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I have lived in Corbridge with my wife Katie and five children Edward, Harry, Fergus, Reuben and Daisy since 1992. We moved to Leazes Terrace when Edward was just one year old and have since lived in Milkwell Lane, Styford, Leazes Terrace again, Stagshaw Road and now in The Stanners near the cricket club.
After the Conservatives historic election victory in May 2017 the Council Leader Peter Jackson appointed me as Cabinet Secretary and Portfolio Holder for Corporate Services and I continued in this role under new Leader Glen Sanderson until the election in 2021.
I was responsible for the council’s budget, HR, communications and many of the essential back-office services that support the front-line resident facing services in this huge £800m p.a. organisation. I was Northumberland’s representative on the Regional Flood and Coastal Committee – the body that coordinates flood and coastal protection right across the North East, a substitute member on the North of Tyne Combined Authority Cabinet and the North East Combined Authority Transport Group. I have chaired a scrtiny committee and am now a member of the Corporate Services & Economic Growth Scrutiny Committee and a member of the Council’s Audit Committee.
My five children have all grown up in Corbridge. Edward lives in in Canada and has recently completed a Masters Degree in International Development. Harry completed a Politics degree at Newcastle University and now works in recruitment in the City of London. Fergus works in film & teleivion in London. Reuben is studying Mechanical Engineering at Sheffield Hallam University. Daisy is a medical student in Sheffield.
My wife Katie has been heavily involved in Corbridge community life as Chair of the Parish Council, Chair of Governors at Corbridge Middle School and a driving force in the creation of Corbridge Tennis Club.
I have a good understanding of local education with first hand family experience of Broomhaugh and Beaufront First Schools, Corbridge Middle School, Mowden Hall School and Queen Elizabeth High School.
I have over 30 years business experience and run the web channel of our family retail business.
I have always been heavily involved in the local community and have coached rugby at Tynedale Rugby Club for 20 years. I was lead coach of the very successful girls section at the Corbridge club. I’ve held a number of important positions at the club including Welfare Officer, Coaching Coordinator and Chair of Youth Rugby and I have coached the Northumberland U18s girls County team.
I coached a football team at Corbridge United for four years.
I’m actively involved in the Corbridge Traders group and initiated, commissioned and help manage the village community Visit Corbridge web site. Over 60 local organisations use the web site which had proved to be a valuable resource for the Corbridge community and visitors to the area.
In my spare time I am a keen cook, play five a side football and cycle.
I am also a Corbridge Parish Councillor.
There was very little support from our community for the Milkwell Development when the previous administration granted permission for 180 news houses above Corbridge Middle School but it was granted so I have worked to minimise and impact and maximise the benefit for the local community.
In what is likely the first scheme of the its kind in the country I initiated a scheme for the Parish Council to acquire 4 houses on this new estate to rent to local people who otherwise might have to more elsewhere because of high prices in the village. This Community Housing Scheme will be locally managed by the Parish Council and the houses will remain in the community for ever.
I’ve helped the outlying communities in Aydon, Styford and Thornbrough to get very fast fibre broadband because until recently they didn’t have any broadband. Now I’m working to to bring Gigabit Fibre Broadband to the village. I’ve also worked with the Council’s iNorthumberland team, Broadband UK and have lobbied the Digital Minister successfully for in excess of £15m extra investment in broadband in Northumberland.
Northumberland is right at the front of the queue in the Government £5bn Project Gigabit.
Much of Corbridge was built before there were cars on the roads so what makes our village very special also constrains our ability to develop more parking easily accessble to the centre. I am focused on trying to develop more car parking to ease the pressure as well as improving our roads and making use of public transport as easy and as convenient as possible.
Much of Corbridge was built before there were cars on the roads so what makes our village very special also constrains our ability to develop more parking easily accessbble to the centre. I am focused on trying to develop more car parking to ease the pressure as well as improving our roads and making use of public transport as easy and as convenient as possible.
I have secured £340,000 in the Council budget for car parking in Corbridge and we are talking to local landowners about a suitable site.