Carlisle's Sands Centre reopening delayed again
Cumberland Council says the delay to the work is due to storm damage from earlier this year.
The council had previously stated that work would be completed by spring 2025, but the events programme at the Sands Centre is now not expected to begin again until early 2026.
Leader of Cumberland Council, Cllr Mark Fryer, said: 'Our project team and contractor have had to face several challenges, and the storm in January had a major impact on the completion of the necessary works. The team worked tirelessly to deal with the storm damage.
'The Sands is the region's premier venue, and the investment in the new roof and the works planned for the auditorium will ensure it is the venue of choice for our residents and wider audiences."
Following the temporary closure of the auditorium last year, GLL, who manage the venue on the council's behalf, moved their classical concert programme to the sports hall within the Sands.
A Cumberland Council statement said: "The temporary closure of the events space to allow the works to be undertaken does not impact on the day-to-day running of the main leisure centre.
"The new main Sands Centre building's leisure provision is unaffected, which includes the pools, gym, studios and sports hall."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
3 days ago
- BBC News
Promised £4m funding for Whitchurch Civic Centre not found
Money that was supposed to be set aside to bring Whitchurch Civic Centre back into use has not been identified, Shropshire Council has centre has been closed since September 2023 after it was discovered to have used potentially dangerous reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac).In February, when the authority was run by the Conservatives, its cabinet agreed to commit up to £4m within its capital strategy towards the repair or rebuilding of the centre. But the council's current administration, run by the Liberal Democrats, confirmed that no funding was identified and put into the capital programme. The BBC has contacted the Conservatives for funding was due to be used to rebuild and redevelop the site or create a new roof for the centre, depending on whether or not government or external funding could be council said the likely aspiration was to redevelop the site and create a new, modern, fit-for-purpose and energy-efficient building. This was emerging as the preferred option, said the council, as opposed to replacing just the roof. 'Left in limbo' Andy Hall, who is both a Shropshire and Whitchurch town councillor, said he was "extremely disappointed" that the people in the town had been"hoodwinked into believing £4m had been set aside from the Conservative administration"."Money was set aside for this but it doesn't exist," said Hall."It leaves us in limbo until we have a finance meeting and identify where the money can come from."The North Shropshire Conservative Association has been contacted for Evans, the council's cabinet member for finance said: "I understand the expectation and the need for Whitchurch to have a functioning civic centre and promise that we will continue to discuss and share future plans".This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which covers councils and other public service organisations. Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
21-07-2025
- BBC News
Cumberland Council to pay £2,000 for child's missed education
A council has been ordered to pay £2,000 compensation to a family after their child missed out on two school local government and social care ombudsman upheld a complaint from the mother of a child with special educational needs after Cumberland Council failed to review these.A report published by the ombudsman said the council had "failed to secure" educational provision detailed in the child's health and care plan (EHC) - a document which outlines what needs they have and the support they require - and provide a suitable alternative between September 2024 and April Council has been approached for comment. The ombudsman said the child, referred to as Y in documents, had been going to a special school until April 2024, at which point they started struggling to council arranged out-of-school tuition but, when it issued a draft EHC plan following a review, it continued to name the previous school as the child's family complained and the council committed to making changes. 'This was fault' By the October, Y's tuition had stopped because they struggled to engage with it and council records showed the authority had asked a special advisory teacher to carry out a review of the child's in the February the family complained to the ombudsman because there was still no final plan nor provision in place."There is little evidence of the council reviewing Y's progress or acting on [the mother's] concerns. This was fault," the ombudsman said in the added that, while Y had received some education since leaving the special school, the council had failed to provide the child with a suitable alternative."The council failed to consider carrying out an interim review when Y left school and failed again to do so when Y's alternative provision was unsuccessful," it said. "This left Y with an out-of-date plan which did not meet their needs."The report showed the council had agreed to apologise to the family and review its approach on interim EHC council also agreed to pay £1,800 compensation for failing to secure the provision in Y's plan for two terms, and £200 for the uncertainty caused. Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
19-07-2025
- BBC News
Cumbria free school buses reinstated amid safety concerns
A council accused of putting money before children's safety by scrapping free school buses is to reinstate all Council was due to end services on four routes in Cumbria from September having said it was following national guidance by identifying a "safe walking route" that pupils could use, while paid-for public transport was also hit out at the move and warned many youngsters would face long and potentially unsafe authority said it was now acknowledging "the concerns raised by families" and all services would remain in place. Among those set to have been affected were children from Great Clifton who attended Workington Academy two miles (3.2km) route put forward by the council for walking was next to a busy road and had little or no lighting, opponents Fox said her daughter Connie faced a 45-minute walk."I don't see how the council can deem it safe," she told the councillor Peter Gaston said: "Are they putting money before the safety of school children? The answer is yes." 'Rash' decision Youngsters in the Kells area of Whitehaven were also going to lose free bus Madrick said her son Flynn would either have had to catch two paid-for buses to get to St Benedict's Catholic High School or face a walk of more than three miles (4.8km), which was "impossible" due to health branded the council's original decision to scrap the service "rash"."We're relieved they've changed their mind," Ms Madrick said, adding: "It would've had a huge impact."Both secondary schools - St Benedict's and Whitehaven Academy - are on the other side of town to the Kells and Bransty areas, and the public buses aren't reliable."Expecting children from the age of 11 to walk six miles to school and back every day is too much and it wouldn't have been safe crossing the A595." 'Priority is safety' The council provides free travel on just over 600 routes, with the figure including services for coaches for dozens of pupils as well as vehicles for single a statement, it said it had undertaken a review of walking routes to schools to "ensure our free school transport provision remains fair, consistent, and based on current criteria for need and entitlement, in line with national guidance".However, it added: "We acknowledge the concerns raised by families regarding the outcomes of the reassessment of walking routes."As a result, current provision will remain in place on all [four] affected routes at this time."Our priority continues to be the safety of children and young people, and we are committed to working openly with families and community representatives." Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
