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Governance Overview

We have been part of the NEAT Academy Trust family of schools since 1 April 2017.

The level of governance in NEAT include:

  • Members
  • Non-executive directors/trustees
  • Local governing committees  

Our NEAT Board and Committee role overview shows the relationship between the diffrerent levels of governance.

Constitution

Our local governing committee has:

  • Two parent members (elected by parents of pupils at the school)
  • One staff member (elected by staff of the school)
  • Headteacher member (ex-officio)
  • Eight trust members approved by the NEAT board of directors
  • Two co-opted members approved by the Local Governing Committee

The terms of office of all members are four years, except:

  • Any co-opted members where the term of office is one year
  • Ex-officio appointments which are based on the person holding a particular office and continue as long as the person remains in post

Local Governing Committee Members

Barbara Billingsley

Trust Member

Appointed by NEAT Trust Board: 07.09.2025

Term of office ends: 06.09.2029

Declared interests: None

Anne-Marie Blackburn

Trust Member (LGC Co-Vice Chair)

Appointed by NEAT Trust Board: 09.12.21

Re-appointed by NEAT Trust Board: with effect from 09.12.25

Term of office ends: 08.12.29

Declared interests: Mental Health Panel Member – NHS since 17.11.21; Employee – UK Civil Service since October 2018

Laura Bridges

Parent Member

Elected by parents of Walkergate Community School: 06.06.23

Term of office ends: 05.06.27

Declared interests: None

Holly Busson

Trust Member

Appointed by NEAT Trust Board: 14.10.23

Term of office ends: 13.10.27

Declared interests: Employee – Avison Young since 05.05.10

David Coe

Trust Member

Appointed by NEAT Trust Board: 15.10.20

Reappointed by NEAT Trust Board: 01.10.24, effective 15.10.24

Term of office ends: 14.10.28

Declared interests: Employee – North East Combined Authority since July 2019

 

Ruth Cowen-Bell

Parent Member

Elected by parents of Walkergate Community School: 20.01.25

Term of office ends: 19.01.29

Declared interests: Employee – Care Quality Commission since 03.10.11; Personal relationship with Chair of St Peter’s LGC 24.04.2026

Amber Loizou

Co-opted Member

Appointed by Walkergate LGC: 21.01.25

Re-appointed by Walkergate LGC: with effect from 21.01.26

Term of office ends: 20.01.27

Declared interests: Employee – Hadrian Park Primary School since September 2018

Dan Nelson

Headteacher

Ex-officio position based on role as Headteacher from 01.09.22

Declared interests: Employee – NEAT Academy Trust since September 2022

Former LGC Members in the last 12 months

Jade Martin

Trust Member (LGC Co-Vice Chair)

Appointed by NEAT Trust Board: 12.07.23

Resigned: 19.11.25

Declared interests: Staff Governor – Hadrian Park Primary School since 04.09.18

 

Local Governing Committee Meetings

The Scheme of Delegation of Governance sets out the roles and responsibilities of each school’s local governing committee and the decisions that the NEAT Board of Directors has delegated to it.

Meetings

The local governing committee usually meets four times each year: once in each of the Autumn and Spring Terms and twice in the Summer Term.

Attendance Register

The attendance of local governors at meetings in 2024-25 is available below:

Walkergate 2024-25 Attendance