Labour, Reform, Conservative, Green, and Independent councillors have announced their leaders and deputies in North Tyneside.
16:11, 23 May 2026
North Tyneside Council offices at Cobalt Silverlink (Image: (Image: Newcastle Chronicle))
All North Tyneside Council’s political groups have formally confirmed their leaders and deputies following this May’s tumultuous local elections.
Unlike neighbouring authorities on May 7, Labour could not mathematically lose control of North Tyneside Council as this time round residents could only vote for a third of all available seats. However, Reform went on to make significant gains propelling them the council’s official opposition, overtaking the local Conservatives.
The count on the following day was a bruising experience for the ruling Labour, losing twelve out of the seventeen seats it was defending. Labour also lost three cabinet members who were defending their seats including the cabinet members responsible for education, climate change, and public health.
The Green Party also gained two seats and coun Judith Wallace fended off all contenders in the St Mary’s ward maintaining her position as an independent.
The current political make-up of the council now stands at:
- Labour: 38
- Reform UK: 11
- Conservative: 8
- Green: 2
- Independent: 1
The ruling Labour administration reaffirmed Mayor Karen Clark as leader of the group alongside long-serving deputy coun Carl Johnson. Reform UK’s longest serving councillor in North Tyneside Brian Smith has taken the mantle of leader of the opposition group with Wallsend Central councillor Richard Oliver as deputy.
Coun John Johnsson of Preston and Preston Grange was re-selected as the Conservative Group leader with Tynemouth councillor Lewis Bartoli as deputy. Whitley Bay North’s new Green Party councillor Helen Bell is now leader of her group, with Martin Osborne taking deputy.
The council chamber is now the most politically diverse it has been for some time with four distinct parties and one independent.
