Cumbria CC leaders are seeking to resurrect plans for abolishing the county's six district councils in favour of a shift to unitary status - a move predicted to deliver annual £36m savings. Calls to end existing two-tier arrangements follow the publication last week of a public consultation on delivering £80m savings between 2014/15 and 2016/17. In 2007, ministers rejected Cumbria's submission for unitary status, but granted neighbouring Durham and Northumberland the opportunity to end two-tier arrangements. But in the context of the future Spending Review cutbacks, local political leaders have reignited the debate on proposals that would spell the demise of Allerdale, Barrow, Carlisle, Copeland, Eden and South Lakeland district councils.
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