The Tynedale Community Partnership meeting scheduled for Tuesday, 19 May 2026, was set to discuss a petition regarding the sale of the former Haltwhistle First School site and consider the partnership's ongoing appointments to various outside bodies. The meeting also included an informal discussion session with representatives from several local organisations.

Response to Petition Regarding Haltwhistle First School

A significant item on the agenda was the consideration of a response to a petition from the Haltwhistle Community Partnership. The petition called for Northumberland County Council (NCC) to reconsider the sale of the former Haltwhistle First School site for social housing, advocating instead for its prioritisation for visitor economic development.

The report accompanying this item outlined the council's position, noting that Haltwhistle is one of seven towns benefiting from the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Partnership and the UK Government's £21 million Place Programme. The report detailed that while a proposal for affordable housing had been the most advantageous offer received for the school site in February 2025, the Haltwhistle Partnership's bid for bunkhouse accommodation and additional leisure facilities had not demonstrated a clear ability to proceed, partly due to reliance on grant funding from Borderlands. The report also stated that the sale of the former school site had not yet progressed to an exchange of contracts, and no planning application had been made. The council indicated it would continue to invest resources in Haltwhistle through the development of a Town Investment Plan, including feasibility studies for projects such as an Activity Centre of Britain and improvements to the town's public realm. The agenda proposed that the committee acknowledge receipt of the petition, note the council's reply, and support the proposed actions, with a further update on the Town Investment Plan to be provided at a future meeting.

Outside Bodies Appointments

Members were asked to confirm their continued appointments to a range of outside bodies. These included roles on the Groundwork North East - Land of Oak and Iron Project Board, Haltwhistle Partnership Limited, Haltwhistle Swimming & Leisure Centre Management Committee, Hexham TORCH Centre Management Committee, Northumberland Bus Board, Prudhoe Community Partnership, Queens Hall Arts Trust, Sport Tynedale, and the Tyne Valley Community Rail Partnership Board. The report listed the current appointees for each body, such as Councillor G Stewart for Groundwork North East and Councillor A Sharp for Haltwhistle Partnership Limited.

Informal Discussion Session

An informal discussion session was scheduled to include representatives from Karbon Homes, the Northumberland Homefinder Team, Northumberland Stronger Communities, Planning Services (regarding a new Local Plan for the County), the Rural Digital Inclusion Team (iNorthumberland), and Waste/Recycling services. This session was intended to provide an opportunity for members to engage with these organisations on various local issues.

The meeting agenda also included standard procedural items such as apologies for absence, the notes of the previous meeting, and public question time, where members of the public could raise issues for which the council has responsibility. The agenda also outlined the council's code of conduct regarding the disclosure of members' interests.