OPPORTUNITY and the levelling-up agenda were the buzz words for the day at the Invest in Cumbria Alliance launch event.

Business and political leaders met at Carlisle Youth Zone to discuss their hopes for the county and its growth as well as the challenges it faces and their obligations to the people of Cumbria in future developments.

Representatives from the Rolls Royce SMR consortium, Government, Sellafield Limited and Radioactive Waste Management were in attendance.

Mark Cullinan, Chairman of Copeland GDF Working Group said: "I think it's a brilliant opportunity for Cumbria, from my point of view we're coming towards the end of our task and finish work. Our last face to face event is in Whitehaven today."

The group is engaging with the public on the prospect of Copeland as a home for a geological disposal facility.

He said that when potential sites for the underground nuclear waste facility are identified, a community partnership will be formed to carry out the work.

Mr Cullinan said: "Community partnerships are the bodies which carry forward the work for the next period that could be any where between 10 and 15 years."

He said that the group needs to look at "longer term relationships with the rest of the economy and developers in West Cumbria."

The need for collaboration was a key theme running through the speeches on the day.

Former cabinet minister and MP, Hazel Blears spoke at the event, urging businesses to recruit with diversity. She was one of the authors of the Social Value Act in her time as a politician.

More recently, she has been tasked by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority with proving advice on how to increase the social, economic and environmental impact of its works.

She said: "There was a young man in my constituency who had quite serious autism, his mum was desperate about what he would do.

"I managed to get jobs for many people with disabilities in my local hospitals. We gave him a job in a local hospital counting the number of instruments, because of his autism he was very focussed on detail and getting things right. He's now got a full time job on a good wage."

Hazel said that the young man finding his place is an example of how businesses can support their communities plans.

"What it is, is a new way of being a responsible business."

A speech was given by Sarah Williamson, civil programme director at the proposed nuclear power station, Sizewell C. She explained the work that is ongoing at the plant in Suffolk with reference to hopes for an SMR fleet at Moorside.

Sarah, who is from Workington said: "I've just spent a number of years in Somerset, I'm on a tour around the country and I'm on my way home. I think what we need to do is get that talent back.

"We're at quite an exciting point at Sizewell now. Sizewell is a copy of Hinkley Point. I've spent the past two years finding out exactly, how do you do that? If everything goes to plan, this project will be on site middle of next year."