THE unitary Westmorland and Furness authority will have headquarters in three different towns when it begins operating next year.

The council's 'anchor buildings' are to be located in Barrow, Kendal and Penrith. 

Cllr Peter Thornton, Westmorland and Furness Council portfolio holder for highways and assets, said the 'revolution in IT and remote working' that came with the Covid pandemic meant 'we no longer need to think about concentrating our business in one building and one centre'.

"We need to make some important decisions about the way forward and how this council will run and operate," he said.

“Five years ago, any business which owned an estate such as ours would probably propose wholesale rationalisation and build a new headquarters into which everything would be concentrated.

“But we have responsibilities to our communities and our towns."

The cabinet of the shadow Westmorland and Furness Council today (Monday) agreed to headquarters at the town hall in Barrow, Voreda House in Penrith, and South Lakeland House, the town hall and county hall in Kendal.

South Lakeland House and Kendal Town Hall, which are connected, have been chosen as the registered office of the council for the purpose of receiving official documentation.

The unitary authority will begin operating from April 1, 2023. At this time, Barrow Borough Council, South Lakeland District Council, Eden District Council and Cumbria County Council will be abolished. 

The shadow authority is overseeing planning and preparation for the new council.

A report produced ahead of the cabinet meeting said the unitary authority needed a 'decentralised approach' to governance that would 'enable it to be close to the geographically dispersed communities and ensure that services are accessible to all residents, even in the remotest parts of Westmorland and Furness'.

The report said: "A key requirement for a successful decentralised system is a well-connected organisation that comprises anchor offices at major towns as well as service centres that are local to residents based in more remote locations, enabled by information and communication technology to ensure services and support are available on virtual platforms."