Protecting vulnerable residents and communities is a main concern for Copeland council after Brexit.

The authority’s executive committee is due to discuss the subject at a meeting on Monday.

A report written by Peta Leigh, the council’s policy officer, said: “A major concern for Copeland Borough Council at present is the vulnerability of some of our residents who will be most affected by food and Brexit potentially impacting foodbanks and resulting in rises in the price of food and other essentials.”

The council is considering how Brexit would affect the area and in particular what impact it would have on those in poverty and people experiencing food poverty.

The report said: “In the last quarter we have re-assessed operational issues in light of Brexit updates to identify

operational risks.

“We have identified three major internal concerns.

“One remains the food Brexit issues for our vulnerable residents, another is supplies to the council for operational delivery, which are being managed currently, and the final is relating to some key contracts.

“All of these are being actively managed.

“For example, we have been given reassurances that the majority of (fleet) parts suppliers have increased their stock levels by 15 per cent to reduce the risk of non-availability and we have fuel supplies for a minimum of six weeks and are actively managing our stock control.

“We are regularly reviewing the potential impacts of Brexit on service delivery and if circumstances require we will activate business continuity plans to maintain critical service delivery.”

The report will be discussed at the executive meeting on Monday at 10am in the Bainbridge Room at the Copeland Centre in Whitehaven.