Town & parish council - contact details

This page provides useful information and contact details for parish and town councils in the Northumberland area.

Page Contents:

Town & Parish Council Charter

The charter’s purpose is to define the relationship and an effective working partnership between the County Council and Town and Parish Councils.

The aim of the Northumberland town and parish council charter is to identify how the county council and town and parish councils can work together to improve the economic, social and environmental wellbeing of Northumberland.
Since 2012, the following services have been the responsibility of the local councils across Northumberland:
  • allotments
  • annual planting
  • bus shelters
  • litter bins
  • play parks
  • public seats
  • seasonal lighting
  • war memorials
Some local councils also provide other services such as cemeteries and public conveniences. 

All other council services can be accessed via the county council’s website, by phone on 0345 600 6400, or at a Northumberland information centre, listed below. You can visit a centre Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm (excluding bank holidays).
 
Alnwick Greenwell Lane, Alnwick, NE66 1HB
Ashington Wansbeck Square, Ashington NE63 9XL
Bedlington Bedlington Library, Glebe Road, Bedlington NE22 6JX
Berwick Walkergate Building, Walkergate, Berwick-upon-Tweed TD15 1DJ
Blyth Blyth Library, Bridge Street, Blyth NE24 1DJ
Cramlington Concordia, Cramlington NE23 6YB
Hexham Hadrian House, Hexham NE46 3NH
Morpeth Royal Sovereign House, Manchester Street, Morpeth NE61 1AF
Seaton Delaval The Library, Astley High School, Elsdon Avenue, Seaton Delaval NE25 0BW

Town & parish councils - contact information

Town & parish councils have the power to provide additional services for their area and are consulted about issues that affect their localities. Each parish belongs to one of five areas linking to Northumberland County Council's local area councils.

The link below provides contact details for the clerks to the town and parish councils, and the register of members' interests.

Click here to view a list of all town & parish councils

Any amendments to the contact details for town and parish clerks and websites should be emailed to highwaysandneighbourhoodservices@northumberland.gov.uk

Click here for the form for town and parish councillors to record their pecuniary and other interests. Completed forms should be returned to:

The Monitoring Officer (Ref: DOIs)
C/O Democratic Services
County Hall
Morpeth
Northumberland
NE61 2EF

Any changes in changes to individual town and parish councillors' declarations of interest records should be emailed to democraticservices@northumberland.gov.uk or alternatively put in writing and posted to:

The Monitoring Officer (Ref: DOIs)
C/O Democratic Services
County Hall
Morpeth
Northumberland
NE61 2EF

Community governance reviews

Principal councils, like Northumberland County Council, have powers to conduct community governance reviews about matters such as the creation of parish councils and their electoral arrangements. This includes looking at administrative boundaries.

An essential feature of community governance reviews is consulting with electors and other stakeholders in the area being reviewed.

Stamfordham Parish

Under S93(7) of the act, the council must publish final recommendations.  More details can be found in the final recommendations document here.  The recommendations are as follows: 
  1. that Stamfordham Parish Council should not be divided into wards for the purpose of electing councillors 
  2. authorise the Monitoring Officer to make, sign and seal the appropriate Orders by virtue of the powers contained in the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.   
Any comments should be submitted by 1 December 2023 in writing to Lesley Bennett, Senior Democratic Services Officer, Democratic Services, County Hall, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE61 2EF or to cgreviews@northumberland.gov.uk.

Hepscott Parish Council

 
A Community Governance Review relating to Hepsoctt Parish Council has been carried out following an earlier Review in relation to Morpeth, Hebron and Hepscott 2020.   The review consulted on what the consequential electoral arrangements for Hepscott Parish should be to ensure that effective local governance arrangements that promote community cohesion were maintained or improved.
 
The County Council has agreed to increase the number of Councillors on Hepscott Parish Council from seven to nine and also that the Parish should not be divided into wards for the purpose of electing Councillors.  The increase in the number of Councillors falls in the range within official guidance.  The removal of the division into wards was supported as several Parish Councils within Northumberland were un-warded and could be managed as part of the election cycle
 
Three comments in support of the proposal and no objections were received as part of the consultation process.

Terms of Reference
 

Morpeth, Hebron and Hepscott

 
A Community Governance Review has been carried out relating to Morpeth Town Council and its boundaries with Hebron, Hepscott and Mitford Parishes.  The details are shown in the Terms of Reference and accompanying maps.
 
Hebron Parish
 
There were very few or no objections to the proposal relating to Hebron Parish and none from the Parish Council itself.
 
Hepscott Parish
 
Two areas were under consideration
 
Stobhill Manor (part) and a small area at Turner Square - The estate was split between Morpeth Parish and Hepscott Parish on an apparently arbitrary basis.  It was reasonable,  taking into account the statutory criteria, the Government guidance and the relevance of the consultation responses received (the majority of which favoured no change), to support the transfer of this area into Morpeth Parish.  This would enable more effective and convenient community governance of the area.
 
South Fields Estate - There were no compelling arguments in relation to issues relating to or reflective of the identities and interests of the community in what was a relatively new and very much still developing residential area.  It was difficult to establish with certainty what those particular prevailing identities and interests were which would justify the transfer of the area at this time.
 
Mitford Parish
 
Following government guidance, statutory criteria and consultation responses, the Council agreed that the status quo should be retained at this time and the area concerned not transferred out of the Parish of Mitford.  It was felt that the revision of the boundary was premature in that there was currently no development in the area in question even on the basis of perhaps more effective and convenient community governance.

Terms of Reference
 

Tarset with Greystead Parish

 
The Council has agreed to remove the subdivision into wards of Tarset with Greystead Parish.  No responses were received as a result of the consultation process.  The removal of the division into wards was supported as several Parish Councils within Northumberland were un-warded and could be managed as part of the election cycle.

Terms of Reference
Final Order
 

Acomb

 
The Council has agreed to increase the number of Councillors from seven to nine.  The number of Councillors on Acomb Parish Council had remained at seven for many years despite a large increase in the number of houses and the electorate.  The increase would allow the workload to be more evenly spread amongst the Parish Councillors.

Terms of Reference
Final Order
 

Allendale

 
The Council agreed that the status quo of 13 members should be retained at Allendale Parish Council.  The Parish had initially requested a reduction in the number of Councillors to eight, however, at the end of the consultation period, the Council was informed that the Parish Council had been able to fill a number of its vacancies and requested that its number should instead be eleven members.  The Council felt that retaining the status quo would be more appropriate in this instance, therefore, no change was recommended.

Terms of Reference
 
If you have any queries, please contact Lesley Bennett on 01670 622613 or e-mail Lesley.Bennett@northumberland.gov.uk

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