Mayor of North Tyneside Political position
Mayor of North Tyneside Coat of arms of the Metropolitan Borough of North Tyneside
Style No courtesy title or style Appointer Electorate of North Tyneside Term length Four years
The Mayor of North Tyneside is the executive mayor of the borough of North Tyneside in Tyne and Wear , England, providing political leadership for North Tyneside Council . The incumbent since 2025 is Karen Clark . A Mayoral Referendum was held on 5 May 2016 to determine if residents wished to retain the Mayoral system or change to a committee system. The number of votes for continuing with the mayoral system was 32,546 (57.5%) against 23,703 (41.8%) for a committee system.[ citation needed ]
Until 2023, mayoral elections were held under the supplementary vote electoral system. The mayor is now elected through first-past-the-post voting , after the electoral system for mayoral elections in England were changed by the Elections Act 2022 .[ 1] [ 2]
Referendum
Mayor of North Tyneside referendum
Choice
Votes
%
30,262 57.6
Cabinet System
22,296
42.4
Referendum on how North Tyneside is governed
Choice
Votes
%
32,546 57.5
Committee System
24,059
42.5
Election results
2002
Mayor of North Tyneside election 2 May 2002[ 4]
Party
Candidate
1st round
2nd round
1st round votes Transfer votes, 2nd round
Total
Of round
Transfers
Total
Of round
Conservative Christopher Morgan 21,829
35.9%
4,254
26,083
51.5%
Labour Eddie Darke
19,601
32.2%
4,930
24,531
48.5%
Liberal Democrats Michael Huscroft
12,323
20.2%
Independent Allan Pond
4,993
8.2%
Socialist Alliance Michael Elliott
2,119
3.5%
Conservative win
2003 by-election
A mayoral by-election was held on 12 June 2003, which was won by Linda Arkley of the Conservative Party , after Chris Morgan resigned after he was arrested in relation to police investigations over allegations of possessing indecent images of children.[ 5] [ 6] [ 7]
Mayor of North Tyneside by-election 12 June 2003[ 8]
Party
Candidate
1st round
2nd round
1st round votes Transfer votes, 2nd round
Total
Of round
Transfers
Total
Of round
Conservative Linda Arkley 18,478
43.1%
2,750
21,228
56.4%
Labour Gordon Adam 13,070
30.5%
3,357
16,427
43.6%
Liberal Democrats Michael Huscroft
8,404
19.8%
BNP Robert Batten
2,554
6.0%
Socialist Alliance Louise van der Hoeven
400
0.9%
Majority 4,801
Conservative hold
2005
Mayor of North Tyneside election 5 May 2005[ 9]
Party
Candidate
1st round
2nd round
1st round votes Transfer votes, 2nd round
Total
Of round
Transfers
Total
Of round
Labour John Harrison 34,053
40%
6,407
40,460
50.6%
Conservative Linda Arkley 35,467
42%
3,991
39,458
49.4%
Liberal Democrats Joan Harvey
12,761
15%
National Front Robert Batten
2,470
3%
Majority 1,002
Labour gain from Conservative
2009
Mayor of North Tyneside election 4 June 2009[ 10]
Party
Candidate
1st round
2nd round
1st round votes Transfer votes, 2nd round
Total
Of round
Transfers
Total
Of round
Conservative Linda Arkley 24,784
45%
2,299
27,083
54.5%
Labour John Harrison 19,823
34%
2,811
22,634
45.5%
Liberal Democrats Nigel Huscroft
7,343
13%
BNP John Burrows
3,398
6%
Green Martin Collins
1,995
3%
National Front Robert Batten
1,086
2%
Majority 4,449
Conservative gain from Labour
2017
North Tyneside Mayoral Election 04 May 2017[ 12]
Party
Candidate
1st round
2nd round
1st round votes Transfer votes, 2nd round
Total
Of round
Transfers
Total
Of round
Labour Norma Redfearn 29,655
56.4%
Conservative Stewart Hay
16,164
30.7%
Liberal Democrats John Appleby
3,537
6.7%
UKIP Stuart Houghton
3,248
6.2%
Majority 13,491
Turnout 52,604
Labour hold Swing
2021
North Tyneside Mayoral Election 06 May 2021
Party
Candidate
1st round
2nd round
1st round votes Transfer votes, 2nd round
Total
Of round
Transfers
Total
Of round
Labour Norma Redfearn 33,119
53.3%
Conservative Steven Robinson
19,366
31.2%
Green Penny Remfry
4,278
6.9%
Liberal Democrats John Appleby
3,549
5.7%
UKIP Jack Thomson
1,753
2.8%
Majority 13,753
Turnout 62,065
Labour hold Swing
Deputy mayor and cabinet
The Mayor of North Tyneside appoints a deputy mayor and a cabinet, which they also chair.[ 17]
Redfearn mayorality
Norma Redfearn served as Mayor of North Tyneside from 2013 to 2025.[ 18] Bruce Pickard chosen to serve as her deputy.[ 19] reshuffled most of her cabinet after her re-election in 2017, though her deputy Pickard and some other cabinet members remained in their previous positions.[ 20] [ 21]
Redfearn mayoral cabinet
Portfolio
Member
Term
First Redfearn Mayoral Cabinet
Mayor of North Tyneside
Norma Redfearn 2013–2025
Deputy Mayor
Bruce Pickard 2013–2021
Finance and Resources
Ray Glindon 2013–2021
Economic Development
Frank Lott 2013–2017
Adult Social Care
Lesley Spillard
2013–2017
Leisure, Culture and Tourism
Eddie Darke 2013–2021
Housing and Environment
John Harrison 2013–2017
Sustainable Development
John Stirling
2013–2017
Community Engagement
Carole Gambling
2017–2025
Children, Young People and Learning
Ian Grayson
2017–2025
Second Redfearn Mayoral Cabinet
Mayor of North Tyneside
Norma Redfearn 2013–2017
Deputy Mayor
Bruce Pickard 2013–2021
Finance and Resources
Ray Glindon 2013–2021
Adult Social Care
G Bell
2017–2021
Leisure, Culture and Tourism
Eddie Darke 2013–2021
Public Health and Wellbeing
M Hall
2017–2021
Housing and Transport
John Harrison 2017–2021
Environment
John Stirling
2017–2021
Community Engagement
C Burdis
2017–2021
Children, Young People and Learning
Ian Grayson
2017–2021
Third Redfearn Mayoral Cabinet
Mayor of North Tyneside
Norma Redfearn 2013–2025
Deputy Mayor
Carl Johnson
2021–present
Finance and Resources
Martin Rankin
2021–2025
Adult Social Care
Anthony McMullen
2021–2025
Culture, Sport and Leisure
Sarah Day
2021–2025
Public Health and Wellbeing
Karen Clark 2021–2025
Housing
Steve Cox
2021–2025
Environment
Sandra Graham
2021–2025
Community Safety and Public Protection
Carole Burdis
2021–2025
Children, Young People and Learning
Peter Earley
2021–2025
Clark mayoralty
Karen Clark was elected Mayor of North Tyneside on 2 May 2025.[ 22] [ 23]
Mayoral cabinet of Karen Clark (2025–present)
Portfolio
Member
Term
Mayor of North Tyneside
Karen Clark 2025–present
Deputy Mayor
Carl Johnson
2021–present
Finance and Resources
Anthony McMullen
2025–present
Adult Social Care
Janet Hunter
2025–present
Public Health and Socio-Economic Inequalities
Joan Walker
2025–present
Housing
John Harrison
2025–present
Environment
Hannah Johnson
2025–present
Community Safety and the Climate Emergency
Sandra Graham
2025–present
Supporting and Protecting Children
Peter Earley
2025–present
Education, Inclusion, Employment and Skills
Steven Phillips
2025–present
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