2026 North Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council election

2026 North Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council election

←  2024 7 May 2026 (2026-05-07) 2027 →
20 out of 60 seats to North Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council 31 seats needed for a majority
Majority party Minority party Third party   Leader Karen Clark John Johnsson [1] Party Labour Conservative Reform Leader's seat Mayor Preston with Preston Grange Last election 51 seats, 58.0% 8 seats, 18.1% 0 seats, 2.0% Seats before 50 [a] 8 1   Fourth party   Party Independent Last election 1 seat, 5.7% Seats before 1
Council control before election Labour Council control after election TBD

The 2026 North Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council election will take place on Thursday 7 May 2026, alongside other local elections in the United Kingdom. One third of the 60 members of North Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council in Tyne and Wear will be elected.

Background

North Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council was created in 1974. Labour saw early success, controlling the council (apart from a brief period of no overall control 1986 to 1987) from its creation until 2004, when the council fell into no overall control. ^[2] That election also saw the Conservatives become the largest party on the council, which was maintained until 2010. ^[3] The Conservatives additionally formed the only non-Labour majority administration following the 2008 election. Labour have formed majority administrations since retaking control in 2011, with the Conservatives acting as the principal opposition.

The 2024 election used a new set of ward boundaries - as such, this election will be for the councillors elected with the fewest votes in each of the 30 three-member wards. ^[4] Labour will be defending 17 seats, the Conservatives will be defending 2, and independents will be defending 1. ^[5]

Council composition

After 2024 election			Before 2026 election
Party		Seats	Party		Seats
	Labour	51		Labour	50
	Conservative	8		Conservative	8
	Reform	0		Reform	1
	Independent	1		Independent	1

Changes 2024–2026:

• May 2025:
  • Karen Clark (Labour) elected as Mayor, thus leaving her council seat vacant – by-election held July 2025 ^[6]
  • Pat Oliver (Labour) resigns – by-election held July 2025 ^[6]
• July 2025:
  • Brian Smith (Reform) gains by-election from Labour ^[7]
  • Bryan Macdonald (Labour) wins by-election ^[8]

References

1. Not including the directly elected Mayor of North Tyneside.

1. Holland, Daniel (29 October 2025). "North Tyneside Conservatives name new council opposition leader to replace Liam Bones". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 10 January 2026. Via MSN.
2. "BBC News - Election 2011 - England council elections - North Tyneside". BBC News. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
3. "North Tyneside Council Election Results 1973-2012" (PDF). Elections Centre. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
4. The North Tyneside (Electoral Changes) Order 2024
5. Shakespeare, Austen; Holland, Daniel (4 May 2024). "North Tyneside local election results 2024 in full". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
6. Shakespeare, Austen (27 May 2025). "By-elections triggered in North Tyneside following Mayoral race". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
7. "Local Elections Archive Project — Killingworth Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk.
8. "Local Elections Archive Project — Longbenton and Benton Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 10 January 2026.