New governors announced for 2025

We are pleased to announce the outcome of our recent Governor elections with new Governor terms commencing on 5 January 2025.

Our Governors play a crucial role in the governance of the Foundation Trust, helping us to be accountable to our members, the public, staff and partners. Our Governors have a number of important roles including representing their constituencies, appointing our Chair and Non-Executive Directors and holding our Non-Executive Directors to account.

A number of candidates were elected unopposed:

Gordon Main

Western Gateshead

Gordon Main, who was re-elected for a second 3-year term

Dr Andy Lowes

Staff

Dr Andy Lowes, who was re-elected for a second 3-year term

Janet Thompson

Staff

Janet Thompson, who was elected for her first 3-year term

Contested elections were held for our Central Gateshead constituency with four candidates for two seats. The voting opened on 17 October 2024 and closed on 11 November 2024.

View the official voting report from Civica, the independent election company.

The following candidates were also elected.

Mark Learmouth

Central Gateshead

Mark Learmouth, who was elected to his first 3 year term (Mark was previously a public Governor until 4 January 2024)

Carol Hindhaugh

Central Gateshead

Carol Hindhaugh, who was elected to her first 3 year term

We look forward to welcoming our Governors to the Council in January 2025 and sincerely thank all candidates who stood for election. This means that the remaining two candidates for Central Gateshead, current public Governors John Bedlington and Brenda Webb will sadly be leaving the Council on 4 January 2025.

We would also like to record our thanks to those Governors who will also be leaving the Council on 4 January 2024 for their commitment and support:

• John Bedlington, Public Governor for Central Gateshead, who has served as a Governor since January 2019
• Brenda Webb, Public Governor for Central Gateshead, who has served as a Governor since January 2022
• Ged Quinn, Public Governor for Western Gateshead, who has served as a Governor since January 2022
• Richard Morrell, Staff Governor, who has served as a Governor since January 2022

You can find out more about our Council of Governors and the work that they do Governors – QE Gateshead