Who are the Community Partnership?

The South Copeland GDF Community Partnership helps explore the possibility of hosting a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) in our area. It is made up of the Local Authority, community members and the GDF developer Nuclear Waste Services (NWS).

Who is part of the Community Partnership?

A Community Partnership must include:

at least one relevant principal local authority (such as a district or county council)
the developer – Nuclear Waste Services (NWS)
members of the community and individuals.

Our aim is to make sure the membership reflects the local community in the Search Area. A selection panel has identified additional members based on the specific skills, knowledge and experience that the Community Partnership needs.

We serve as a vital link between the community and the GDF programme, ensuring local voices are heard, questions are answered, and information is shared openly and transparently.

Who are the South Copeland GDF Community Partnership members?

Man standing in front of a black background

Chair and Cumbria Association of Local Councils (CALC) representative

Andy Pratt is Chair of the South Copeland GDF Community Partnership. He lives in Holmrook with his family, and is the Cumberland councillor for Millom Without Ward. He brings valuable experience to this role as a previous member of the South Copeland GDF Community Partnership (representing Millom Without and Cumbria Association of Local Councils), and is the current Chair of Mid Copeland GDF Community Partnership. He is also the Chair of Governors at Kirkland Academy, and the Chair of Drigg and Carleton Village Hall, the Director of Gosforth Nursery Ltd, as well as a Trustee of Drigg Young Farmers’ Club.

Nuclear Waste Services, represented by Amy Shelton

Amy Shelton is the Principal Community Engagement Manager for Nuclear Waste Services (NWS). Her role is to represent the developer, NWS, which is investigating potential GDF locations. Although she represent the views of the developer on the Community Partnership, her role is twofold: she is here to listen to the views of Partnership members and the wider community and feed them back to the developer.

Cumberland Council, represented by Bob Kelly

Bob Kelly is the Local Authority Representative from Cumberland Council on the Community Partnership. His background is in academia having worked for the Open University and being Head of Department of Politics and International Studies for three years. He is now the Cumberland Councillor for Millom and the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Environment.

Friends of the Lake District, represented by Kate Willshaw

Kate Wilshaw works for the Cumbrian charity Friends of the Lake District (FLD) protecting the environment of Cumbria and the Lake District, and currently lives in rural south Cumbria. She joined The South Copeland Community Partnership to help make sure that the environment is taken into account during the Community Partnership process. She hopes to be able to offer a voice for the landscape and wildlife of South Copeland and to work with the people in the community who value them too.

Drigg and Carleton Parish Council, represented by Chris Gigg

Chris represents Drigg and Carleton Parish Council on the Community Partnership. He has worked in Engineering and Automation for most of his working life, and has lived in Drigg for the last 6 years where he is a Parish Councillor and Secretary of the Drigg Local History Group. Drigg and Carleton and Irton and Santon joined the South Copeland GDF Community Partnership Search Area following Local Government Reorganisation in April 2023.

Millom Without Parish Council, represented by rotating Councillor

Millom Without Parish Council is a member with Councillors attending on a rotational basis to ensure representation at meetings.

Community member, Ben Daniels

Biography coming soon.

Join the Partnership

Are you interested in joining the South Copeland Community Partnership? Applications are open to all, regardless of your views on GDF.

Partnership members come from a range of backgrounds, but we are all passionate about our local area, community, and environment, and we want to do our best to help the local community through what has the potential to be a locally divisive issue.

We’d love to hear from you, so please get in touch.

Become a Partnership member