New chief executive for troubled Active Northumberland

A new chief executive has been appointed for leisure organisation Active Northumberland, which recently received a scathing report.

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’.