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Northumbria Probation Trust Board is responsible for overseeing the strategic direction of probation services within Northumbria.
Northumbria achieved trust status with effect from 1 April 2010, building on the successes already achieved within the area in the delivery of probation services. The trust is part of the National Offender Management Service (NOMS), but operates as a non-departmental public body.
One of only two probation trusts in the North East, Northumbria Probation Trust is responsible for all services delivered to offenders under probation supervision. This includes offenders subject to community orders and released from prison on licence.
As a trust, we are now able to work even more efficiently and effectively to make sure probation services are delivered in a way which matches local need and cuts crime.
The board has a particular role in ensuring that local probation services represent good value for money and that high performance standards are met. The board is also the employer for our 600 staff.
“Communities in which local people live free from crime and the fear of crime."
"We will deliver our vision by being a forward looking and robust
organisation that works with others to reduce offending, protect the
public and enhance public confidence."
Our vision for a successful trust includes a much sharper local focus to our work, with more decision making being made by senior managers responsible for probation services in each of our six local delivery units (one in each local authority area).
The board comprises 5 members, including the appointed chair, chief executive and other non-executive members. Members are recruited from local communities and bring with them a range of skills coupled with a broad range of experience from the public, private and voluntary & community sectors.
| Lesley Bessant | Lesley is the chair of the board. Her background has been spent almost entirely in the public sector, and most of it in local government. She spent seven years with Newcastle City Council and then moved to Gateshead Council, as assistant chief executive, helping to develop the council's response to the government's improvement agenda. She has also worked as a policy advisor to the police authority, giving her some insight into the complexities of the criminal justice system. |
| Nick Hall | As acting chief executive, Nick is responsible for the overall operational and strategic direction of the trust. Nick Hall joined Northumbria Probation Area in 2005 as director of people management and OD. He then went on to hold the roles of director of resources and deputy chief executive. Before joining probation, Nick was head of HR at the North East Ambulance Service NHS Trust. Prior to that he worked for 15 years in local government with North Tyneside Council in various roles. |
| Norman Gilberg | Norman is an executive coach and senior lecturer at Northumbria University Business School; he was an associate at the university until March 2008. He was also for many years with Northumbria Police, his later roles included area commander, head of personnel and detective chief superintendent and head of professional standards. |
| Janet Guy | Janet is an independent member of Northumbria Police Authority and a lead member for diversity. She is a qualified solicitor, who practiced in Northumberland and Tyneside in the areas of criminal and family law, as well as in wills, probate and trusts. She was a non-executive director of Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland Mental Health NHS Trust. She has been a school governor and worked with charities such as CAB, a medical research charity and hospice. She chairs the audit committee in addition to her board duties. |
| Peter Hillman | Peter is currently the treasurer and buildings officer at Seaton Delaval and Holywell Community Association and chair of governors at Seaton Valley Federation. Previous to this he was leader of Northumberland County Council. Prior to becoming leader, he was portfolio holder for community services and chairman of the public protection committee. He was also community engagement coordinator at the council implementing the community engagement strategy to reduce local concentrations of worklessness. Peter has also been a member of Newcastle International Airport Board, the Northern Arts Board, a member of the Lord Chancellors Advisory panel and school governor at Seaton Deleval and Astley Community High School. |
Last updated: 25/03/10
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