BBC Local Live: Cumbria

It's the last weekend for public comment on controversial proposals to make changes in the health system across North, East and West Cumbria.

The Success Regime, a management team brought in to save money and where possible improve the services, has published a number of controversial proposals.

GoogleCopyright: Google

They include concentrating consultant maternity services in Carlisle, and having a midwife-led unit in Whitehaven, meaning hundreds of West Cumbrian parents would face a long trip to the labour ward.

A spokesman said several thousand people had completed online questionnaires, written letters, attended a meeting or visited a mobile drop-in van, which had visited 30 locations and driven mofre than 1,000 miles.

Today's cloud and drizzle should disperse to leave a clear night with a ground frost and temperatures down to around 4C (39F).

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You can find the latest forecast for where you are, here.

A system that means holiday home owners pay for a council tax benefit for less well-off locals in South Lakeland should carry on for another year, councillors have agreed.

When the government cut the funding for council tax in 2013, in a way that meant many councils had to reduce the benefits for people on low incomes, South Lakeland council reduced the council tax discount on second homes to bring in extra money.

It also increased the council tax on empty properties.

A full council meeting last night voted to continue both systems.

Churches Together in Cumbria are planning a series of dementia-friendly Christmas services.

One of the first was held in Kendal.

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They're shorter than usual services and special facilities, such as large-print hymn sheets, are provided.

The ecumenical group plans to make all of the county's churches dementia-friendly by 2020.

A driver who fled from police at up to 60mph through Appleby during the annual horse fair has been given a suspended 18-month prison sentence.

Jake Dunkley, from Nenthead Road in Alston, overtook horse-drawn carriages in his Nissan Pajero before crashing onto the Settle-Carlisle railway line in June, Carlisle Crown Court was told.

Cumbria policeCopyright: Cumbria police

Dunkley admitted dangerous driving and failing to stop for police. 

Recorder Ahmen Nadim suspended a six-month prison sentence for 18 months, imposed a 20-day rehabilitation requirement and a 12-month driving ban, and told Dunkley he must then pass an extended driving test.

It's emerged staff at the Westmorland General Hospital in Kendal are doing more tasks to try to reduce strain on the accident and emergency department at the Royal Lancaster hospital.

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The Lancaster hospital's seen long delays because of large numbers of patients in recent months. SHe taff have repeatedly appealed for people with less serious conditions to seek help from GPs or pharmacists.

The Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron said this backed his case for an Urgent Care Centre, one step down from an A&E, to be developed at the Kendal hospital, which provides a GP-led service.

In response, Andrew Bennett, who chairs a committee overseeing A&E in the Morecambe Bay area said Kendal was an Urgent Care Centre, and staff there were introducing changes for patients who might otherwise have to go to the larger Lancaster hospital.

He said: "These include arranging for diagnostic tests, admissions to the Langdale Unit (a step up step down facility at the Westmorland) or arranging for care in the patient’s home with the help of other community services."

The head of the Royal Navy says the latest Barrow-built Astute class submarine is "richly anticipated", because the service has already seen what the first three Astutes are capable of.

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The fourth, Audacious, was named in a ceremony inside the Devonshire Dock Hall today, and will in due course join the rest of the class, including HMS Artful, pictured at their Scottish base.

Admiral Sir Philip Jones, the First Sea Lord, said the Astutes are already making a "huge difference" in the Royal Navy fleet.   

"They are such a step change in capability, they are going up the gears in what we can do with nuclear submarines."

Staff at a West Cumbrian school are being balloted from today over possible strike action.

The education union ATL says that unless the Bright Tribe Trust addresses crumbling infrastructure at the Whitehaven Academy, staff will walk out.

The trust says it's hoping to avoid strike action.

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The fourth Astute class submarine has been formally named at the Barrow shipyard this morning. 

Elizabeth Lady Jones - the wife of the First Sea Lord - performed the naming and will remain associated with Audacious throughout its life as the Lady Sponsor. 

In line with recent practice, Audacious will not be launched until next year.

The Astutes are the largest, most powerful and most advanced attack submarines ever operated by the Royal Navy

Barrow travel to Boreham Wood tomorrow in the National League with on-loan midfielder Ryan Yates set to face a fitness test on a hamstring injury. 

Captain Danny Livesey and winger Jordan Williams should both return to the squad. 

The Bluebirds are looking to avoid defeat for the 25th time on the trot.

Yet again, it's mild and cloudy this afternoon. There will probably be some light and patchy rain towards the coast and over the fells.  T

emperatures could reach 10C (50F).

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You can find the latest forecast for where you are, here.

The days when new submarines are launched down a slipway and named at the same time are long past.

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The latest in the line of Astute class submarines (the first is pictured above), which will be named Audacious later today, will instead be gently lowered in due course into the Devonshire Dock at the Barrow shipyard on a shiplift.

And while a bottle will still be sacrificed when Lady Elizabeth Jones, the wife of the First Sea Lord Sir Philip, blesses Audacious and all who sail in her, it's no longer champagne.

Instead, it's a specially-brewed beer.

The Carlisle United boss Keith Curle won't be drawn on whether skipper Danny Grainger and midfielder Mike Jones will be fit for tomorrow's League Two game against in-form Yeovil at Brunton Park. 

Both players picked-up injuries in last week's draw at Luton.

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Curle said: "We've got a fairly small squad and you find the more information I give away, the easier it is for the opposition to pick up what our starting line-up is going to be."  

• Temperatures at 3,000ft: About 2C. 
• Winds: Fresh or strong south to southeasterly, gusts 35mph, decreasing moderate later. 
• Cloud: Extensive cloud at 1,500ft (450m), more broken in the north. 
• Visibility: Moderate or poor. 
• Freezing level: Above the tops.

You can see the conditions reported by the Lake District national park rangers here.

Sometimes even experienced emergency service workers are taken by surprise. Luckily no one was hurt when this car found its way into a conservatory in Askam in Furness.

Roger Exley's Barrow station manager for the Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service.

A Lakeland path described by the writer Alfred Wainwright as the Connoisseur's Route is to be repaired thanks to a charity set up in his name. 

The Wainwright Society has chosen Fix the Fells as the main beneficiary of its fundraising during 2017. 

Lake District National Park AuthorityCopyright: Lake District National Park Authority

The money will be used to repair Long Stile, the final ascent on to the summit of High Street in the Far Eastern Fells, between Ullswater and Haweswater.  

The long steep ridge, with fine views to each side, was described as "a classic" by the Lake District guide book writer.

A submarine under construction at the BAE shipyard in Barrow will be formally named Audacious later today.

The fourth Astute class nuclear-powered hunter-killer, the sub will be the sixth Royal Navy vessel to bear the name, although the last, an aircraft carrier, was renamed Eagle just before she was launched.

The ceremony, which because of modern construction methods is no longer combined with a launching, is expected around lunchtime. The honours are being done by the wife of the First Sea Lord, Lady Elizabeth Jones.

People travelling back to the Furness area faced lengthy delays. Trains from the south were delayed by up to an hour and a half due to a signalling problem between Wigan North Western and Warrington Bank Quay.

An accident is causing delays on the A594 near the Belle Vue roundabout at Papcastle.

You can find the latest travel news here.