Thirlwall, Upper Denton & Waterhead Parish Council
About us
Thirlwall Parish is in the extreme west of the county of Northumberland and includes part of the village of Gilsland and the hamlet of Longbyre. The north western parish boundary, along the Irthing river and Poltross Burn, is also the boundary between Cumbria and Northumberland. To the south east of the parish the Tipalt Burn forms the boundary with Greenhead Parish.
Thirlwall Parish is in the Haydon and Hadrian Ward of Northumberland County Council and our councillor is Cllr. Alan Sharp.
We are in the Hexham constituency and our MP is Guy Opperman (Con).
The Parish Council is the most local form of government and all councillors must live within or very close to the parish boundary. Thirlwall Parish Council has five councillors, employs a part-time clerk, and meets six times a year. The meetings are normally held in Gilsland Village Hall and are open to the public. Details of forthcoming meetings and minutes of past meetings are available on this website.
Parish Councillors are elected every four years, or in the event that there are not enough candidates to contest all the seats, candidates may be appointed by the existing councillors. You may contact any Parish Councillor, or the Council's Clerk, for information about the Council, its functions, or to comment on its work.
What we do
The council allocates precept funds in order to carry out its duties and to support local events or organisations. Thirlwall Parish Council is responsible for the maintenance of the play park in Gilsland and for cutting grass, principally in Longbyre. The council comments on planning applications that affect people in the parish.
The council consults with local residents and parishioners on all planning applications in the parish before commenting back to Northumberland County Council Planning Department.
One of the councillors represents the parish on Haltwhistle and District Burial Board which is responsible for maintaining the cemeteries at Greenhead and in Haltwhistle.
One councillor is a parish representative on the committee of the 'Campaign to Open Gilsland Station'.
Cllr. Sharp attends most Parish Council meetings and provides direct communication with the various departments of the County Council.
Thirlwall Parish Council owns the land at Longbyre comprising the village green and surrounding verges at the entrance to Longbyre from Greenhead. This land and surrounding verges continue round to the entrance to the village of Longbyre from Gilsland. This is all owned by the Parish Council.
Thirlwall Parish Council owns the land on which the playground is situated in Gilsland.
Thirlwall Parish Council owns the Pumphouse in Gilsland.
