Making the most of World Heritage Site

It follows an independent study commissioned by the council to review the existing funding and governance arrangements for the management and administration of what is a World Heritage Site.

Since 2013, the council has coordinated the management of the Wall on behalf of an independent partnership board and the other local authorities along its length, who make a financial contribution.

However, the current contributions total less than £75,000 a year.

A report to Tuesday’s meeting of the council’s cabinet says: ‘This model has worked well. However, it has becoming increasingly clear that this approach does not provide the capacity or the capability required to effectively manage this complex and multifaceted heritage asset.’

The preferred new model requires the council to up its contribution from £15,000 to £25,000 a year, maintaining its commitment to meet 20 per cent of the costs.

Councillors also endorsed the submission of a bid of £150,000 to the Resilient Heritage Fund, which would pay for two members of staff on 18-month contracts to help further development.

Council leader Peter Jackson said: “Through these arrangements, we are actually getting a remarkably good deal for Northumberland.”