Residents of North Tyneside are to cast their ballots for their preferred council candidates this May 4.
It has been a politically turbulent time in recent months, with a split within the Conservative Party, and accusations of bullying within both Labour and Conservative parties.
This election will require voters to provide photo ID. If you are voting in person, or acting as a proxy voter, ensure you have some form of photo ID to avoid being turned away.
How many councillors are up for election?
There are 21 seats up for grabs in North Tyneside this year. Camperdown Ward has two Labour candidates standing on May 4. Lisa Ferasin, a Labour councillor for the ward, has not sought re-election, meaning the incumbent Tracy Hallway and Labour hopeful Steve Cox will both be standing.
What is the current makeup of the council?
The makeup of the local authority has been shaken up recently, following a split in the Conservative Party.
The political makeup of the local authority now stands at:
Labour - 51
Conservative - 6
Independent - 3
Who is the leader of the council?
Labour's Dame Norma Redfearn is the elected mayor of North Tyneside Council. Before entering politics, Dame Norma had a 30-year teaching career, 14 of those as a headteacher.
In 2004, she was elected as a councillor for Riverside. She was then first elected as mayor in May 2013, defeating her Conservative rival Linda Arkley. Dame Norma has held the position ever since.
Which seats are being fought over?
The most interesting seat in this year's elections is likely to be St Mary's. The ward has been traditionally a Tory stronghold but this could now change.
All three previous Conservative councillors for the ward resigned from the party to go independent in February 2023. The former Tory councillors are Judith Wallace, George Westwater and Pam McIntyre. The councillors left the party claiming the North Tyneside Tory party was a hotbed for "sustained bullying" and had become a "toxic" environment. The North Tyneside Conservative Federation denied the allegations.
Now the St Mary's independents are fighting to have Coun George Wallace returned to North Tyneside Council. They are confident Coun Westwater can be re-elected as an independent, citing his work in the ward. Sources within the Conservative Party remain optimistic about their chances in St Mary's however, claiming the residents of the ward want to be represented by an official Tory candidate.
However, a split vote could mean Labour gaining a seat in St Mary's, quite the achievement for one of the safest Conservative strongholds on Tyneside.
Anything else to watch out for on election night?
The Greens are keen to continue nipping at the heels of Labour in Whitley Bay.
Earlier this month, the national co-leader of the Green Party, Carla Denyer, paid a visit to Whitley Bay in an effort to drum up support for the local candidate Alan Steele. In 2022, Mr Steele, came second, amassing 1,236 votes. The Labour Party's Margaret Hall was ultimately victorious with 1,760.
South of the river in South Tyneside, The Green Party doubled the number of its councillors from three to six. Is Whitley Bay that far off from its first Green councillor?
What are the local issues getting people talking?
Council plans to create a cycle lane connecting St Mary's all the way to Tynemouth has generated division amongst coastal residents. The £4.5m 8km route has divided many, with some welcoming the scheme as an example of enviromentally and physically healthy transport infrastructure.
However, scores of residents are more skeptical of the scheme and anticipate it will be poorly used and create congestion and traffic chaos.
The development of the Murton Gap with nearly 3,000 houses is also a major political hot potato. As construction effort for the site ramp up, many residents have been left wondering if building on the vacant land is a good idea. While some welcome the opportunity for affordable housing, the question of whether existing infrastructure will cope remains.
Full list of candidates standing in North Tyneside's 2022 local elections:
Battle Hill
Helen MacKenzie Bell (Green Party)
Julie Elizabeth Cruddas (Labour Party)
Jean Murray (Conservative Party)
Brian Craig Toft (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition)
Benton
David Arthur (Independent)
Janet Hunter (Labour Party)
David Sarin (Conservative Party)
Allie Wilson Craw (Green Party)
Camperdown
Steve Cox (Labour Party)
Tracy Ann Hallway (Labour Party)
David Wallace Lilly (Conservative Party)
John Graham Morley (Green Party)
Harriet Annabella Stanway (Liberal Democrat)
Chirton
Stephen Patrick Bones (Conservative Party)
William George Jarrett (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition)
Michael Andrew Newton (Green Party)
Matthew Brian Thirlaway (Labour Party)
Jack James Thomson (UKIP)
Collingwood
John Joseph Johnsson (Conservative Party)
Jack Lee Ronan Proud (Labour Party)
Penny Remfry (Green Party)
Cullercoats
Pamela Ann Hood (UKIP)
Sophie Joanna McGlinn (Green Party)
Steven Robinson (Conservative Party)
Andrew James Spowart (Labour Party)
Howdon
Connor Bones (Conservative Party)
Martin Williams Collins (Green Party)
John Lawrence Langford (Labour Party)
Killingworth
Deb Altman (Green Party)
John Ord (Conservative Party)
Erin Parker Leonard (Labour Party)
Longbenton
Patricia Briscol (Liberal Democrat)
Karen Anne Clark (Labour Party)
Dan George (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition)
Mary Laver (Conservative Party)
Steve Manchee (Green Party)
Monkseaton North
Andy Holdsworth (Labour Party)
Ian Jones (Green Party)
David Nisbet (Liberal Democrat)
George Mann Partis (Conservative Party)
Monkseaton South
Steve Alder (Reform UK)
Davey Drummond (Labour and Co-operative Party)
Stewart Hay (Conservative Party)
Neil Oliver Percival (Green Party)
Northumberland
Steven Clarke Corbett (Conservative Party)
Andy Newman (Labour Party)
Claire Emma Wedderman (Green Party)
Preston
Ian William Appleby (Green Party)
Jamie John Malcolm Baker (UKIP)
Neil David Graham (Conservative Party)
Matt Wilson (Labour and Co-operative Party)
Riverside
Stephanie Marie Anderson (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition)
Jay Luca Bartoli (Conservative Party)
Wendy Lott (Labour Party)
Nick Martin (Green Party)
St. Mary's
Janet Elizabeth Appleby (Liberal Democrat)
Robbie Loughney (Labour Party)
Ian McAlpine (Conservative)
Kate Elizabeth Percival (Green Party)
George Crighton Westwater (Independent)
Tynemouth
Frank Stephen Austin (Independent)
Lewis Carlo Bartoli (Conservative Party)
Siobhan Catherine Coogan (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition)
Marcus Andrew Kitson (Reform UK)
Henry Marshall (UKIP)
Michael Morris (Labour Party)
Simon Richard Smithson (Green Party)
Valley
Carole Ann Burdis (Labour and Co-operative)
Gordon Fletcher (Reform UK)
Wayne Kavanagh (Conservative Party)
Roger Werner Maier (Green Party)
Wallsend
Ian Raymond Grayson (Labour Party)
Julia Hayward (Green Party)
Wendy Jackson (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition)
Richard Julian Oliver (Reform UK)
David Steven (Conservative Party)
Weetslade
John Christopher Appleby (Liberal Democrat)
Sarah Ellen Burtenshaw (Labour Party)
Carole Ann Nissen (Green Party)
Susan Rodgerson (Conservative Party)
Whitley Bay
Kirsty Ann Alder (Reform UK)
Vera Elliot (Liberal Democrat)
John Hoare (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition)
Janet Ilderton (Conservative Party)
John O'Shea (Labour Party)
Alan Steele (Green Party)
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