New chief executive for troubled Active Northumberland

Mark Tweedie, the former chief executive of Active Tameside in Greater Manchester, will be taking up the post in May.

Beginning his career as a PE lecturer, then moving into sports development and later leisure-service management, Mark, 50, has a strong and successful senior-management background.

He also has a track record of partnership working and innovation to introduce and sustain effective and efficient service-delivery models.

Active Northumberland is a charitable trust that manages leisure services on behalf of Northumberland County Council.

Mark said: “I know the county council and Active Northumberland are committed to a strong and long-lasting partnership with a progressive vision to promote health, wellbeing and active lifestyles to all sectors of the community. I am really excited about the future, the challenges and the huge opportunities ahead.”

In February, the Gazette reported that Active Northumberland had received a scathing report following an independent review. It identified ‘significant failings of governance and numerous gaps in the expected level of strategic and operational capability and capacity’.