Town Hall bosses pay tribute to Councillor Joe Amar who has sadly passed away

South Tyneside Council has confirmed that Councillor Amar died on Sunday, April 9, after a period of ill health.

The 69-year-old had served the Biddick and All Saints Ward in South Shields since May 2015, when he was first elected to South Tyneside Council.

Cllr Amar went on to be a member of several committees within the local authority, including Audit and Planning committees and the People Select Committee.

He was also Chair of West Shields, Cleadon and East Boldon Community Area Forum.

Joe represented South Tyneside Council at the North East Combined Authority Overview and Scrutiny Committee and South Tyneside Regional Equality Forum.

Cllr Amar was appointed as Deputy Mayor of South Tyneside in May 2021, alongside his Deputy Mayoress, Lynn Blair, until he stepped down from the role last year.

After serving eight years on the South Tyneside Council, the former shipyard and Westoe Colliery worker had decided not to stand again in the latest round of elections coming up next month.

Councillor Pat Hay, the Mayor of South Tyneside, has stated that South Tyneside has lost a “real gentlemen”.

She said: "I was terribly saddened to hear the news of Joe’s death this week.

“We have lost a real gentleman, a great councillor and dear friend. Joe was committed to serving the people of Biddick and All Saints until the time came for him to focus on his health.

“Joe will be a huge miss to me personally, having known him since I was a teenager and us serving alongside each other in our civic duties. Our thoughts are very much Joe’s family and friends at this sad time.”

Councillor Amar was born and raised in South Shields, attending Holy Trinity Infant and Junior School and Dean Road County Secondary School.

Following his school years, he went on to graduate from Sunderland Polytechnic/University with an Honours Degree in Social Science and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Business Computers.

He worked for many years in mental heath, managing a day centre and working on a housing project. He also gained a City and Guilds Diploma in Housing while volunteering for the housing association.

South Tyneside Labour has also paid tribute to Cllr Amar via a post on their official Facebook page.

The post said: “We are saddened to have learned of the death of our friend and colleague, Cllr Joe Amar.

“Joe has served the Biddick and All Saints ward since 2015, and Deputy Mayor of South Tyneside since 2021.

“An active member of the community, he will be missed by many. Our thoughts are with Joe’s family and friends at this difficult time.”

South Tyneside Council has confirmed that the South Tyneside flag will be flown at half-mast at South Shields Town Hall and will remain that way until after Cllr Amar’s funeral.

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