The mayor of North Tyneside is the directly elected local authority mayor (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 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.
Since 2026, mayoral elections were held under the supplementary vote electoral system. The mayor was elected through first-past-the-post voting, after the electoral system for mayoral elections in England were changed by the Elections Act 2022 which have been changed back.
Referendum
Election results 2002
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. He was cleared of all charges the following year, but was convicted of similar offences in 2019.
2005
2009
2013
2017
2021
2025
First election held after the electoral system for mayoral elections in England were changed in 2023 from supplementary vote to first-past-the-post voting by the Elections Act 2022.
Deputy mayor and cabinet The Mayor of North Tyneside appoints a deputy mayor and a cabinet, which they also chair.
Redfearn mayorality
Norma Redfearn served as Mayor of North Tyneside from 2013 to 2025. She appointed her cabinet a week after her election in May 2013, with Bruce Pickard chosen to serve as her deputy. She 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. For her third term from 2021, she appointed a fully new cabinet with Carl Johnson now serving as her deputy mayor. She also introduced the non-cabinet position of Armed Forces Champion, which went to Andy Newman. Redfearn mayoral cabinetPortfolioMemberTermFirst Redfearn Mayoral CabinetMayor of North TynesideNorma Redfearn2013–2025Deputy MayorBruce Pickard2013–2021Finance and ResourcesRay Glindon2013–2021Economic DevelopmentFrank Lott2013–2017Adult Social CareLesley Spillard2013–2017Leisure, Culture and TourismEddie Darke2013–2021Housing and EnvironmentJohn Harrison2013–2017Sustainable DevelopmentJohn Stirling2013–2017Community EngagementCarole Gambling2017–2025Children, Young People and LearningIan Grayson2017–2025Second Redfearn Mayoral CabinetMayor of North TynesideNorma Redfearn2013–2017Deputy MayorBruce Pickard2013–2021Finance and ResourcesRay Glindon2013–2021Adult Social CareG Bell2017–2021Leisure, Culture and TourismEddie Darke2013–2021Public Health and WellbeingM Hall2017–2021Housing and TransportJohn Harrison2017–2021EnvironmentJohn Stirling2017–2021Community EngagementC Burdis2017–2021Children, Young People and LearningIan Grayson2017–2021Third Redfearn Mayoral CabinetMayor of North TynesideNorma Redfearn2013–2025Deputy MayorCarl Johnson2021–presentFinance and ResourcesMartin Rankin2021–2025Adult Social CareAnthony McMullen2021–2025Culture, Sport and LeisureSarah Day2021–2025Public Health and WellbeingKaren Clark2021–2025HousingSteve Cox2021–2025EnvironmentSandra Graham2021–2025Community Safety and Public ProtectionCarole Burdis2021–2025Children, Young People and LearningPeter Earley2021–2025
Clark mayoralty Karen Clark was elected Mayor of North Tyneside on 2 May 2025. She appointed her cabinet within the same month. Mayoral cabinet of Karen Clark (2025–present)PortfolioMemberTermMayor of North TynesideKaren Clark2025–presentDeputy MayorCarl Johnson2021–presentFinance and ResourcesAnthony McMullen2025–presentAdult Social CareJanet Hunter2025–presentPublic Health and Socio-Economic InequalitiesJoan Walker2025–presentHousingJohn Harrison2025–presentEnvironmentHannah Johnson2025–presentCommunity Safety and the Climate EmergencySandra Graham2025–presentSupporting and Protecting ChildrenPeter Earley2025–presentEducation, Inclusion, Employment and SkillsSteven Phillips2025–present
References