A NORTH-EAST council leader is to stand down after 14 years in charge.

Councillor Mick Henry will cease to be Labour leader of Gateshead Council in May.

He said: “I have now decided that it is time for me to move on, allowing others to take on the vital role of leading the council through the increasingly turbulent and challenging times ahead.”

Cllr Henry has overseen £110m in spending cuts since 2010 but last month Gateshead was the only North-East council to pull out of the devolution process – the other six having postponed a final decision.

He said: “It hasn’t been an easy decision but I’m confident that the council will continue to be ambitious for the people of Gateshead; a lot has been achieved and I’m proud to have played a part.”

Cllr Henry was previously a senior lecturer in photography at Northumbria University and has a keen interest in the arts.

He has been a councillor for Saltwell for 30 years, chaired Northumbria Police Authority for ten years and chaired the Association of North East Councils for four years.

He became deputy leader at Gateshead Council in 2001 and leader in 2002. He was awarded a CBE for services to local government in 2007.

Newcastle City Council leader Nick Forbes described him as a “visionary leader who has achieved a huge amount for our region” and South Tyneside Council leader Iain Malcolm said he was a “true visionary for local government” and would be a huge miss to the region.