Judges

The selection process for the awards involves an impartial panel of industry experts who generously volunteer their time to evaluate submissions. These individuals are chosen for their expertise and experience.

Judges review entries, ensuring a fair and unbiased evaluation. In cases where judges have conflicts of interest within specific categories, they abstain from participating in the assessment of those particular entries.

Upon the submission deadline, judges receive all entries in a uniform format, ensuring compliance with data protection regulations. Each entry is then scored by the judges based on the defined criteria for each category.

Judges meet to discuss their assessments and collectively reach a final decision on a single day, solely based on the content provided in the written entries.

It is crucial to note that the entire judging process is conducted confidentially, and all decisions reached during this process are considered final.

Cllr Tracey Dixon

Leader - South Tyneside Council

Cllr Tracey Dixon, the Leader of South Tyneside Council, was first elected to represent the Labour Party for the ward of Whitburn and Marsden in May 2002.

She entered politics to make a positive change, to support the people of South Tyneside to reach their full potential and to help shape the place she has lived, worked and raised her family in all her life. As a wife, mother and grandmother, family remains her greatest passion with her commitment extended to addressing the needs of the Borough’s younger and older generations.

With a background in hotel management, Cllr Dixon also has a reputation of being a hard worker. From working late nights and double shifts to juggling multiple responsibilities Cllr Dixon puts the same hard work, determination and commitment into her role as Leader – a position she had held since November 2020. As co-owner of a family business she also has first-hand experience of the challenges businesses face.

She is also passionate about improving frontline public services at a local level and chairs the Association of Public Sector Excellence’s Northern Region Board.

She has served for many years on the Council’s Cabinet, including as Lead Member for Culture and Wellbeing between 2008-2011, Lead Member for Area Management and Community Safety in 2012-2015, then most recently as Lead Member for Independence and Wellbeing between 2016-2020. Cllr Dixon held the position of Deputy Leader of the Council from May 2019 to November 2020.

By putting people first, and working hard, Cllr Dixon continues to do everything she can to make South Tyneside an improve the lives of residents and communities in the Borough.

Charlotte Harrison

Chief Executive - Inspire South Tyneside

Charlotte joined Inspire (the umbrella body for the voluntary sector) in late 2019. She leads the organisation in its mission to support, promote and sustain a vibrant voluntary sector across the borough – in short, Inspire support brilliant people to do amazing things! Prior to joining Inspire, Charlotte had a successful career in the housing sector, working in social housing for many years before moving to a representative body for the social housing sector across the North of England where she led the policy and public affairs service.

Darren Culshaw

Head of EHS - Siemens

#bestofsouthtyneside

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