The Search Area for South Copeland will be changing its boundary due to Local Government Reorganisation when the current electoral ward boundaries of Copeland Borough Council cease to exist from April 1st 2023.
Members of the South Copeland GDF Community Partnership have been discussing how the changes will affect the Partnership, as the area takes part in the search for a suitable site for a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF).
The Implementing Geological Disposal – working with communities government policy about long term management of higher activity radioactive waste requires a Search Area to be defined using electoral ward boundaries and that any changes to these boundaries should be reflected in the Search Area as it evolves over time.
The new wards will follow the same boundaries as the current county council divisions.
This means the South Copeland Search Area will cover the electoral division of Millom and Millom Without.
Drigg and Carleton, and Irton with Santon, which were previously a part of the Mid Copeland Search Area, now sit in the Millom Without ward and will instead be in the South Copeland Search Area.
Where boundaries have changed, local residents will now be engaged by the South Copeland Community Partnership. However, the Mid Copeland Community Partnership has offered a non-voting seat to Drigg and Carleton Parish Council to keep communication open and provide continuity. The Parish Council has been engaged in the process since the Partnership formed.
Areas within the Lake District National Park and the Southern Boundary Extension will continue to be excluded when considering a potential location for a GDF, which includes Irton and Santon, however, these areas will continue to be included in the conversation.
Chair of the South Copeland Community Partnership, Ged McGrath, said: “The South Copeland Community Partnership has considered the upcoming boundary changes and how this will impact the current Search Area in South Copeland.”
“The movement of Drigg and Carleton, and Irton and Santon, from the Mid Copeland Community Partnership to our South Copeland Community Partnership will mean that we will continue the conversation with residents in these areas from April. This will not impact residents within the current South Copeland Search Area.”
