Carlisle news and politics

14/02/2025

😡😡How Are Buying Silence and Killing Local Democracy
Introduction The relationship between local councils and the press is supposed to be
one of scrutiny and accountability. But what happens when that very press is bought
and paid for? When councils funnel obscene amounts of taxpayer money into local
newspapers, any pretence of journalistic integrity is shattered. In one shocking case, a
council pumped £334,390.15 into a single newspaper over seven months, effectively
turning it into a PR machine instead of a watchdog. This is not just a waste of public
money—it’s an attack on democracy.
The Press: Watchdogs or Council Lapdogs? Local newspapers were once the fierce
guardians of public accountability, exposing wasteful spending, corruption, and
backroom deals. Now, many have been neutered—stripped of their independence,
reduced to publishing carefully curated council propaganda.
Councils bankroll these newspapers under the guise of advertising public notices, but
in reality, they are silencing dissent with cold, hard cash. When a publication
becomes financially dependent on council handouts, the message is clear: “Play nice,
or lose your funding.”
The £334,390.15 Bribe: What It Means for Journalism A council secretly funnelling
over £334,390.15 into one newspaper in just seven months is more than just a bad
look—it’s a direct assault on press freedom.
• Self-Censorship: Journalists dare not bite the hand that feeds them, leading
to cozy, council-approved reporting.
• Council-Controlled Narratives: Instead of hard-hitting investigations,
newspapers churn out fluff pieces and PR spin.
• Public Deception: Readers assume they’re getting real news, but in reality,
they’re consuming council-funded propaganda.
The Death of Local Democracy, Democracy depends on a free and fearless press. But
when councils buy off newspapers, real investigative journalism dies. Here’s what’s at
stake:
1. Corruption Goes Unchecked – With no independent scrutiny, councils can
waste and mismanage funds with impunity.
2. Media Monopoly – Independent, critical voices are shut out, leaving taxpayers
with a single, council-approved narrative.
3. Public Manipulation – When newspapers serve politicians instead of the
people, democracy suffers
It’s Time to Cut Off the Money Tap To stop this outrageous abuse of public funds,
urgent reforms are needed:
• Ban Councils from Funding Newspapers – Public notices should be published
in independent platforms, not media lapdogs.
• Full Transparency – Councils must disclose every penny spent on press
advertising, so taxpayers know where their money is going.
• Independent Media Protections – Newspapers must be financially
independent from local authorities to remain impartial.
Speak Out Before It’s Too Late What’s happening is nothing less than the slow,
calculated destruction of free local journalism. Councils have found the perfect way
to silence dissent—and they’re using your money to do it.
If we don’t wake up and fight back, soon the only news you’ll read will be whatever
your local council wants you to believe

16/04/2024

£77.5m plans in to transform Carlisle Citadels into the new University Campus thrown into question.

30/01/2024

Council Corporate Credit Cards and the failure to disclose the spending and debts run up on the 415 cards held by Cumbria’s two councils.

Alarm bell for everyone in Cumbria as to the financial state of our councils and the lack of a grip on the public purse by the councils.

Council Corporate Credit Cards and the failure to disclose the spending and debts run up on the 415 cards held by ’s two councils.

Through an investigation by members of a local party Putting Cumbria First into the corporate credit card spending and debts held by Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council as part of a wider scrutiny of both councils financial transparency failures since they took over on the 1st of April 2023.

Cumberland Council has confirmed it has 121 Corporate Cards and 142 School Cards a total of 263.

Westmorland and Furness Council has conferment it has 86 corporate credit cards; Westmorland & Furness schools have 165 cards, for a total of 251.

To date both councils have been asked and failed to provide the actually monthly spending on any of the 514 credit cards the councils collectively hold.

This is despite a legal requirement under the local government transparency code to provide the spending of the council including the spending on credit cards.

As well as the spending on each card that the councils have both failed to provide to date.

The councils have also been asked to provide details of any spending under investigation or unauthorised spending on council corporate credit cards since 1st April 2023.

One council has responded to this request confirming that the Council does hold the information requested, however has decided to withhold the information.

Saying “The Council considers that disclosure of the information could jeopardise an ongoing investigation. As the detection of crime would be prejudiced by disclosure”

In the final month of the former councils replaced by the new unitary councils one council with a single corporate credit card spent over £16,000 in March 2023.

Questions have been asked of Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Councils spending on the councils collective 514 Credit cards after it emerged another Cash-strapped Northern Council racked up a bill of almost £8m on its corporate purchase cards in the last financial year.

A damning report into purchase card activity within just one department of Middlesbrough Council, by investigators found evidence of non-compliance with policy and thousands of unreviewed transactions. There was no regular challenge against excessive spending limits, auditors found, while some officers were even reviewing and approving their own spend.

Investigations into historic spending on some of the legacy councils on credit cards has also revealed Cumbria County Council in January 2023 racked up spending of £959,171.00 in a single months transactions.

Among the spending by Schools that collectively account for 307 of the corporate credit cards held by both councils some schools were spending in that month amounts that ranged on a school by school spend from £1,000 to £10,000 in a month on the credit cards with one school spending over £15,000 on new play equipment.

Many schools were also using the cards to pay for gas and electricity bills with some paying over £6,000 to energy suppliers on the council corporate credit cards.

The council’s failure to disclose the spending since April 2023 on the collective 514 cards and the apparent investigations the councils have now launched after an investigation by local Party Putting Cumbria First into the council’s finances and credit cards raises serious concerns about possible financial blackholes in both councils that could total millions that will ultimately land on council tax payers to cover the debts.

The disclosure that among the two councils and its 514 corporate credit cards that “disclosure of the information could jeopardise an ongoing investigation” should be an alarm bell for everyone in Cumbria as to the financial state of our councils and the lack of a grip on the public purse by the councils

22/12/2023

Some naughty boys have ended up on Santas Naughty List and will be getting a code of conduct for Christmas from him.

10/12/2023

This is a must read for anyone living in you might want to have a drink in hand...

Carlisle's Half Million Trumpton Mayor
Carlisle residents look set to pay almost half a million via council tax to have a ceremonial Mayor next year.

Wow 🤯

As part of the local government changes in Cumbria charter trusts were formed in two locations that had no parish councils to protect the status of the mayor ceremonial for the areas and other status.

In Barrow a charter trust was established to allow Barrow to keep a Mayor this charter trust was quickly replaced by a town council for Barrow with 21 elected councillors.

In a Carlisle a charter trust was established to preserve the city status and enable the city to have a ceremonial mayor after the city council was scrapped.

The charter trust had a budget of £34,700 paid for via a precept on the council tax of those who live in the city of Carlisle.

The main purpose of the budget and charter trust is to allow Carlisle to maintain city status and have a ceremonial mayor.

Unlike arrow Carlisle has not established a city-wide parish council that could deliver much needed local representation, facilities and services.

A city-wide parish council could also call itself a city council and have Mayor.

But shockingly the Trustees of the Charter trust made up of the Cumberland councillors for the wards in Carlisle are set to approve a budget that will be paid by Carlisle residents via the council tax precept for the next year 24/25 council tax bill that will if approved by almost half a million pounds.

All that to pay over £100,000 back to Cumberland council they all serve on for office space and staffing provision to enable the trust and mayor to charge residents for having them meet and the mayor cut ribbons.

The budget will also include the doubling of the hire cost for the Carlisle mayor's car to almost £10,000.

What’s wrong with the bus….

Is Carlisle having a ceremonial Mayor really worth almost half a million a year?

Short answer is on its own no, But if the ceremonial role was part of a city wide parish council that delivered much more then possibly yes.

Just up the road in Silloth the town council has a precept amount of £173,000 for the current year and has a ceremonial Mayor wit the town council delivering events and providing facilities and services to support its community. Aspatria Town Council for the current year has a precept/budget of £77,500 again the town has via the town council a Ceremonial Mayor.

It appears that the Carlisle Charter Trust that beyond the Cumberland councillors been the trustees no one in Carlisle gets to vote directly for the charter trustees yet they can set a direct charge to Carlisle residents of what ever they like without any limits or need for referendum on council tax levels and that money isolating for fancy cars and helping fill the black hole of Cumberland Council for little benefit to Carlisle council tax payers.

It could be viewed as a stealth city double taxation by Cumberland Council on residents of the city.

It’s time Carlisle got serious and had a city wide parish council with directly elected members that have the powers to take on assets such as the market hall Turkish baths, play parks from Cumberland council and protect and improve them for the city.

And deliver best value for. Only not just a pomp and pageantry ceremonial mayor costing more than many fully fledged town councils in Cumbria.

16/11/2023

MP Votes “Against” Call For Immediate Ceasefire In Gaza.

MP John Stevenson has today vote against a motion amendment by the SNP in Parliament calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza in what some UN directors have said is a text-book case of genocide.

The amendment to the Kings Speech was made by the SNP calling for “all parties to agree to an immediate ceasefire” in Gaza.

John Stevenson was among the 293 MP’s who voted against the motion calling for calling for “all parties to agree to an immediate ceasefire” in Gaza with UN expert warning of new instance of mass ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, and has prompted Craig Mokhiber, a director at the United Nations, to resign over what he claimed was the organization’s “failure” to act against what he called a "text-book case of genocide." And a separate coalition of U.N. experts have also expressed concern, warning that Palestinians were “at grave risk of genocide.” As a result of the War that has broken out following the terror attacks in Israel on the 7th of October.

The vote on the amendment failed with 293 MP’s voting against the amendment to 125 MP’s voting to support the call for a ceasefire.

What do you thing should MP’s be supporting calls for a ceasefire? And do you think labours Julie Minns would have supported it or voted how she was told?

17/08/2023

Last night was spotted in

16/08/2023

There have been renewed calls to redevelop the lodge in Bitts Park - but what other currently unloved buildings need to be saved before it's too late? Your suggestions below 👇

16/08/2023

What is Cumberland Council hiding? Almost 5 months in and still have not posted expenses over £250! Where is the ?

27/07/2023

Don’t believe the myths – make sure you’re not taking part in supporting the run Cumberland Council

27/07/2023