

The council has also been working on securing PFI funding to relocate the fire station from Rickergate, helping to modernise the fire service, and by releasing county land for redevelopment opportunities.

It has also been seeking Heritage Lottery Funding for a new Carlisle record office which will allow English Heritage to capitalise on the historical asset of the castle.