Cramlington councillor announces plan to step down at next election

Cllr Barry Flux, who stepped down as Northumberland County Council’s business chair last week, will not stand for re-election in May 2025.

Cllr Flux, who represents the Cramlington West ward, was first elected for the Conservative Party in 2013, winning a seat that had been in Labour hands for 94 years.

As part of the Conservative administration elected at County Hall in 2017, Coun Flux served as vice chairman of the council from 2017-2020 before serving as chairman from 2020-2024. His time in office saw a period of considerable upheaval and turmoil at the council culminating in the Max Caller review into governance at the authority.

Speaking on his decision to step down, he said he was looking for a new challenge and the splitting of his ward due to boundary changes provided the ideal opportunity to do so. He also felt the council was in a good position following the Caller review.

Cllr Flux said: “Having served for what will have been a 12 year period I feel it is time to step aside and seek new challenges. As chair of the council I have been proud to be part of the team which has been looking at improving governance in the wake of the Caller report.

“I feel that great progress has been made and I’m proud to have received praise from across the political spectrum about how much better full council meetings have become at County Hall.”

He added: “My decision to retire in 2025 was communicated to my local Conservative Association over a year ago, and is not linked to any political reasons. I merely wish to seek new challenges.

“With the Cramlington West ward being split at the next set of elections owing to boundary changes this appears an appropriate time to do this in my life. The Conservative Leadership team at Northumberland are doing a great job and I look forward to campaigning for their re-election in 2025.”