Gareth Lloyd

Cumbria mayoral candidate Mike Starkie says the £220 million Barrow Rising regeneration programme has been slowed by bureaucracy, fragmented decision-making and weak coordination. While the decade-long plan has funded education, community organisations and employment support, it faces frustration over delays to replacing The Forum, uncertainty around Team Barrow’s leadership and concerns that regeneration funds are covering routine council responsibilities. Starkie argues that a directly elected Cumbria mayor could establish a county-wide strategy for housing, transport, infrastructure, connectivity and skills, using Barrow Rising as a foundation for wider devolution and investment.

Oxley Group received the Ministry of Defence’s Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award for advancing support for veterans, reservists, cadets and service families, progressing from Bronze in 2023 and Silver in 2024. The company emphasised its commitment to recruitment, workplace policies and community engagement, while the Ministry of Defence highlighted the role of Gold Award employers in promoting the Armed Forces Covenant and encouraging wider organisational support. Government minister Calvin Bailey praised participating organisations for improving conditions for veterans and reservists.