During September 2020 the then Leader of Northumberland County Council, Councillor Peter Jackson lost a vote of no confidence in his actions and ability to lead the Council forward following placing the then Council Chief Executive on extended leave leading to scandal being laid at the Tory leaders door. This followed a number of years of his role as a disc jockey running out inaccurate statements about the cost of relocation of the Council headquarters to Ashington and decrying the Council and social housing investments made by the Labour Party, with his party lining up behind the inaccurate slogan of ‘Labour will concrete over your county’.
The Chief Executive had claimed that her attempts to investigate "significant concerns" about the council's development arm, Advance Northumberland, had been frustrated; alleging a "possible bias" on the part of council leader Peter Jackson and accusing leaders of "failure to act in the best interests of the council".
The current Tory Group on the Council have done little regarding those concerns, in fact they have been trying to pour in £millions into Advance Northumberland to refinance the Councils own debt, luckily external auditors and advisors have slowed the process for now.
Northumberland is the least populated County in England, with only 66 people per sq.Km according to Wikipedia against a national average of 438. it is so devoid of residents that the current Tory leadership have had to and are slashing service delivery across all Council departments including the elderly and infirm due to the lack of income from any regular growth in Council tax through housing development while the cost of housing the homeless is stacking up each and every day behind the Tory groups dam of secrecy.
The Government in its wisdom to help Northumberland survive this mismanagement of growth has allowed this Tory Council to be able to extend its spending powers in Labour's first budget in office at Westminster. This Council’s failure to absorb or deliver on this opportunity will lead to more unemployment as cuts beyond George Osborne's austerity measures are being rolled out annually.
The Council has approx. 2500 homes that have been sitting empty for more than five years and the Government’s new policy allows them to be brought into the Council’s housing stock with the new much reduced opportunity for right to buy elements sitting behind what would be a great step forward. Increasing the housing stock without laying a brick, and surely their arms length building company Advance Northumberland could manage a project like this on its owner, the Council’s behalf on a cost of repair basis without too much bother at all and prove their worth to the public whilst lowering the homeless situation across the county.
The current spinning disc is being run out by deputy leader Richard ‘fluff’ Wearmouth and his plans for the new local plan to to delivered over the next two decades
But comments apart its back to the Tory spin, ‘Fluff’s’ local plan designed as the headlines say “Northumberland residents urged not to panic over dramatic housing figures” are designed to do just that, panic the public, but as planning law and guidance currently states anyone can suggest a site be assessed - so landowners and developers can put sites into this stage of the process, even if there's little or no chance of them coming to fruition. It's a hugely speculative part of the process but it's intended to scope out how housing demand can be met. It's certainly not a reason to panic but this is social media where the two main options are always like or panic.
The new raw figures are necessary to be delivered if the public wishes to have any services for their massive council tax payments in future and even after their delivery over the next two decades it will still leave Northumberland as the emptiest County in England.
Northumberland Labour Group have issued a great news report decrying the spin and we’ve reproduced it to help our readers understand the process without the spin.
Communities deserve facts about housing, not fear and scaremongering”
Northumberland Labour Group Leader Councillor Scott Dickinson MBE has accused the Conservatives of causing unnecessary anxiety across Northumberland by presenting potential housing development figures in a way that fails to explain the facts behind the numbers.
The comments follow the publication of figures from Northumberland’s Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (HELAA), which identifies land submitted by landowners and developers for potential development as part of the preparation of a new Local Plan.
Councillor Dickinson said:
“This is scaremongering at its worst. The Conservatives have been circulating enormous housing figures across our communities without properly explaining what those numbers actually represent.
“Let us be absolutely clear. This is part of a long-term planning process looking ahead over the next 20 years. These are sites that landowners and developers have put forward for consideration. They are not approved housing developments, they are not confirmed allocations, and in many cases the land may prove entirely unsuitable for development.
“To present these figures in a way that suggests thousands of homes are about to be built in individual towns and villages is simply not an accurate reflection of where we are in the process.
“Residents have every right to know what is being considered in their communities. They also deserve accurate information, proper consultation and the opportunity to have their say, rather than being presented with alarming figures without the necessary context.
“What makes this particularly frustrating is the Conservatives’ own record on housing in Northumberland.
“While they are busy circulating frightening figures about potential developments, the Council’s own performance figures show that just 283 affordable homes were delivered in 2025/26, against a target of 374. That’s 91 affordable homes fewer than the Council’s own target.
“That is the real housing challenge we should be talking about.
“We have families waiting for social housing, young people being priced out of the communities they grew up in, and residents struggling to find somewhere affordable to rent.
“Northumberland has seen growing pressure on housing waiting lists and homelessness services, yet too many local people still cannot access the homes they desperately need.
“The Conservatives need to explain why, despite new housing developments coming forward across Northumberland, we are still failing to deliver enough genuinely affordable homes for local people.
“Too often, our communities have seen large executive housing developments, second homes and holiday accommodation while local families struggle to find somewhere secure and affordable to call home.
“We have watched young people leave the towns and villages they have grown up in because they simply cannot afford to buy or rent locally. That should concern every elected representative in Northumberland.
“Rather than causing unnecessary anxiety over land that may never be developed, the Conservatives should be concentrating on their own housing record and what needs to change to ensure future developments actually meet the needs of Northumberland residents.
“Northumberland does need new homes. But we need the right homes, in the right places, supported by the right infrastructure.
“That means genuinely affordable homes, more council and social housing, homes for local families and young people, and developments that respect the character and identity of our towns and villages.
“It also means making sure our schools, roads, health services and other essential infrastructure can support any future growth.
“I will always stand up against inappropriate development, but I will equally stand up for those residents who desperately need somewhere affordable and secure to call home.
“We should be having a serious conversation about Northumberland’s housing future, not frightening communities with headline figures that do not represent agreed development plans.
“There will be opportunities for communities to have their say as the Local Plan progresses, and those views must be listened to and taken seriously.
“My message to residents is simple: these figures are not a list of developments that have been approved. There is a long process ahead, with further assessments, consultation and decisions still to be made.
“The Conservatives should stop treating this important issue as an opportunity to generate fear and instead join a constructive discussion about how we deliver the homes Northumberland actually needs.
“Our communities deserve better than political scaremongering. They deserve honesty, transparency and a housing strategy that puts local people first.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
The Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (HELAA) considers potential sites submitted for assessment as part of the Local Plan process.
Inclusion in the HELAA does not grant planning permission, confirm a housing allocation or guarantee future development.
The emerging Local Plan is intended to guide development over approximately 20 years.
Northumberland County Council’s reported performance figures for 2025/26 show 283 affordable homes delivered against a target of 374, a shortfall of 91.
It remains to be seen whether claimed affordable housing is actually affordable with the Council often not enforcing affordable housing percentages on commercial viability arguments with developers.
The new rented accommodation provided by the Council in recent years is none existent and government grants have not been applied for.
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/peter-jackson-removed-leader-northumberland-18869192
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/northumberland-residents-urged-not-panic-34765205?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwY2xjawVCfW1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBwZG9mAXNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR7BaBljjPAvSblyj376FoVIwlJGz9i_DLNPZ8cNCn9XB1Vj7dKPZQ-c3SmsrA_aem_s6hWWR2mp_J-7UdzfoZa5Q#Echobox=1792085527
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northumberland
https://www.plumplot.co.uk/Northumberland-population.html
https://www.ons.gov.uk/explore-local-statistics/areas/E06000057-northumberland/indicators
https://www.ca-north.org.uk/about/about-northumberland
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6257pr3q76o
https://www.thetimes.com/money/mortgages/article/end-of-right-to-buy-d7nfm67n3
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