The end of October saw the first meeting of a new body which aims to safeguard West Cumbria's economic prosperity. The establishment of the West Cumbria Strategic Forum was marked with the signing, by Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt, of an agreement with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, local authorities and the North West Development Agency. The aim of the agreement is for all the bodies involved with regeneration in West Cumbria to work together to meet the needs of the area. The Forum was set up to consider the economic impact of nuclear decommissioning and cleanup at Sellafield, and to create a sustainable economy for West Cumbria. It will meet twice yearly and will alternate between London and Cumbria.

The first meeting of the Forum was chaired by Patricia Hewitt and was attended by several other government ministers. Speaking at the meeting, Patricia Hewitt said that the Government and its partners are fully committed to bringing social and economic benefits to West Cumbria and other communities near nuclear sites. She stressed that there is a world-class skills base in Cumbria that must be retained retain and enhanced. People in Cumbria want high-value jobs and opportunities, and the Government will work to ensure that those new opportunities are created in Cumbria, she said.

As well as signing the Memorandum of Agreement between Government and local partners the Secretary of State also announced that the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) will be based at Westlakes Science and Technology Park when the NDA becomes fully operational next April.

It was also an opportunity for the new Chair of the NDA, Sir Anthony Cleaver, to express his commitment to West Cumbria, saying that he saw the Strategic Forum as an excellent example of how the NDA can work with others to address the current and future concerns of local stakeholders and he confirmed that the NDA is dedicated to working with colleagues in the North West and across Government to secure the best future for Cumbrians.

This is the first time that an area such as West Cumbria has been selected for such a project and we must grasp the opportunity and work to secure the necessary investment and development which we all seek. Following detailed work on specific issues the next meeting of the forum will be held in West Cumbria early in 2005. The meeting was a positive, constructive beginning to this vital project.