The UK Government has issued a response after Cumbria County Council's leader expressed intentions to launch a judicial review into Local Government Reform.

Leader of the council Stewart Young sent a pre-action letter earlier this year, expressing an interest in a judicial review into Local Government Reform.

The letter claimed that the Government's plans to split Cumbria two unitary authorities was "unlawful."

However Government has today issued a response dismissing the claims.

A spokesperson for Cumbria County Council said: "The County Council has received a response from Government in reply to its pre-action protocol letter to the Secretary of State.

"The Council is now carefully considering the response before deciding on its next steps in relation to any potential future legal action."

When Housing, Communities and Local Government secretary Robert Jenrick called for proposals on how the county should be governed, the winning bid was with an "east" and "west" split.

Copeland, Allerdale and Carlisle will be the west constituency, Barrow, Eden and South Lakeland will be east.

Work is already underway to prepare for the change which is set to be completed by 2023.

Some have criticised the council leader's call for legal action into Local Government Reform including councillor Stephen Haralsden who called a special meeting of the council at Carlisle Racecourse last month, passing a motion that judicial review is a "waste" of the council's time and tax payer's money.