MARTIN Swales admits his views and values were forged by his family and his upbringing in Jarrow.

The 47-year-old father-of-two is brimming with excitement at the prospect of taking over as chief executive of South Tyneside Council.

The hardship and poverty he witnessed growing up in his hometown make him determined to share the opportunities he was lucky enough to receive.

But when he takes over the post vacated by Irene Lucas at the end of January he will have precious little time for rose-coloured recollections.

Mr Swales, currently executive director of development at North Tyneside Council, could not have chosen to take on the post at a more challenging time.

Staff are still reeling from news that the council has to shed 350 jobs as a result of cutbacks to Government funding.

It's a challenge he has to face head-on, while also attempting to forge ahead with ambitious regeneration plans in South Tyneside.

As he prepares to take up the post – and looks forward to a winter skiing holiday before the hard work starts – he spoke of his excitement at the challenges ahead.

He said: "Throughout the interview process for this job, as soon as I walked into the town hall, I was struck by the friendliness and helpfulness of the people I met. Everyone was so genuine and authentic. In a real sense it felt like I was coming home."

Home for Mr Swales as a lad was the Grange Court maisonettes in Jarrow, and later the town's Epinay estate.

It was a working-class environment which has made a lasting impression on him.

Growing up in Jarrow in the late 1960s and early seventies, he witnessed hardship which would go on to shape his world view.

He was also inspired by the example of his late mother, Bernadette, and his father, John Gerard, who today lives in Boldon and who turns 81 next month.

The former St Bede's Junior School pupil said: "My parents ran a corner shop in Bede Burn Road, Jarrow. My dad later became a teacher at St Wilfrid's, in South Shields, and my mum trained to be a children's social worker when she was 50.
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"The values that I grew up with in Jarrow I have taken through with me into public life. I saw hardship and poverty.

"I remember a couple of lads coming to school in plastic sandals in the depths of winter, and that is not that long ago. I understand the issues that local communities face.

"Now I am in a position to give others the opportunities that I was given by my mum and dad."

Mr Swales, who went on to St Joseph's RC Comprehensive, in Hebburn, added: "I know the value of a good education. South Tyneside supported me through my education and financially through university."

It is in the area of regional regeneration that Mr Swales has built a formidable reputation.

He is credited with spearheading significant jobs growth on the north side of the river.

Mr Swales, who also has a regional role as lead officer for employment and skills with the regeneration body Tyne and Wear City Region, has set out a number of priority areas he hopes to address in his role south of the river, including the modernisation of services for older people, and children and young people, as well as economic acceleration.

As for the prospect of council job cuts, he pledged to minimise any impact the process will have on services to the public.

And he revealed he will be no stranger to the challenge ahead.
He said: "It is something I am very familiar with, having gone through the process in North Tyneside, where we have a target of 350 job reductions this year.

"The vast majority of those jobs have been through voluntary redundancy and that's something that I hope will be repeated in South Tyneside.

"It is not a process I will approach with a heavy heart because it allows us the opportunity of delivering services in different and more efficient ways, adopting new models and new structures.

"There is a paradigm shift coming in local government. Working with other local authorities we can become more efficient, sharing expenditure and overheads. On a personal level for staff it can also offer an opportunity to rethink their working life and consider new directions."

He added: "We can't hide from the fact that there will be extreme pressure on public spending, with caps on spending and revenue grants coming to local authorities. We have to accept that local government and the public sector needs to evolve, adapt and change. It can't be allowed to stagnate. What we need to ensure is that any changes do not come at the detriment of public services."

Mr Swales also believes he will have no problem dealing with the political differences north and south of the Tyne.

North Tyneside is Conservative-led, but Labour is the leading party on our side of the river. Unlike South Tyneside, North Tyneside operates with an elected mayor.

Mr Swales added: "Politics is always lively. I feel I have the respect of all the political parties in North Tyneside. I am also lucky in that I have got to know the team at South Tyneside very well.

"I am leaving North Tyneside with a huge sense of achievement and some sadness, but I really can't wait to get started."