John Shipley OBE

Councillor John Shipley OBE is an Executive Member of Newcastle City Council

John Shipley was elected to represent Parklands Ward in 2004 when the Liberal Democrats came to power in Newcastle upon Tyne after many years in opposition.

He was first elected as a Councillor in May 1975, representing Gosforth No2 Ward and, following ward boundary changes, was elected in 1982 to represent Grange ward, a position he held continuously for twenty-one years until he stood down in 2003 for a year. From 1978 to 1998 John was Leader of the Liberal and then Liberal Democrat group on the Council and Leader of the Opposition for ten years from 1988 to 1998. In addition to his responsibilities as a City Councillor during this period, John Shipley stood as a Parliamentary candidate for the Liberal Party in 1974 (Blyth, twice), 1979 (Hexham), and 1983 and 1987 (Newcastle North).

Since the local election in 2004, when the Liberal Democrats formed the administration in the City, John has been a member of the ten-strong Executive and is the Portfolio holder for Policy Co-ordination and Development.  John represents the City Council on a number of outside bodies including Newcastle International Airport LA Holding Company, Tyne & Wear Passenger Transport Authority, Tyne & Wear Development Co. Ltd Board of Directors and the Theatre Royal Trust Limited of which he is chair.

John spent his early years in Whitby, North Yorkshire and since graduating in History from University College London in 1969 has lived and worked in Newcastle.  He has just retired as Regional Director of The Open University.  He was awarded an OBE in the 1995 New Year’s Honours List.

Email John at onesecretariat@onenortheast.co.uk