Former Northumberland council leader to step down at local elections

Peter Jackson, who currently represents the Ponteland South with Heddon ward, has led both the county council and Castle Morpeth District Council prior to local government reorganisation in 2009.

He has decided not to stand in this year’s elections after 29 years as a councillor.

Cllr Jackson said: “It has been an honour to have served as a councillor at district and county levels in Northumberland for 29 years. It has not been an easy decision to step aside and not stand for the 2025 local elections.

“During my time as a councillor I am happy to have managed a number of notable achievements for our county. As leader of Castle Morpeth District Council, I oversaw a financial rescue of that authority and laid down the basis for the rebuilding of the vibrant town centre of Morpeth we see today.

“Then, as leader of Northumberland County Council from 2017, I led a radical change in the council’s direction and delivery. Not only did the council rewrite the Local Plan, saving large areas of the county’s greenbelt from unnecessary housing development, but we were able to rebuild leisure centres at Ponteland, Berwick and Morpeth at a time when other authorities were closing theirs.

“In a strategy to improve education for our next generation, I created a major school rebuilding programme, not replicated anywhere else in the country, including building new High schools in Hexham, Ponteland and a new wing at Haydon Bridge, as well as instigating plans for the new Seaton Delaval, Amble and Berwick High schools.

“As leader I was always proud to take on regional leadership, negotiating with central Government the one-off £350m Borderlands Growth Fund, which has amongst other things, led to crucial support for projects such as Lilidorei in Alnwick, the Ad Gefrin development in Wooler and the rebirth of the Maltings centre in Berwick.

“I am also proud to have negotiated the financial backing from central Government for the £300m resurrection of the Northumberland Line railway from Ashington to Newcastle, one of only two such projects in the country to get the go ahead. Starting the drive to devolution for our region, I was pleased to lead on the creation of the North East Combined Authority with the new Mayor and substantial devolved funding.

“After a long and involved career as a councillor, I now feel that it is time to make way for a fresh and younger face with new ideas. I wish my successor all the best for the future and hope that our great county of Northumberland will build on our successes and continue to flourish.”

His time as leader of the council came to an end in dramatic circumstances in 2020, after he lost a vote of no confidence by a single vote following the controversial suspension of the council’s then-chief executive, Daljit Lally. Ms Lally left the council herself two years later shortly after the publication of a damning report into governance at the council.

Cllr Jackson is the second former leader to announce plans to step down at the election, following former Lib Dem leader Jeff Reid.