Sir Jeremy Beecham

Sir Jeremy Beecham has been a Newcastle City councilor since 1967. He chaired the Social Services Committee from 1973-1977, and was leader of the Council from 1977-1994. He was Chairman of the Association of Metropolitan Authorities from 1991-1997 and of the Local Government Association (LGA) from 1997-2004. Jeremy played a leading role in a Cabinet Sub-Committee on Modernising Local Government. He is currently Vice Chairman of the LGA and was Chairman of the Labour Party National Executive Committee (NEC) 2005--6. He continues to serve as a councillor for the Benwell and Scotswood ward.

Jeremy is involved in numerous public bodies and is the president of the British Urban Regeneration Association. He also serves as Honorary President of Newcastle Age Concern, People to People, and the Newcastle Choral Society. In addition, he is a Trustee of Theatre Royal Newcastle, Tyneside Cinema, Dance City and the Trusthouse Charitable Foundation. Jeremy was a Commissioner of English Heritage from 1983-1987 and is also a member of the Honours Committee for Local Services.

Jeremy is a member of Labour Friends of Israel (LFI) and British Friends of Peace Now, and has recently been made a director of the New Israel Fund UK. He became a Knight Bachelor in HM Queen’s Birthday Honours in 1994 and was made a Freeman of the City of Newcastle in 1995 for his services as Leader of the Council.

Jeremy was educated at the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle upon Tyne, and University College, Oxford, where he obtained a first class honours degree in law. He has an Honorary DCL from Newcastle University and is an Honorary Fellow of Northumbria University. He is a solicitor by profession and was formerly senior partner at Beecham Peacock, where he is now a consultant.

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