Local Area Committees

Five Local Area Committees cover five areas of Northumberland and are there to help communities have a greater say in council affairs. These cover north Northumberland, Tynedale, Castle Morpeth, Cramlington/Bedlington/Seaton Valley, and Ashington/Blyth.

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Local Area Committees

The Local Area Committees are there to help you have a greater say in council affairs.

They cover five areas of Northumberland: 
  • North Northumberland
  • Tynedale
  • Castle Morpeth
  • Cramlington/Bedlington/Seaton Valley
  • Ashington/Blyth
Future details can be seen by clicking here.

Their overall aim is to empower citizens, strengthen communities and improve services. 

Councillors are involved for each particular area and meetings are held in public. 

Everyone is welcome to attend the meetings and regular items include public question time, submitting and considering petitions and Local Services updates. 

Learn more about the local areas below and how you can ask a question at a Local Area Committee. 
 
Local Area Committees have the chance to reply to any questions from the public. Questions can be submitted in writing to democratic services at least 5 working days before the date of the relevant Local Area Committee or can be asked in person at the Meeting.   Please see individual Local Area Committees for the dates of meetings.  Questions can be asked about issues for which the council has a responsibility.

Council agreed in 2012 that the management of public question time is at the discretion of the chair of the committee. However, a question may be rejected if:
  • it is not about a matter which the council has a responsibility or which affects Northumberland
  • it is defamatory, frivolous or offensive
  • it is the same as a question which has been put at a meeting in the past six months
  • it requires the disclosure of confidential or exempt information
  • the cost of providing an answer is disproportionate
  • it relates to staffing or industrial relation matters
  • it relates to planning, licensing and/or other regulatory applications
If the chair is of the opinion that a question is one which can’t properly be asked in an area committee meeting, they will disallow it and inform the resident. The committee can request that written answers be given after the meeting if appropriate.
 

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