THE process of separating Cumbria’s registration service between the two new unitary authorities will be completed a year ahead of schedule, it has been revealed.

Members of Cumberland and Westmorland & Furness Councils’ joint executive committee got an update on progress made so far at a meeting at Voreda House in Penrith on Friday (November 22).

They considered a report titled Update on 'Disaggregation Programme Delivery'. Disaggregation is the term given to the process of dividing services of the former councils which the two new authorities replaced.

Alison Hatcher, Westmorland and Furness Council’s assistant chief executive, told members that “good progress” had been made on the move in the first year but predicted it would be slower during the second year.

She said it was originally planned to complete disaggregation of the registration service by March 2026 but this was being brought forward to March next year.

Councillor Pat Bell (Penrith North, Lib Dems), Westmorland & Furness’s cabinet member for adult care, asked whether bringing the separation forward would make it “better or worse”?

Clare Liddle, Cumberland Council’s monitoring officer, said staff had already separated into teams covering separate districts which gave the teams a “sense of belonging”.

She added: “I think separating will improve it and not make it worse.”

The report contained a number of recommendations, including to note the bringing forward of the disaggregation of the Registrars Service by 12 months, which were agreed.