Nick Forbes (Lab) - Leader of the council following the local elections last May. Keen to go for statesman role, but has lead some bitter rows against his Lib Dem opponents.
Has upset a fair few officers with his crackdown on time wasting and bureaucracy.

His cabinet includes deputy leader Joyce McCarty, Hazel Stephenson looking after the chief executives department., Kevin Graham looking at adult services and Joanne Kingsland looking at children's services.

Henri Murison (Lab) - cabinet member for quality of life, which covers quite a lot. Henri has tested journalists' shorthand for several years as one of the city's fastest talking councillors.
Lord Beecham (Lab) - Former council leader, Jeremy Beecham is now a working peer advising Labour nationally on local government issues.
David Wood (Lab) - chairs the Integrated Transport Authority overseeing Nexus and the Metro for Tyne and Wear.

David Faulkner (LD) - Group leader, former council leader, well respected, can show his temper when he thinks Labour is acting for party political reasons.

Anita Lower (LD) - Deputy group leader, tends not to be as tolerant as her boss in the council chamber. Former deputy council leader, knows the officer workings inside out.

Lord Shipley (LD) - Former council leader, now working peer advising Lib Dems on local government. One North East board member, sits on regional growth fund decision making panel. Popular. Tall.

Greg Stone (LD) - The man Labour loves to hate. Sometimes controversial, launches frequent attacks on his Labour opponents, slightly less laid back than the traditional Lib Dem image would suggest.

Geoff O'Brien (Lab) - Mayor. Your humble correspondent's favourite in the chamber, takes no prisoners, happy to tell people to shut up, often before they've made their point.
"I'll do what I want when I'm Lord Mayor and you can do what you want when you're Lord Mayor."

Gareth Kane (LD) - As environmentally aware as they come. If you can find a more eco aware councillor you should vote for him. I'm rubbish with accents but I suspect his is not Geordie.

Barry Rowland - Chief executive, worked at the council all his life. Generally seen as being better than the last guy.

Paul Woods - Treasurer, one of England's most respected local authority money men. Has a very old typewriter in his officer, along with the historic ledger books. Which you sort of expect.