£11.1m a year for Cumbria’s new mayoral authority

Cumbria’s new mayoral authority is set to receive £11.1 million a year from the Government under a long-term investment deal.
Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary Steve Reed confirmed in a ministerial statement that Cumbria is one of six regions awarded funding over a 30-year period. The new combined authority will have full control over how the money is spent, with the investment split evenly between capital projects and revenue budgets.
The Cumbria Combined Authority is due to be formed in early 2026. It will operate for its first year without a mayor, ahead of the county’s first mayoral election in May 2027. The election was pushed back by a year to coincide with other local polls, a move expected to save around £1.1 million.
Once established, the authority will receive a series of significant powers and responsibilities. These will include county-wide transport planning, management of key routes, influence over major road and rail schemes, and a role in shaping bus and active travel strategy. The transfer of the Adult Skills Fund will give local leaders more control over training and employment support, while the authority will also be responsible for a statutory Spatial Development Strategy, regeneration planning and closer working with Homes England.
Economic growth duties will involve preparing a Local Growth Plan, running the Growth Hub, supporting innovation and coordinating inward investment. The new authority will also take on responsibilities linked to the forthcoming Local Nature Recovery Strategy and play a role in net-zero planning.
In time, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner functions are expected to transfer to the combined authority, alongside new duties related to information-sharing and resilience planning. It will also have a statutory responsibility to support efforts to reduce health inequalities.
The two unitary councils, Westmorland and Furness and Cumberland, agreed in October to move ahead with forming the combined authority.
Mr Reed said all six new areas will receive a minimum of £3 million a year for the next three financial years, plus an additional £1 million when the required legislation is laid in Parliament to help with set-up costs. His statement also confirmed £5.5 million of funding for the pre-election year of 2026/27. The £11.1 million annual allocation will sit alongside existing government funding streams for skills, transport and other services.
Jonathan Brook, leader of Westmorland and Furness Council and chair of the joint executive committee overseeing the transition, welcomed the announcement. He said the funding “provides a basis for us to develop initial plans and priorities for the new authority to push forward economic development”, and highlighted the importance of decisions being made locally rather than centrally.
Mr Reed said devolution would support economic growth and improve public services by giving local leaders the “long-term funding certainty” needed to invest in transport, skills and regeneration.
Carlisle MP Julie Minns described the news as “a vote of confidence in Cumbria and its communities,” adding that she looked forward to working with both councils and the future mayor to ensure the investment delivers long-term benefits.