1973 Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council election explained

Election Name:1973 Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council election
Seats2:21
Party2:Conservative Party (UK)
Seats3:1
Party3:Independent politician
After Election:Labour
Posttitle:Majority party after election
Majority party
Country:England
Seats1:56
Party1:Labour Party (UK)
Majority Seats:40
Seats For Election:All 78 seats on Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council
Next Year:1975
Next Election:1975 Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council election
Election Date:10 May 1973
Party Colour:yes
Ongoing:no
Type:Parliamentary
Flag Image:Arms of the Sunderland City Council.svg

The 1973 Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council election was held on 10 May 1973 as part of the first elections to the new local authorities established by the Local Government Act 1972 in England and Wales. The entirety of the new 78-seat council was up for election, with each of the 26 new council wards returning three councillors by first-past-the-post.

Background

The election took place following the elections to the Tyne and Wear County Council in April. The Local Government Act 1972 stipulated that the elected members were to shadow and eventually take over from the predecessor corporation on 1 April 1974. The order in which the councillors were elected dictated their term serving, with third-place candidates serving two years and up for re-election in 1975, second-placed three years expiring in 1976 and first-placed five years until 1978.[1]

Election results

The election resulted in a clear majority for the Labour Party, which won 56 of the 78 seats on the new Council.

The election resulted in the following composition of the Council:

PartyCouncil
Labour56
Conservatives21
Independent1
Total78
Working majority

References

  1. Book: Rallings. Colin. Local Elections Handbook 1973. Thrasher. Michael. The Elections Centre. 3 May 2016.