Latest news with #NormaRedfearn
ITV News
02-05-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
Local elections: No majority at Northumberland County Council as Labour win North Tyneside Mayor
Northumberland County Council is under no overall control after no party was able to claim a majority in the local elections. The Conservatives, who have ran the council since 2017, remain the biggest party with 26 councillors but could not get close to the 35 seats needed to reach a majority as Reform UK surged. The party were the big winners on the night claiming 23 seats, making gains from both the Conservatives and Labour, who struggled in their traditional heartlands. The party were reduced to just eight councillors, a significant reduction on the 24 seats they claimed in the last election in 2021. The Conservatives now face the prospect of working with Reform, or forming a coalition with some combination the Independent Group (seven seats), the Liberal Democrats (three seats), The Green Party (two seats) or even Labour to get their policies through. It was a better night for Labour in the election for the North Tyneside Mayor as they held off the Reform challenge, by just 444 votes. Karen Clark, will effectively become the leader of the Council, succeeding former Labour Mayor Dame Norma Redfearn, who had held the post since 2013. The election for all seats at Durham County Council also took place on Thursday with the result expected on Friday afternoon. Have you heard our new podcast Talking Politics? Every week Tom, Robert and Anushka dig into the biggest issues dominating the political agenda…
BBC News
06-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Who are the candidates in the race to be North Tyneside mayor?
The race is on to find a new mayor for North Tyneside - a role that effectively heads North Tyneside Council although, in many other authority areas, it is Norma Redfearn is standing down after 12 years in the candidates have entered the contest to take on the top political position in the borough. Whoever wins the election will become the council's main spokesperson, directing the authority and chairing cabinet meetings. The Labour Party candidate, Karen Clark, is currently the cabinet member for public health and wellbeing for the council and a ward councillor for Longbenton and and the economy are her main priorities."People having a good quality job with some money in their pocket is the number one way to lift people out of poverty."She said she would be working to support businesses and talking to the government about investment in the area. Liam Bones is the leader of the Conservatives in North Tyneside - the largest opposition party. He is a councillor for the Preston and Preston Grange has vowed to improve road maintenance in the borough. He said there was a backlog of roads and pavements which needed to be fixed and that about £36m needed to be spent tackling the problem. He said people are seeing "damage to their cars and trip hazards in pretty much every street." The Liberal Democrat Party has selected Dr John Appleby as their is a senior lecturer in engineering Dr Appleby, the environment is a key issue."We can talk about good air quality for health and making walking safer and more pleasant."He has also vowed to look after places like Marden Quarry and the Rising Sun Country Park. Disability rights campaigner Chloe-Louise Reilly is the Green Party stood as the party's candidate for Tynemouth in the 2024 General Election, but lost out to Labour's Alan party has vowed to abolish the role of the mayor, if Ms Reilly is elected. It believes the cabinet being chosen by the mayor, rather than via an election system, is people are also a priority for her. She said she would get them involved in projects like re-purposing empty buildings and would "give them the opportunity to decide what they want in the community." Local resident John Falkenstein has lived in the borough for most of his life and has worked as a barrister for almost 30 years. He is standing for Reform elected, his top priority would be to "balance the books."He has called for a review of spending and said "Vanity projects have to stop, finances have to be rationalised and this all has to be done publicly." Two independent candidates have also entered the Davis is a former Labour councillor for the Preston ward who left the party in wants to abolish the role that she is standing for, also objecting to the cabinet being chosen by the mayor, rather than via an election system."One of the major things I want to do is scrap the system," she said. "It's undemocratic." A second independent candidate Martin Henry Uren has also entered the race.A watersports enthusiast, his main priority is to restore Tynemouth's wants the pool to be council-run and for any profits to be invested in the area. He said "It's such a lovely project that has been in the public eye for a few years."It's time now to just get it done." The election is on 1 May and only residents living in the borough are eligible to vote. The role is separate from the North East Mayor, a post held by Labour's Kim McGuinness, who represents the seven local authorities in the region, including North Tyneside. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
