Following ongoing uncertainty about how long  blue green algae will remain within Windermere the decision has now been taken to cancel the event this year.

For full details visit www.greatswim.org

For live views of Windermere from Low Wood visit http://www.elh.co.uk/watersports/web_cam.aspx

Business Link Northwest has conducted a detailed review of its operations to bring it in line with in-year Government budget reductions at the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and in anticipation of budget reductions for 2011/12

As a consequence of this review a restructuring of the organisation is proposed that is intended to see BusinessLink Northwest delivering a streamlined  service focused for maximum impact.

The restructuring means that Business Link Northwest is proposing to reduce the number of staff it employs by 194 from a workforce of 338, these reductions will be across all departments.

Click here for Business Link Northwest restructure information

Eight separate bids for the creation of Local Enterprise Partnerships have been submitted in the North West and the coalition Government will publish a list of all those applying later today. The applications generally cover established county boundaries but there may be exceptions, such as Lancashire, where there is said to be more than one application.

LEP’s are expected to be up and running by September 2011 and applications will be selected that “demonstrate the strongest commitment to enterprise and to working in partnership” (Statement by Eric Pickles and Vince Cable)

North West applicants are:

 Cumbria – Cumbria County Council and its six districts; Blackpool & Fylde Coast – Blackpool BC, Fylde BC and Wyre BC; Pennine Lancashire – Blackburn with Darwen BC, Pendle BC, Ribble Valley BC, Burnley BC, Hyndburn BC, Rossendale BC. Central Lancashire – Lancashire CC, Preston City Council, Lancaster City Council, South Ribble BC, Chorley BC, West Lancashire DC. Merseyside - Liverpool City Council, Sefton MBC, Knowsley MBC, St Helens MBC, Halton BC, Wirral MBC.

Greater Manchester – the 10 Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA); Cheshire – Warrington BC, Cheshire West & Chester Council, and Cheshire East Council; Peel Holdings, a property group, covering the area of the company’s Atlantic gateway development across Merseyside and Greater Manchester.

This information was extracted from an article by James Graham, Business correspondent TheBusinessDesk.com

Sunday 19th September 10.30 am – 4.30pm

Ladyholme Centre & Goodly Dale School Field

Looking to save money on your fuel bill?

Wanting tips on growing veg?

Need to fix your bike?

all this and much more – visit www.tact-windermere.co.uk

TACT – Towards a community transition

Click here for Press Release

Nova International, the organisers of the Great North Swim, have taken the decision to postpone the event scheduled for this weekend (Sept 4-5 2010), in the interests of swimmer safety.  Water quality checks indicating the prevalence of blue green algae in Windermere triggered the move.  More info at www.greatswim.org

Sunbeams Concert Booking Form

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles is calling on councils to work directly with local people to declutter their streets of surplus signs and obstructive railings.  Mr Pickles recommends the use of street audits – just like those successfully delivered by South Lakes Development Trust.

SLDT conducts on-street surveys with local people, to identify how their own streets can be improved.  Most recently the surveys were used to identify popular changes on Kirkland in Kendal, where wider pavements and better street furniture have been widely welcomed as a sensible improvement to the street – with a minimum of clutter.

Contact Paul Holdsworth at SLDT for more information on 015394 40021, or email paul@sldt.co.uk

According to an article in Regeneration and Renewal published yesterday Digby Jones has expressed his concern about the lack of business sector involvement in the formation of Local Enterprise Partnerships. 

SLDT has recently expressed similar concern to Brendan Jameson, Leader SLDC, about the apparent lack of tangible private sector involvement and the need to ensure that the expertise of the business sector in the highly economically active rural aspects of Cumbria are not overlooked.

Although Government has cited Chambers of Commerce as key players in business represenation it has to be asked if Cumbria Chamber can genuinely positon itself to represent the true voice of business across Cumbria and have all other key representative bodies been given fair opportunity to participate.

The article in Regenartion and Renewal can be accessed here

22nd – 29th October 2010

Click the logo for full details

Click here for September Press Release

The recent visit to Bowness-on-Windermere by hundreds of the Shree Swaminarayan Gadi Hindu faithful has generated valuable publicity a in key international tourism market.

In addition to pre-visit publicity via the local media, the colourful procession through Bowness streets was picked up by BBC Radio Four in the UK, and has now been reported in a major electronic newspaper serving young and affluent readerships in Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune, Ahmedabad, Surat and Jaipur in India.  DNA (Daily News & Analysis) ran a picture feature on the visit on page four of its August 19 edition. Read the full story Here.