Chris Cooke (born 1990) is a British Labour Party politician who has served as the directly elected Mayor of Middlesbrough leading Middlesbrough Council since May 2023.[1]

Early life

Cooke was born in 1990 in Middlesbrough, Cleveland, England.[2][3] He grew up in care.[1] He was educated at St Peter's Secondary School, a Catholic school in South Bank, Redcar and Cleveland.[2]

After school, Cooke began an apprenticeship at Laurence Jackson School in Guisborough as an IT technician. He remained at the school after completing his apprenticeship. Some time after being elected a councillor in 2019, he left his IT job and became a community cohesion co-ordinator at Streets Ahead, a charitable help and advice centre in Middlesbrough.[2]

Political career

In the 2019 local elections held on 2 May, Cooke was elected as one of three Labour Party councillors to represent the Newport ward on Middlesbrough Council.[4]

On 4 May 2023, he was elected Mayor of Middlesbrough with 10,956 votes, defeating the incumbent Andy Preston by 760 votes.[5]

Shortly after his election, Cooke expressed the need for a change of culture within Middlesbrough Council stating there to be “an adversarial culture between politicians and officers”.[6] He vowed the council he leads would become "a service-led organisation", and that children's social care would get his full focus.[7]

As Mayor of Middlesbrough, he is a member of the Tees Valley Combined Authority Cabinet.[8]

Personal life

Cooke is married to Julia Cooke, who was elected as a Labour councillor for the Berwick Hills and Pallister ward on Middlesbrough Council in 2023.[2][9] He is a Christian.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b "Local elections 2023: Labour's Chris Cooke ousts Andy Preston as Middlesbrough mayor". BBC News. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Mayor Chris Cooke interview: Unusual route into politics and 'putting people first'". www.middlesbrough.gov.uk. Middlesbrough Council. 19 May 2023. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  3. ^ Lewis, Eden (13 December 2022). "Labour Party announce candidate for Middlesbrough mayor elections". TeessideLive. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  4. ^ "Election results: 2019 local elections". middlesbrough.gov.uk. Middlesbrough Council. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  5. ^ Craigie, Emily (5 May 2023). "Labour shock win in Middlesbrough as Chris Cooke defeats Andy Preston". Darlington and Stockton Times. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  6. ^ Waterson, James (2023-05-10). "Middlesbrough Labour Mayor Chris Cooke: a change of culture". North East Bylines. Retrieved 2023-08-12.
  7. ^ "Labour ousts Andy Preston as Middlesbrough mayor". BBC News. 2023-05-05. Retrieved 2023-08-12.
  8. ^ "TVCA Cabinet". teesvalley-ca.gov.uk. Tees Valley Combined Authority. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  9. ^ "Councillor details - Councillor Julia Cooke". moderngov.middlesbrough.gov.uk. Middlesbrough Council. 14 June 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
Allikas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Cooke_(politician)
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