Foundation Trust members living in and around Gateshead, Sunderland and South Shields are being asked to vote for their next governors to represent their views.
Whilst not involved in the day-to-day running of our service, our governors play a vital role in reviewing the performance of our Board and the contribution our service makes to the wider health and care system, providing an essential link to the communities we serve.
Nominations opened for our next Council of Governors in May and closed in June. Several constituencies have now been filled by candidates who were unopposed, leaving an election to be held in just one constituency, South of Tyne.
There are nine candidates for five places and members will either receive their ballot paper by post or email. Voting can be done online or by post.
The election opens in the South of Tyne constituency at 10am on 2 July and will close at 5pm on Thursday, 25 July.
All members who live in the South of Tyne constituency are eligible to vote.
It’s easy to become a member, so if you’re not already registered, you can do so here: https://
Our governors have the following duties:
- Appoint or remove the Trust’s chair of the Board, non-executive directors and external auditor
- Contribute to the strategic thinking and forward planning for the Trust’s services and priorities, led by the directors
- Receive and discuss the annual report and accounts at the Annual General Meeting
- Develop the Trust’s membership, representing the interests of members
- Approve the renumeration, allowances and other terms and conditions of office and non-executive directors
- Approve (or not) an application to enter into a merger or acquisition
- Approve (or not) increases of more than five per cent a year to the Trust’s non-NHS income
- Approve the appointment of the Trust’s chief executive, as recommended by the non-executive directors
The following members have been declared having been unopposed:
Public – Teesside
David Bindle
Craig Jaques (incumbent)
Olalekan Odedeyi (incumbent)
Patrica Scott
James Ruddock
Public – Durham
Stephen Dunn
Andrew Eales
Public – North of Tyne
Alan Malthouse
Anthony Laker
Mark Glencorse
Simon Walford (incumbent and lead governor)
Staff – Emergency care
Andy Martin-Harper
Staff – Emergency Operations Centre
Frazer Gregory