Your council
Westmorland and Furness: what’s happening where you live
What the council itself has published on the five things it most shapes for a household: homes, getting about, the bill, the local environment and schools. Each line is quoted from the council’s own document, with the link. This page says what was decided or proposed; it never says whether it was right.
Westmorland and Furness Council: Unitary authority (unitary), England, North West. GOV.UK lists it as a unitary council.
Housing
We haven't read this council's own publications yet. The council’s website
Transport
We haven't read this council's own publications yet. The council’s website
Council tax
Band D set by Westmorland and Furness for 2026–27: £2,014.73 of a £2,507.99 total bill in the area.
We haven't read this council's own publications yet. The council’s website
Environment
We haven't read this council's own publications yet. The council’s website
Education
We haven't read this council's own publications yet. The council’s website
Changes to schools in this area recorded by the Department for Education Updated automatically
No school here is currently recorded as proposed to open or close.
In the last twelve months: 0 opened, 1 closed (1 result of amalgamation/merger)
- Furness College (16 plus) — closed; reason recorded: result of amalgamation/merger, 31 July 2026
What the council plans to spend, 2026–27
| Service | Budget |
|---|---|
| Education services | £198.6 million |
| Highways and transport services | £21.2 million |
| Children's social care | £55.8 million |
| Adult social care | £124.9 million |
| Public health | £10.0 million |
| Housing services (general fund only) | £5.6 million |
| Cultural and related services | £8.8 million |
| Environmental and regulatory services | £41.6 million |
| Planning and development services | £14.0 million |
| Police services | none budgeted |
| Fire and rescue services | none budgeted |
| Central services | £16.5 million |
| Other services | £26,000 |
| Total service expenditure | £496.9 million |
Life in Westmorland and Furness: the official facts
- People living here
- 231,307 people
- Typical age
- 49 years
- Money to live on, per person, per year
- £26,301
- Typical weekly pay, before tax
- £672
- Children growing up in poverty
- 19.6%
- People claiming unemployment-related benefits
- 1.9%
- Average price of a home
- £231,161
- How many years of pay a home costs
- 5.7 times yearly pay
- Years in good health: women
- 64.4 years
- Years in good health: men
- 62.8 years
- Greenhouse gases, per person
- 11.9 tonnes per person
- Homes and businesses that can get the fastest broadband
- 81.8%
- Public chargers for electric cars
- 265.9 per 100,000 people
- Businesses trading here
- 9,700 businesses
Who runs the council
65 seats in 2026. Run by: Liberal Democrats, with a majority.
Councillors by party: Liberal Democrats 35, Labour Party 15, Conservative and Unionist 9, Independent / Other 4, Vacant 1, Green Party (E&W) 1.
Next scheduled council election: 6 May 2027.
All 65 councillors, by ward
- Mary Robinson (Independent / Other) — Alston and Fellside
- Michael Hanley (Labour Party) — Alston and Fellside
- Andy Connell (Liberal Democrats) — Appleby and Brough
- Graham Simpkins (Liberal Democrats) — Appleby and Brough
- Stephen Bavin (Liberal Democrats) — Bowness and Lyth
- Vicky Hughes (Liberal Democrats) — Burton and Holme
- Suzanne Pender (Liberal Democrats) — Coniston and Hawkshead
- Ben Shirley (Conservative and Unionist) — Dalton North
- Daniel Edwards (Conservative and Unionist) — Dalton North
- Dave Taylor (Independent / Other) — Dalton South
- Tony Callister (Labour Party) — Dalton South
- Nicki Vecqueray (Liberal Democrats) — Eamont and Shap
- Lorna Baker (Liberal Democrats) — Eden and Lyvennet Vale
- Neil McCall (Liberal Democrats) — Eden and Lyvennet Vale
- Andy Hull (Liberal Democrats) — Grange and Cartmel
- Jenny Boak (Liberal Democrats) — Grange and Cartmel
- Tim Bloomer (Liberal Democrats) — Grange and Cartmel
- Judith Derbyshire (Liberal Democrats) — Greystoke and Ullswater
- Les Hall (Conservative and Unionist) — Hawcoat and Newbarns
- Roy Worthington (Conservative and Unionist) — Hawcoat and Newbarns
- Vacant (Vacant) — Hawcoat and Newbarns
- Colin Atkinson (Conservative and Unionist) — Hesket and Lazonby
- Hilary Carrick (Conservative and Unionist) — Hesket and Lazonby
- Matt Brereton (Conservative and Unionist) — High Furness
- Eamonn Hennessy (Liberal Democrats) — Kendal Castle
- Helen Ladhams (Liberal Democrats) — Kendal Castle
- Matt Severn (Liberal Democrats) — Kendal Highgate
- Philip Dixon (Liberal Democrats) — Kendal Highgate
- Jonathan Cornthwaite (Liberal Democrats) — Kendal Nether
- Shirley Evans (Liberal Democrats) — Kendal Nether
- Doug Rathbone (Liberal Democrats) — Kendal South
- Jonathan Brook (Liberal Democrats) — Kendal South
- Giles Archibald (Liberal Democrats) — Kendal Strickland and Fell
- Peter Thornton (Liberal Democrats) — Kendal Strickland and Fell
- Helen Chaffey (Liberal Democrats) — Kent Estuary
- Rupert Audland (Liberal Democrats) — Kent Estuary
- Adrian Waite (Liberal Democrats) — Kirkby Stephen and Tebay
- John Murray (Liberal Democrats) — Kirkby Stephen and Tebay
- Janet Battye (Liberal Democrats) — Levens and Crooklands
- Ben Cooper (Conservative and Unionist) — Low Furness
- Anne Burns (Labour Party) — Old Barrow and Hindpool
- David Cassidy (Labour Party) — Old Barrow and Hindpool
- Kevin Hamilton (Labour Party) — Old Barrow and Hindpool
- Beverly Morgan (Labour Party) — Ormsgill and Parkside
- Bill McEwan (Labour Party) — Ormsgill and Parkside
- Derek Brook (Labour Party) — Ormsgill and Parkside
- Mark Rudhall (Liberal Democrats) — Penrith North
- Patricia Bell (Liberal Democrats) — Penrith North
- Barbara Jayson (Liberal Democrats) — Penrith South
- Michael Eyles (Independent / Other) — Penrith South
- Andy Coles (Labour Party) — Risedale and Roosecote
- Jane Murphy (Labour Party) — Risedale and Roosecote
- Trevor Biggins (Labour Party) — Risedale and Roosecote
- Hazel Hodgson (Liberal Democrats) — Sedbergh and Kirkby Lonsdale
- Ian Mitchell (Liberal Democrats) — Sedbergh and Kirkby Lonsdale
- Helen Irving (Conservative and Unionist) — Ulverston
- Jackie Drake (Labour Party) — Ulverston
- Judy Filmore (Green Party (E&W)) — Ulverston
- Ali Jama (Independent / Other) — Upper Kent
- Anita Husband (Labour Party) — Walney Island
- Frank Cassidy (Labour Party) — Walney Island
- Therese Assouad (Labour Party) — Walney Island
- Andrew Jarvis (Liberal Democrats) — Windermere and Ambleside
- Dyan Jones (Liberal Democrats) — Windermere and Ambleside
- Will Clark (Liberal Democrats) — Windermere and Ambleside