Smith, a flawed but visionary, regionalist politician of North East England, was leader of Newcastle City Council from 1958 to 1965. He resigned with a view to taking on the running of the devolved regional government, which had been part of the Labour Party’s plans, but which was never delivered.

In addressing post-industrial change and a legacy of what were perceived to be slums, his policies at Newcastle City Council, developed to a significant extent with his planning officer, Wilfred Burns, brought together a focus on technology, higher education, culture, leisure, conservation and development, a radical address to transport / pedestrian access, the use of ‘signature’ architects and bold approaches to housing. He was a pioneer in the political use of Public Relations.

He has been strongly criticised for the demolition of certain historical buildings and for a wave of Brutalist architecture. In 1974, after a couple of failed prosecutions in connection with his PR work for the architect/developer John Poulson, he pleaded guilty to corruption and was sent to prison.

As part of his collaboration Smith brought in a number of photographs from his personal archive, which, together with many documents he deposited with the AmberSide Collection. This trove of documentation included: a set of 1963 slide transparencies he took of redevelopment in Newcastle and of the city’s May Day celebrations; a typescript of his unfinished, second autobiography; the original extensive interviews with him and with other key players, which were filmed as part of the development of the film.