Newcastle City Council is seeking a Chair and Trustees for the new charity it is setting up to look after parks and open spaces in Newcastle.
The following news release has been issued by Newcastle City Council:
An innovative, independent charity being set up by Newcastle City Council to run the city’s parks and allotments is seeking a dynamic Chair and Trustees (directors) for the founding Board.
The proposal for a charitable solution passed successfully through the City Council’s Cabinet in November of 2017. The proposal for the Newcastle Parks Trust has been three years in the making after extensive research and public consultation to remedy a situation where 90% of the parks budget has been culled due to Government cuts over a seven-year period.
In a pioneering approach towards parks and green spaces, this is a UK first of this size and ambition, and presents a major opportunity to bring fresh ideas, impetus and aspiration to a city with some of Europe’s proudest and heritage soaked green spaces.
The work has seen Newcastle City Council work alongside its partners the National Trust and the Heritage Lottery Fund to develop a vision that will allow parks and greenspaces to flourish in future, and identify alternative solutions to manage and fund parks and allotments in the city for future generations.
The City Council, assisted by the National Trust, is now seeking to recruit 11 trustees, one of which will be the inaugural Chair – two further Trustees will be nominated by the City Council itself. The successful candidates will be from a range of backgrounds and have a diverse skillset. These posts are voluntary yet hugely influential – these pivotal figures will shape the future of Newcastle’s parks and allotments well into the future.
Newcastle City Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture and Communities, Cllr Kim McGuinness, said: “The new Parks Trust will be tasked with taking the passion Newcastle has for our parks, allotments and greenspaces and using it to safeguard these city assets.
“The Chair and Board of Trustees will be advocates for our parks. They will build valuable partnerships and play a vital role in bringing to life the Parks Trust’s vision. It’s a great opportunity to work closely with enthusiastic volunteer groups, businesses and funding bodies to help Newcastle’s parks and allotments prosper for years to come.
“Our parks are incredibly valued by our residents and are a big part of what makes Newcastle a great place to live, work and visit. It’s important they grow and thrive. This is an exciting time for us as we make history as the first city to implement a parks trust as a delivery model for parks. We’re looking for a Chair who shares our enthusiasm for the success of our wonderful parks and appreciates all of the reasons our residents love them so much.”
The Council will make a total £9.5 million revenue contribution to the Newcastle Parks Trust over the first 10 years of its operation, which demonstrates its commitment to the future of the city’s parks and allotments.
The charity will potentially be responsible for around 409 hectares of Newcastle parks (33 parks in total) and allotments – 15.5% of the city’s total open space. The Parks Trust’s remit would cover principal, countryside and neighbourhood parks, playgrounds in parks and allotments.
National Trust Director of the North, Harry Bowell, said: “This is a great opportunity to help shape the future of Newcastle’s parks and allotments. We’re proud to support Newcastle City Council in recruiting a group of driven and dynamic individuals to secure the future of Newcastle’s green spaces.”
How to apply
People interested in applying for either the Chair or Board of Trustees positions need to return a covering letter and CV explaining how they meet the requirements of the described roles, by email to futureparks@nationaltrust.org.uk by midnight on Monday 12 February 2018. This is the same email address to request an information pack.
The job advertisement in full can be found at North East Jobs here.
For further information about the parks transformation and the partnership between the National Trust and Newcastle City Council please visit: www.futureparks.org
There will also be a series of meetings being delivered across the city to inform the public about future plans. These will take place at the following times and locations:
Jesmond Dene Visitor Centre – Saturday 10 February, 12pm to 1pm
Nunsmoor Centre – Monday 12 February, 7pm to 8pm
Civic Centre – Tuesday 13 February, 7pm to 8pm
Allotments session – Civic Centre – Saturday 24 February, 12pm to 1pm
The above news release was issued by Newcastle City Council and included on the Newcastle City Council website. It has been included here for information and does not necessarily represent the views of High West Jesmond Residents’ Association.
Here is a photograph taken by Chris Morgan who was visiting High West Jesmond at the time and spotted the work party busy with their work.
In November 2017, after research, discussion and consultation, Newcastle City Council’s Cabinet approved the proposal for Newcastle’s parks and allotments to be managed by a new charitable company (with ownership staying with the City) supported by the National Trust and Heritage Lottery Fund.