People living and working in North East coastal communities are being invited to help shape future policy and investment through three new Solution Sessions this Autumn.
The sessions, organised through the North East Coastal and Rural Taskforce, will bring together community groups, businesses and local service providers, alongside policy-makers, researchers and other partners, to explore the challenges and opportunities facing coastal places.
The sessions will take place in:
- Seahouses, Northumberland, on Monday 14 September 2026, with a particular focus on the rural Northumberland coast
- Blackhall and the Rocks, County Durham, on Wednesday 30 September 2026
- South Shields, South Tyneside, on Thursday 22 October 2026, with a particular focus on young people
The sessions come as coastal and rural communities take on a clearer role within North East devolution. Recent national developments have recognised rural affairs and coastal communities as an area of responsibility for devolved strategic authorities. Regional work is also progressing on long-term priorities including infrastructure, growth, skills, climate resilience and the environment.
Each Solution Session will focus on experiences, priorities and opportunities in these different coastal communities. Participants will be invited to share what is already working, identify the issues that matter most and consider how future policy and investment can help these places thrive.
The sessions will draw on existing research and data, alongside the perspectives of local residents, businesses and service providers gathered in advance through community surveys and/or other tailored engagement.
The ideas and recommendations developed through these sessions, and others in the series, will help inform a wider blueprint for long-term policy and investment in coastal and rural places, both within the North East and across England.
Find out more and get involved:
Further Solution Sessions during 2026 and 2027 will explore climate resilience, employment and skills, nature recovery, upland and tenant farming, and place-based working in remote communities.
About the Taskforce
The North East Coastal and Rural Taskforce is led by the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority, with NICRE providing the Secretariat and supporting community engagement, evidence gathering and the sharing of learning.
For further information, please contact nicre@newcastle.ac.uk.
