Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead

History

The town of Gateshead was an ancient borough, having been granted a charter in 1164 from Hugh Pudsey, the Bishop of Durham. The borough's functions were relatively limited until 1836, when it was made a municipal borough under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835, which standardised how most boroughs operated across the country. When elected county councils were created in 1889, Gateshead was considered large enough to provide its own county-level services, and so it was made a county borough, independent from the new Durham County Council, whilst remaining part of the geographical county of Durham.

The modern borough of Gateshead was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, as one of five metropolitan boroughs within the new county of Tyne and Wear. The borough covered the whole area of five former districts and part of a sixth, which were all abolished at the same time:

• Blaydon Urban District
• Chester-le-Street Rural District (parishes of Birtley and Lamesley only)
• Felling Urban District
• Gateshead County Borough
• Ryton Urban District
• Whickham Urban District Aside from Gateshead, the other districts had all been lower-tier district authorities subordinate to Durham County Council prior to the 1974 reforms.

From 1974 until 1986 the borough council was a lower-tier district authority, with Tyne and Wear County Council providing county-level services. The county council was abolished in 1986, since when the borough council has provided both district-level and county-level services, as the old county borough of Gateshead had done prior to 1974. Some functions are provided across Tyne and Wear by joint committees with the other districts. The county of Tyne and Wear continues to exist as a ceremonial county for the purposes of lieutenancy, but has had no administrative functions since 1986.

Governance

Labour Labour : ;Other parties (20) : : Independent (2)

Since 1986, Gateshead Council has provided both district-level and county-level functions, with some services being provided through joint arrangements with the other Tyne and Wear councils. In 2024 a combined authority was established covering Gateshead, County Durham, Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside, Northumberland, South Tyneside and Sunderland, called the North East Mayoral Combined Authority. It is chaired by the directly elected Mayor of the North East and oversees the delivery of certain strategic functions across the area.

There is one civil parish in the borough at Lamesley, which forms an additional tier of local government for its area; the rest of the borough is unparished. Birtley was also a civil parish with a town council until it was abolished in 2006.

Political control

The council has been under Labour majority control since the modern borough's creation in 1974.

Leadership

The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Gateshead. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 2002 have been:

Composition

Following the 2024 election, and subsequent changes of allegiance up to June 2025, the composition of the council was:

The next election is due in May 2026.

Elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2004 the council has comprised 66 councillors representing 22 wards, with each ward electing three councillors. Elections are held three years out of every four, with a third of the council (one councillor for each ward) elected each time for a four-year term of office.

The wards are:

• Birtley
• Blaydon
• Bridges (Gateshead town centre)
• Chopwell and Rowlands Gill
• Chowdene
• Crawcrook, Greenside and Clara Vale
• Deckham
• Dunston and Teams
• Dunston Hill and Whickham East
• Felling
• Heworth
• High Fell (includes Sheriff Hill)
• Lamesley
• Leam Lane Estate
• Lobley Hill and Bensham
• Low Fell
• Pelaw and Heworth
• Ryton, Crookhill and Stella
• Saltwell
• Wardley and Leam Lane
• Whickham North
• Whickham South and Sunniside
• Windy Nook and Whitehills
• Winlaton and High Spen

Premises

The council is based at the Civic Centre on Regent Street, which was purpose-built for the council and was completed in 1987.

Prior to 1987 the council had been based at the Town Hall on West Street, which had been completed in 1870 for the old Gateshead Borough Council.

Parliamentary constituencies

In national government the borough contains four parliamentary constituencies, Blaydon and Consett, Gateshead Central and Whickham, Jarrow and Gateshead East and Washington and Gateshead South. The Gateshead Central and Whickham constituency is the only one wholly in Gateshead. Its MP, first elected in 2024, is Mark Ferguson (Labour). The Blaydon and Consett constituency covers the west of the borough and Birtley to the south, and has been represented since 2017 by Liz Twist, also for Labour. The Jarrow and Gateshead East constituency takes in the very eastern tip of the borough, including Pelaw. It is represented by Kate Osborne (Labour). The Washington and Gateshead South constituency is represented by Sharon Hodgson (Labour).

Political conferences

Gateshead has hosted two major political conferences. The first of these was Labour's spring conference, ahead of the 2005 general election. The Conservatives also held a conference at the Sage Gateshead in March 2008. The Conservatives do not have any councillors in Gateshead and at the time only had one MP in the whole of the north east region. That conference was seen as an attempt to connect to voters in the area.

Education

Gateshead has a number of schools across the borough at both primary and secondary level. Results are well above average, with a number of outstanding schools. Gateshead has amongst the best primary and secondary schools in the country overall. A range of schools are present in Gateshead, including Jewish, Roman Catholic, Church of England, Methodist, and non-religious state schools. There is one independent school in the borough, Chase school in Whickham. Further independent schools can be found in Newcastle, Sunderland, and Tynedale.

Gateshead town itself has a further education college, Gateshead College, and a Jewish higher education institution, Beth Midrash Lemoroth — Jewish Teachers Training College.

Environment

Gateshead has a variety of landscapes, urban and industrial areas include the town itself, Whickham and Blaydon in the west, with more semi-rural and rural locations in the west including Ryton and Rowlands Gill. Overall though, it is a fairly green area with over half of the borough being green belt or countryside. Most of this is located away from built up Tyneside to the south of the borough into Derwentside/Chester-le-Street and to the west into Tynedale.

In total, there are over twenty countryside sites in the borough, from ancient meadows and woodland to local nature reserves.

Notable features of Gateshead's countryside include Ryton Willows, found at Old Ryton Village on the banks of the Tyne at Ryton. Ryton Willows is 43 hectares of locally rare grassland and ponds located near to an affluent village with Georgian and Victorian houses. Because of this it is a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

The Derwent Valley, in the south/south west of the borough, offers panoramic views and pleasant walks. It was in the Derwent Valley, near Rowlands Gill, that the Northern Kites Project re-introduced red kites. This was part of a national project to introduce the birds, that were once so commonplace across the country, back into the wild. This scheme has proven to be a success, with birds being spotted across the west of the borough, from Crawcrook to Rowlands Gill itself.

The borough also contains one National Trust site, the expansive Gibside estate near Rowlands Gill, containing a stately home and a chapel, parts of its grounds have also been given SSSI status.

Even in the more urban areas of the borough, in Gateshead itself and to the east, efforts have been made to maintain green spaces and wildlife sites. One such project is Bill Quay Community Farm, east of the borough. Offering a rural experience within an urban setting, it provides an important educational tool for local schools.

Religion

The 2001 census stated that the borough's predominant religion was 80.25% Christian. Other statistics found 10.94% of no religion, 6.94 unstated, 0.82% Jewish and 0.60% Muslim.

The 2011 census, stated that the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead was 67.0% Christian, 0.9% Muslim, 1.5% Jewish, 23.9% were not religious and 5.7% of the population refused to state their religion.

Economy

The area was once dependent on heavy industry such as steel making in the Derwent Valley and coal mining (across the borough). Shipbuilding on the Tyne was also a major source of employment. However, with the decline of these industries, Gateshead has attempted to re-invent itself. Although there are significant areas of deprivation in the borough, particularly in the centre and east, a number of towns and villages in the borough are popular with commuters and professionals who are employed in the service industry and well paid areas of the secondary sector such as engineering (which remains a major source of employment). Such commuter areas include Ryton, Rowlands Gill, Whickham and Low Fell. The borough is host to Tyne Yard, a major rail freight yard serving the North East.

Gateshead Quayside, once dominated by industry, has benefited from significant investment and gentrification in the past decade. It is now home to the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art and the Sage Gateshead.

The area is also an important retail hub, with the largest shopping centre in the European Union, and second largest in Europe as a whole, the MetroCentre, situated adjacent to the A1 trunk road. Further retail, and a significant number of engineering companies are located in the Team Valley Trading Estate, which at one time was the largest industrial estate in Europe.

Gateshead Council is one of several UK local authorities which jointly own the SCAPE Group, a central purchasing body which operates framework agreements in the construction and civil engineering fields, whose purpose is to help public authorities procure works and services efficiently and cost effectively.

Arts and culture

Gateshead is home to the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art and the Sage Gateshead. The Anthony Gormley structure, the Angel of the North (the largest free standing sculpture in the United Kingdom) is in Gateshead. This puts Gateshead at the forefront of the arts both regionally and nationally.

The Shipley Art Gallery, housing outstanding collections of contemporary craft, studio ceramics, paintings and decorative art, is managed by Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums on behalf of Gateshead Council. Gateshead is a library authority and within its Central Library is a large venue facility called the Caedmon Hall.

Sports

Gateshead has an association football team, Gateshead F.C., who play in the English . They play at the Gateshead International Stadium, which also hosts athletics.

Freedom of the Borough

The following people have received the Freedom of the Borough of Gateshead:

• Jonathan Edwards: 24 November 2000.
• Brendan Foster: 20 November 2004.
• Mike Neville: 12 October 2006.
• Joyce Quin, Baroness Quin of Gateshead: 12 October 2006.
• Tom Burlison, Baron Burlison of Rowlands Gill : 12 October 2006.
• Robert Moncur: 22 January 2009.
• David Almond: 10 February 2011.
• David Clelland: 10 February 2011.
• Sir John Hall: 10 February 2011.
• Professor Paul Younger: 8 November 2011.
• Sir Antony Gormley: 24 July 2012.
• Alan J. Smith: 24 July 2012.
• Stephen Miller: 25 June 2013.
• Jill Halfpenny: 7 November 2013
• David Puttnam, Baron Puttnam: 26 March 2015.
• David Olusoga: 4 December 2023.
• Mick Henry: 4 December 2023.

In addition, freedom was granted to 72 Engineer Regiment on 9 July 2011.

Arms

Notes

References

References

1. "Your council and elections".
2. {{United Kingdom district population citation. area
3. {{United Kingdom district population citation
4. "Gateshead Local Authority".
5. (1827). "Historical Account of Newcastle-upon-Tyne including the borough of Gateshead". Mackenzie and Dent.
6. (1835). "Report of the Commissioners Appointed to Inquire into the Municipal Corporations in England and Wales: Appendix 3".
7. (1835). "Municipal Corporations Act".
8. {{cite legislation UK. (1888)
9. {{cite legislation UK. (1972)
10. {{cite legislation UK. (1973)
11. "Durham: Diagram showing administrative boundaries, 1972". Ordnance Survey.
12. {{cite legislation UK. (1985)
13. "Council minutes, 16 May 2025".
14. (24 May 2024). "A new chief executive for Gateshead has been appointed".
15. {{cite legislation UK. (2024)
16. "North East devolution deal".
17. "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey.
18. (20 September 2005). "Birtley Town Council – Arrangements for Transfer of Services and Employees to Gateshead Council".
19. "Compositions Calculator". University of Exeter.
20. (26 April 2016). "Gateshead Council leader quits after 14 years". Northern Echo.
21. (20 May 2016). "Council minutes, 20 May 2016".
22. (4 May 2024). "Local elections 2024: full mayoral and council results for England". The Guardian.
23. "Gateshead". Thorncliffe.
24. {{cite legislation UK. (2004)
25. "Gateshead". Historic England.
26. {{NHLE
27. (10 February 2005). "North East and Cumbria - Labour Sages?". [[BBC News]].
28. (15 March 2008). "Hague Woos North With Road Pledge". BBC News.
29. (7 February 2004). "'Outstanding Schools Praised'". BBC News.
30. (9 January 2007). "'Top Marks in New Tables'".
31. "'Chase School's ISD Profile".
32. Morton, David. (30 November 2015). "Gateshead College was opened by Prince Philip this week in 1955". Chronicle Live.
33. Soden, Herbert. (4 August 2021). "Gateshead teacher training college reveals plan for brand new auditorium". Chronicle Live.
34. "Countryside in Gateshead". [[Gateshead Council]].
35. "Countryside sites in Gateshead". [[Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council]].
36. "Cycle gateshead - Keelman's Way - Landmarks".
37. "Natural England - SSSIs : SSSI information".
38. (16 June 2006). "Delight as red kite chicks hatch". [[BBC News]].
39. (27 July 2006). "Young Red Kite Takes First Flight". BBC News.
40. "Search results".
41. "Bill Quay Community Farm". [[Gateshead Council]].
42. "Check Browser Settings".
43. "Gateshead - UK Census Data 2011".
44. (May 2016). "'News from the Other Side'". [[Newcastle City Council]].
45. Gateshead Council, [https://www.gateshead.gov.uk/article/20658/SCAPE SCAPE], accessed on 26 June 2025
46. (27 March 2007). "'Region's Light is No Longer Hidden'". Newcastle Journal.
47. [https://web.archive.org/web/20130606185014/http://www.gateshead.gov.uk/Leisure%20and%20Culture/attractions/caedmon.aspx Caedmon Hall]
48. "Honorary Freemen of Gateshead - Gateshead Council".
49. Dawson, Kristy. (4 December 2023). "Historian David Olusoga and ex-council leader Mick Henry given the Honorary Freedom of Gateshead".
50. Hutchinson, Lisa. (24 March 2014). "Crowds line the streets of Gateshead for soldiers' freedom parade". thejournal.co.uk.
51. (9 September 2024). "Armorial Bearings". WhatDoTheyKnow.