Dame Norma Redfearn has stepped down as Mayor of North Tyneside after 12 years of transformative leadership, marking the end of a significant era for the borough
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00:00After over a decade of dedicated service to North Tyneside, Dame Norma Redfern has officially bid
00:05farewell as Mayor, closing a significant chapter in the region's history. Stepping down after 12
00:11years of tireless leadership, Dame Norma expressed her deep gratitude to the residents who have
00:16supported her throughout her tenure. Dame Norma's political journey began in 2004 when she was
00:21elected to represent the Riverside Ward. Her commitment to public service coupled with her
00:26experience as a headmistress in education paved the way for her to ascend to the role of Mayor in 2013.
00:32Under her leadership, North Tyneside has seen considerable progress with initiatives that have
00:37positively impacted the local community and her popularity with residents has remained unwavering
00:42throughout her time in office. Reflection on her time as Mayor, Dame Norma shared,
00:47the support we've received from the residents of North Tyneside has been nothing short of incredible.
00:52It's been a true partnership and we couldn't have achieved everything we did without them.
00:57What matters to the people here has always mattered to us and I'm proud of what we've delivered.
01:02To see the impact of our work on the community has been the greatest reward.
01:06Dame Norma's farewell comes just days after a closely contested election that saw Labour's Karen
01:11Clark succeed here as Mayor of North Tyneside. Clark, who has served alongside Redfern as a Cabinet
01:17member for the past four years, secured the role by a slim margin, winning a majority of just over 400 votes.
01:23Clark narrowly beat reforms John Falkenstein to take the reins. Dane Norma's contributions have left a
01:29profound mark on North Tyneside. Her report speaks for itself from advancing education and social care
01:35to fostering a more inclusive and forward-thinking local government. As Karen Clark begins her own
01:41journey as Mayor, she has pledged to continue the work of her predecessor.