Borough of Copeland

54°25′52″N 3°23′20″W / 54.431°N 3.389°W / 54.431; -3.389

Copeland
Coat of arms of Copeland
Copeland shown within Cumbria
Copeland shown within Cumbria
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Constituent country England
RegionNorth West England
Ceremonial county Cumbria
Historic county Cumberland
Founded1 April 1974 (1974-04-01)
Abolished31 March 2023 (2023-03-31)
Administrative HQWhitehaven (The Copeland Centre)
Government
 • TypeNon-metropolitan district
 • BodyCopeland Borough Council
Area
 • Total282.53 sq mi (731.76 km2)
Population
 (2021)
 • Total67,176
 • Density240/sq mi (92/km2)
Ethnicity (2021 Census)
 • White98.0%

Asian= 0.8% Black=0.3% Multiracial=0.7% Other groups=0.3% Arab=0.1%

Any other group 0.2%
Time zoneUTC+0 (Greenwich Mean Time)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+1 (British Summer Time)
Postcode areas
CA (14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
LA (18, 19, 20)
Dialling codes01229 (Barrow-in-Furness/Millom)
01946 (Whitehaven)
Vehicle registration prefixP
GSS codeE07000029
NUTS 3 codeUKD11
ONS code16UE
Trunk primary routesA595
Police areaCumbria
Fire serviceCumbria
Ambulance serviceNorth West
Websitecopeland.gov.uk

The Borough of Copeland was a local government district with borough status in western Cumbria, England. Its council was based in Whitehaven. It was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of the Borough of Whitehaven, Ennerdale Rural District and Millom Rural District. The population of the Non-Metropolitan district was 69,318 according to the 2001 census,[1] increasing to 70,603 at the 2011 Census.[2]

The name was derived from an alternative name for the Cumberland ward of Allerdale above Derwent, which covered roughly the same area.

There are different explanations for the name. According to a document issued at the time of the borough's grant of arms, the name is derived from kaupland, meaning "bought land," referring to an area of the Forest bought from the estate of St Bees Priory.[3]

In July 2021 the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government announced that in April 2023, Cumbria would be reorganised into two unitary authorities.[4] On 1 April 2023, Copeland Borough Council was abolished and its functions were transferred to the new unitary authority Cumberland, which also covers the former districts of Allerdale and Carlisle.[5]

  1. ^ UK Census (2001). "Local Area Report – Copeland Local Authority (E07000029)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  2. ^ UK Census (2011). "Local Area Report – Copeland Local Authority (E07000029)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  3. ^ Arms of Copeland Borough Council, document issued at time of grant of arms
  4. ^ "Next steps for new unitary councils in Cumbria, North Yorkshire and Somerset". GOV.UK. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  5. ^ "Local Government Reorganisation. Delivering Two New Councils for Cumbria". Retrieved 1 January 2022.