Archive for category: News

Northumberland County Council is carrying out a Community Governance Review, which looks at parish boundaries, representation and electoral arrangements.

This is an opportunity for residents to give their views on how local councils are structured and how they represent their communities.

The consultation is open until30 April 2026. You can read more and take part here

The Parish Council has agreed a precept of £7,900 for 2026–27. The accompanying budget report explains how this figure was calculated and how funds will be allocated.
Read the full report here:
https://eglingham-pc.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Budget-26-27-explanation.pdf

I would like to begin by acknowledging the work of my predecessor, Lorna Turner. As Chair, and following a period of considerable disruption, Lorna brought stability to Eglingham Parish Council. Lorna resigned from the council in September 2023. I would like to thank her for the commitment which she gave. Andy Gray supported the PC temporarily in the role of clerk. I would like to thank Andy for his support. We now welcome Sarah Trushell as our permanent Parish Clerk. Sarah is experienced, supporting two other parish councils and she has already proved to be a huge asset to our own.

Our Current Situation

Eglingham Parish Council is comprised of a small number of residents who commit their time to serving their community. The public sector has rules and regulations which are quite different to its private counterpart. They govern the way in which we work and provide a firm foundation to move our council forward. With considerable help and support from Sarah our clerk, we have now put all of the policies and procedures in place which those regulations mandate us to do. (They can be found on the Parish Council’s section of our Eglingham website.) With funding from RWE Middlemoor Windfarm, the Parish Council now has a training budget to help Councillors become familiar with the workings of both the Parish and County Councils. The training fund allows Councillors to specialise in those areas which interest them. This will deliver knowledgeable and timely support to the community. Sarah, our clerk, is also in the process of achieving formal council qualifications. Our County Councillor, Wendy Pattison continues to offer her invaluable experience and advice. Between us all, we are determined to offer robust support to all of our residents and to deliver value for the precept which we all pay.

A Parish Council ensures county council services are deployed where they are needed. It also engages in projects which bring specific benefits to its local area. In our case, and whatever we think about Windfarms, we are fortunate to have the RWE community benefit fund to support local projects and local people. This fund is £120,000 per year. Yes, that’s right! £120,000 PER YEAR! and it’s there to help the parish of Eglingham become the best that it can be.

Our Achievements

So, in addition to the more usual council activities, with the help of RWE we have achieved the following:
a biodiversity study of the parish documented on our website;
extended the Christmas lights project with switch on events;
provided a fund for village defibrillator consumables;
installed a second speed warning sign;
provided village recycling points;
a parish wide community history project with interpretation boards in all villages, an exhibition in St Maurice’s church and supporting leaflets;
a fund for seasonal planting of planters;
community events in all three villages to mark the King’s coronation.

We have also established a relationship with the Rural Crime Unit based in Alnwick.

One of our greatest achievements of this past year, has been the continued development of the Eglingham Neighbourhood Plan. With a small parish council precept, Windfarm funding has been crucial in progressing this project. The ENP is now in its final stages and we hope it will shortly proceed to public referendum. I want to thank the members of the ENP Steering Group, under the leadership of David Biesterfield, for volunteering their time and support. The ENP protects and preserves the wonderful surroundings in which we live. If you have not done so yet, I would urge you to read the documents on our website. They affect all of us.

The Future

Our parish council is a cohesive team with the shared objective of serving the community. We are a beautiful, rural parish enjoyed by some for all of their lives and chosen by others to spend their retirement in. We are committed to supporting residents in achieving the best quality of life they can here. We will work with the County Council in delivering social care where it’s needed, transport if it’s required and leisure facilities to enjoy. We will work with the community by being approachable and accessible, we will listen to and consider suggestions and take forward ideas where we can. We will, where possible, use Windfarm funding to help us achieve these goals.

Your Parish Council is a rewarding, friendly place to be. We want more residents to join us. We welcome differing views and diverse opinions to ensure that all parts of our parish are represented and that we address all of our needs. With the help of the Windfarm Community Benefit Fund, we can make Eglingham Parish the best that it can be. But we are small in number and need more help. If you would like the rewarding opportunity of making a difference, then please get in touch. We would love to hear from you.

Jane Hamilton

Chair, Eglingham Parish Council

15 May 2024