Nearly £87m Extra Spending Planned By Westmorland And Furness Council.
Westmorland and Furness Council is planning to add almost £87 million to its capital spending programme over the next five years.
The council originally approved a £427.75 million capital programme covering 2026 to 2031 in February. This was later increased to £444.235 million, with a further £86.827 million now set to be added. Capital spending covers investment in physical assets such as roads, buildings, land, streetlights and road signs, as well as grants and advances provided to other organisations.
One of the largest parts of the additional funding is £42.098 million for local transport, which will be spread across the five-year period. A further £39.62 million has been allocated to highways, providing additional funding for work on the county's road network and related infrastructure.
The financial changes were approved by the council's cabinet on September 8 and were due to be considered by the full council at Kendal Town Hall on September 24. Other funding expected during the current financial year includes £2.942 million for high-needs educational provision and £1.214 million for disabled facilities grants.
The council is also planning to allocate £350,000 to housing market renewal in Barrow as part of the town's wider Town Deal investment programme. Additional education funding includes £443,000 for schools from the Department for Education, alongside £120,000 specifically for Grange CE Primary School.
The spending package also includes £29,000 for play areas and £11,000 for rights of way across the council's area. The additional investment represents a significant expansion of the council's existing capital programme and will cover projects and improvements across South Cumbria and the wider Westmorland and Furness area.
The planned spending comes as councils continue to balance major infrastructure and public service investment against financial pressures, with capital programmes providing funding for longer-term improvements to local facilities and assets.
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