Why we created a Trust for Newcastle's Parks and Allotments

Over a period of seven years, the Council’s parks budget was reduced by over 90%, meaning that finding new ways of financing and running the city’s parks was essential. We needed to do this whilst staying committed to improving the way we delivered parks and allotments, keeping them in public ownership, safe, free to use, and making sure that local people, community groups and partners were still fully involved in the future delivery of the service.

What we proposed…

We worked with the National Trust, benefiting from their experience in caring for natural built heritage across the country, to help us find a positive way forward for Newcastle. We researched the possibility of transferring the operation, delivery and maintenance of a large proportion of the city’s parks and allotments to a new Charitable Trust (Charity).

On 20 November 2017, Cabinet agreed to create a new charitable company (Newcastle Parks Trust) and to transfer our parks and allotments to the new organisation to develop and care for, for future generations.

The Trust begins operating...

Newcastle Parks & Allotments Trust officially started operating across the city on April 1st, 2019. 

You can find out more information on their website.