Northumberland: a shared mission for generational change

In this guest blog, Northumberland County Council share how their County Partnership and twenty-year mission for generational change is bringing together partners, communities and data to tackle inequality through long-term, place-based collaboration.

In 2024, Northumberland County Council came together with senior leaders from key anchor institutions to agree a bold, collective ambition: a twenty-year mission to tackle social, economic and health inequalities across the county.

At the core of this collaboration is a shared mission adopted by all partners:

Ensuring people have fair access to the building blocks for a good life – including a decent income, good quality employment, safe, affordable and warm housing, and high-quality education and training opportunities.

By focusing on these foundations, the Partnership aims to reduce the persistent gaps in health, education, employment and wider life outcomes experienced by residents across Northumberland.

Crucially, this is a long-term commitment. We all know inequalities are complex and deeply rooted. Meaningful change requires sustained collaboration, shared accountability and a clear focus on place.

Dr Helen Paterson, Chief Executive for Northumberland County Council said: “With shared ambition, strong partnerships and a clear focus on place, we can create a Northumberland where every person has the building blocks for a good life. 

Inequalities do not have to be inevitable. We can make real change and reduce inequalities by working in collaboration and building relationships across all sectors.

And the County Partnership is already demonstrating what is possible when we combine our strengths and commit to the people and places we serve.”

A place-based, community-centred approach

A community-centred, strength-based approach underpins everything the County Partnership does. Rather than focusing solely on deficits, partners are committed to understanding what is strong, not what is wrong in each community. Northumberland’s towns, villages and rural areas are all different, and recognising the importance of place is essential.

We have used the Place Standard Tool to develop a shared understanding of local assets, skills and lived experience. This approach helps identify what residents are best placed to do themselves, where communities may need some support and where organisations should act on their behalf. The result is a clear, evidence-led focus for improvement at a place-based level, shaped by data and by local voices.

Turning ambition into action

The County Partnership leads on several key areas of work that translate its shared mission into practical action.

One major strand is its partnership with the Institute of Health Equity, embedding the Marmot Principles across the Northumberland system. Through in-depth “deep dives” into housing, employment and the best start in life, this work brings together data analysis, focus groups, interviews and workshops with partners and communities. Diagnostic reports are being developed, alongside baseline indicators that will allow progress to be tracked over the full twenty-year programme.

The Partnership is also strengthening Northumberland’s Anchor Institution Network, bringing together major employers and local organisations to support inclusive growth. By increasing local spend, growing the local workforce and caring for the local environment, anchor institutions are helping keep the “Northumberland pound” circulating locally while acting as role models for social value in procurement and planning.

Alongside this sits Northumberland Experiences, a unique twenty-year qualitative research project capturing residents lived experiences over time. Community-based researchers are working directly with residents using interviews and ‘photovoice’ capture. The researchers have chosen various topics which gives a snapshot of life in Hirst housing estate, Ashington – a former pit village. The project aims to expand across different topics and different locations across the county. Over time, this living archive will strengthen the evidence base for more inclusive, responsive policymaking.

A model for national place-based working

We believe Northumberland’s approach aligns with national ambitions for place-based partnerships and civil society engagement. By valuing cross-sector collaboration, embedding participation and inclusion, and committing to transparency through open data, including a new Data Hub holding over 18,000 datasets, the County Partnership offers a compelling example of how local areas can work differently.

While this work is still at an early stage, it has already created a strong culture of collaboration between the Council, anchor institutions and civil society. With a clear long-term mission, a deep understanding of place and a commitment to listening to communities, Northumberland is laying the foundations for lasting change.

Together, through partnership and shared purpose, Northumberland is working towards a fairer, healthier and more inclusive future – not just for today’s residents, but for generations to come.

Watch a video about the Northumberland Experiences pilot project.

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