Authority Members

Twenty two Members are appointed to Northumberland National Park Authority to serve for a fixed term of appointment (renewable); six are appointed by Northumberland County Council in the May following local elections, ten* are appointed by the Secretary of State for the Environment to represent local, regional or national interests in April of each year when a vacancy arises; and six are appointed by the Secretary of State for the Environment through a group selection process following parish council elections to represent the four parish groupings in the National Park (Hadrian's Wall; North Tyne and Redesdale; Upper Coquet; Cheviot) and additionally the Berwick/Alnwick and Tynedale groupings.

All 22 members of the Authority serve on two main committees (The Full Authority, where the main business is conducted and the Development Management Committee which considers all matters relating to planning.

Members also represent the National Park Authority on a number of outside bodies to represent the interests of Northumberland National Park.

Three Independent Members are appointed to serve on the Northumberland National Park Authority Standards Committee.

Opportunities to apply to become a Member of the Authority or an Independent Member of the Authority are advertised in local newspapers and on the website when they arise.

* Note: There are currently only nine Secretary of State appointed members. It has been confirmed that the vacancy will not be filled for 2012/13. Membership of Northumberland National Park authority for the year 2011/12 was therefore confirmed at the Annual Meeting on 13 June 2011 as:

Local Authority Appointees

(appointed by Northumberland County Council)

• Cllr John Riddle - Chairman of Northumberland National Park Authority
• Cllr Anthony Murray - Deputy Chairman
• Cllr Alan Sharp
• Cllr Brian Douglas
• Cllr Dougie Watkin
• Cllr Tom Wilson

Secretary of State Parish Appointees

• Cllr Derek Edwards - representing Upper Coquetdale Parish Grouping
• Cllr Philip Straker - representing Hadrian's Wall Parish Grouping
• Cllr Johnny Wilson - representing Cheviot Parish Grouping
• Cllr Rachel Pearson - Chairman, Development Management Committee, representing North Tyne and Redesdale Parish Grouping
• Cllr Sue Bolam - representing Alnwick and Berwick-upon-Tweed District grouping
• Cllr David Cadwgan - representing Tynedale grouping

Secretary of State Appointees

• Mr Mike Bell
• Mr Robert Cornall
• Mr Paul Cowie
• Mr Alasdair Mitchell
• Mr Peter Murray
• Mr Peter Nicholson
• Dr Elizabeth Stockdale
• Rev Canon Graham Usher
• Ms Mel Whewell
• Vacant

For more information on individual members, please click on the name of the member in the list above.

Members of Northumberland National Park Authority follow an official Code of Conduct, the standards for which are set by government.  These standards are monitored through Northumberland National Park Authority’s Standards Committee.

Members Declaration of Interest

All members of the Authority are required by law to complete a declaration of interest form to register their financial interests.

These include:

• details of any employment or business carried out by them;
• the name of their employer:
• details of any Directorships;
• contracts between themselves/their firm and the Authority:
• interests in land in the area.

A full description of financial interests are set out in Northumberland National Park Authority's Code of Conduct.

The Register is maintained by the Monitoring Officer and is available for inspection at National Park Headquarters by appointment. To arrange an appointment use the contact details below. A summary of the Register is available.

Government Service List 355.

For more information about membership of the National Park Authority, please contact:

Corporate Support Officer
Tel: 01434 605555
Fax: 01434 611675
E-mail: committees@nnpa.org.uk