THE multi-million pound Borderlands Growth deal is “very much on track” despite a small delay, Carlisle City Council chiefs have insisted.

The Borderlands Partnership includes five cross-border local authorities: Carlisle City Council; Cumbria County Council; Dumfries and Galloway Council; Northumberland County Council; and Scottish Borders Council.

Between them, the partnership thrashed out a proposal that was submitted to the UK and Scottish Governments last September.

However, the ‘Heads of Terms’ are yet to be signed and a deal is now expected this summer - slightly later than expected.

Speaking at a meeting of the Economic Growth Scrutiny Panel, Garry Legg, the council’s investment and policy manager, said: “My understanding is they are progressing very well. We have mentioned a date of June but there has been a slight slippage – and July is the date now being talked about, but it is very much on track.

“We have a clear commitment on both sides of the Border from the two Governments to meet the target set and are working very hard to hit that deadline.”

The plans include the redevelopment of the station Gateway of Carlisle; the overhaul of the former Chapelcross power station in Dumfries and Galloway, a Mountain Bike Innovation Centre in the Scottish Borders; and the Berwick Theatre and Conference Centre in Northumberland.

The key strategic cross-border project will investigate the possibility of extending the Borders Railway from Carlisle to Tweedbank.

Responding to concerns over the possible impact of Brexit on the Growth Deal, Mr Legg stressed that consideration was being given to that.

He said Borderlands represented an “opportunity” to deliver “significant investment” into those areas expected to be particularly important in a post-Brexit economy.

Borderlands is due to come back to the panel on July 18.

Council leader John Mallinson described the Borderlands initiative as “diverse and immense”, adding it was “unimaginable” there would not be several full council briefings on the deal.

Up to £260m for a Borderlands Growth Deal covers the border regions of England and Scotland.

This includes £65 million new funding from the UK Government for the Scottish areas of the deal, the Scottish Borders, Dumfries and Galloway.

This is in addition to the £102 million recently announced from the Housing Infrastructure Fund for Carlisle, giving a total of £362 million of UK Government funding to the Borderlands area.