MP calls for council to celebrate Westmorland

Planning rules have been changed to allow councils to put up boundary signs marking traditional English counties. Tim has urged the council to use these new rules and put up signs to celebrate Westmorland.

England's traditional counties date back over a thousand years of English history, but many of the counties have been side-lined by Whitehall in recent decades, including the municipal restructuring by Edward Heath's government in 1972..

The government have announced today that planning rules have been changed to allow for councils to put up boundary signs marking traditional English counties - including the likes of Cumberland, Huntingdonshire, Westmorland and Middlesex.

In addition, the government is shortly to propose changes to highways regulations to allow traditional county names to appear on boundary road signs. The current rules prevent unitary councils like Blackpool from having a road sign saying 'Lancashire', or Poole saying 'Dorset' - since they confusingly are not considered to be part of an 'administrative county'.

No council is being forced to make any change or put up unnecessary street clutter, but the intention is to free councils from Whitehall red tape, support local tourism and to cherish local ties and traditions. Tim is urging the council to restore the traditional boundary signs.

Tim said: "Westmorland's heritage and living identity should be celebrated and I hope that the council use these new powers and bring back signs to celebrate our historic county.

"I hope that this will help boost tourism and will be supported by local residents."