Linda Arkley
Mayor of North Tyneside
4 June 2009 – 2 May 2013
Norma Redfearn
12 June 2003 – 5 May 2005
North Tyneside Councillor for Preston ward
6 October 2005 – 4 June 2009
Martin Van Der Merwe
David Sarin
North Tyneside Councillor for Tynemouth ward
2 May 1996 – 12 June 2003
2 May 1991 – 4 May 1995
North Shields, Tyne and Wear
Linda Arkley - Councillor
Linda Arkley OBE is a British Conservative politician who served as the elected Mayor of North Tyneside from 2003 to 2005 and from 2009 to 2013.
Arkley attended The Bede School in Sunderland, and studied at both Sunderland University and Northumbria University. For most of Arkley's professional career she worked as a nurse and health visitor.[1]
Political career
Arkley was first elected as a councillor for Tynemouth ward in 1991, a seat she held until 1995 before regaining it in 1996. During this time she served as deputy leader of the Conservative group on North Tyneside council and in cabinet under Conservative Mayor, Chris Morgan.
The Conservative Mayor of North Tyneside, Chris Morgan, resigned in 2003 due to a scandal involving child pornography.[2] Arkley stood in the subsequent by-election, and won in the second round defeating then MEP Gordon Adam.[3]
She was defeated in 2005 by Labour candidate John Harrison.[4]
Later that year she stood in a council by-election in 2005, and was elected to represent Preston ward.
Arkley regained the mayoralty of North Tyneside in 2009, when she defeated Harrison.[5] Towards the end of Arkley's second term she was expelled from a meeting of North Tyneside Council after she "berated" Labour councillor Sandra Graham after she asked questions about workers' rights and the safeguarding of external funding.[6]
In May 2013 she was defeated by the Labour candidate Norma Redfearn.
Arkley stood as the Conservative candidate for Tynemouth ward in 2014, when she was defeated by the Labour incumbent, Sarah Day.[7] In the 2015 local elections, Linda Arkley again unsuccessfully attempted to return to North Tyneside Council by standing in Benton ward where she lost to Labour's Janet Hunter.[8]
In March 2019, Linda Arkley announced her intention to seek the Conservative nomination in the inaugural North of Tyne Mayoral election, noting that she was the only declared female candidate for the office.[9] Having chosen the International Women's Day to announce her decision, she has told ChronicleLife that her candidacy has been inspired by "making sure this isn't a male dominated race."[10] Arkley would go on to lose the nomination to local businessman Charlie Hoult.[11]
Arkley made her return to North Tyneside Council in 2021, taking the seat of Cullercoats ward from the Labour Party in that years local elections.[12]
Arkley was made an Order of the British Empire in 2018 for political service.[13]
^ ""Lining Up for Mayor Battle" - Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), June 9, 2003". [dead link]
^ Chronicle, Evening (2003-04-18). "Mayor in porn probe resigns". ChronicleLive. Retrieved 2021-05-21.
^ "Tory nurse beats Labour MEP". The Guardian. 13 June 2003. p. Page 14.
^ "English elect councils and mayors". BBC News. 2005-05-07. Retrieved 2007-05-11.
^ Pearson, Adrian (2009-05-05). "David Cameron meets North Tyneside voters". nechronicle. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
^ Butcher, Joanne (2013-03-01). "North Tyneside mayor gets thrown out of meeting". nechronicle. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
^ "2014 local election results | North Tyneside Council". my.northtyneside.gov.uk. Retrieved 2018-04-22.
^ "Labour strengthens its control of North Tyneside Council". Retrieved 2018-04-22.
^ "Another Tory candidate revealed for North of Tyne mayor". www.newsguardian.co.uk. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
^ Seddon, Sean (2019-03-08). "Linda Arkley announces run to be Tory North of Tyne mayor candidate". nechronicle. Retrieved 2019-09-20.
^ Seddon, Sean (2019-03-14). "Charlie Hoult will be the Tory North of Tyne mayor candidate". nechronicle. Retrieved 2019-06-12.
^ Council, North Tyneside. "2021 local election results". my.northtyneside.gov.uk. Retrieved 2021-05-21.
^ Hutchinson, Lisa (2018-06-08). "Queen's birthday honours - North East list in full". nechronicle. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
Councillor Linda Arkley page at North Tyneside Council.
Civic offices Preceded byChris Morgan Mayor of North Tyneside 2003–2005 Succeeded byJohn Harrison Preceded byJohn Harrison Mayor of North Tyneside 2009–2013 Succeeded byNorma Redfearn
Mayors of the Metropolitan Borough of North Tyneside
Conservative Party (UK) politicians
Women mayors of places in England
Officers of the Order of the British Empire
Conservative Party (UK) mayors
21st-century British politicians
21st-century British women politicians
21st-century English women
21st-century English people
English mayor stubs