Glen was first elected to the county council in 1989 and apart from a short break, has served as a county councillor since then. He has held a number of positions in the council during that time, including as a cabinet member for the environment and local services and was appointed Leader of the Council on 23 September 2020.
He is married with grown up children and he and his wife run a small family farm in Northumberland. He has sat on a number of Boards over time and was Chair of Northumberland National Park for several years.
His passion remains one of public service and to that end served as a Magistrate for over 20 years on the SE Northumberland Magistrates Bench.
A season ticket holder at St James Park since 1994 he also has a keen interest in Nature.
As Director of Economic Development and Growth Sarah is responsible for delivering a significant programme of regeneration across the County and leading inclusive economic growth strategy and delivery to drive jobs and investment into Northumberland, including inward investment and business support and growth initiatives, alongside responsibility for estates and property, culture and the County’s Local Visitor Economy Partnership Visit Northumberland.
Sarah has played a key role in significant investments such as the £10bn datacentre campus in the County, she is a Director of Energy Central Campus Ltd, developing and delivering skills, innovation and growth in key sectors such as renewable energy and offshore wind, as well as playing a key role in furthering devolution and shaping the new Mayoral Combined Authority in the North East.
In a career of 25 years Sarah has worked at the local, regional and national tiers of Government, leading large scale, high profile national programmes for Ministers and developing and influencing economic and social policy in areas such as, EU funding, education, skills and economic growth, and was instrumental in the response to and recovery from the Covid19 pandemic in both the County and across the region.
Prior to joining Local Government, Sarah held senior roles in the Regional Development Agency and the Department for Education.
Sarah lives in Northumberland, with her family, and when not doing all of the above, and being a vice-Chair of a local School Governing Board, she can be found running, cooking or practicing yoga.
Jennifer is the Executive Director of Membership at the North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC), where she has been since 2016, joining the Exec Team in 2023. With its expansive network of 2,000 members representing 40% of the region’s workforce, NECC is the largest and most influential business membership organisation in North East England. Through NECC, Jennifer is dedicated to supporting, connecting, and advocating for businesses of all sizes and sectors, advancing economic growth and regional prosperity. Before joining NECC, Jennifer relocated to the North East to join the development team at The Glass House International Centre for Music, where she led their corporate development strategy. Driven by her passion for the region, Jennifer served as a Trustee for Dance City from 2022 to 2024 and joined the North East Advisory Board for Common Purpose in 2023, supporting cross-boundary leadership development across local, national, and international spheres. She is also a member on the Lumiere Fundraising Board, reinforcing her commitment to cultural and economic vitality in the region.
