| Election Name: | 2016 Sunderland City Council election |
| Country: | England |
| Flag Image: | Coat_of_arms_of_Sunderland_City_Council.png |
| Type: | Parliamentary |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Party Colour: | yes |
| Previous Election: | 2015 Sunderland City Council election |
| Previous Year: | 2015 |
| Election Date: | 5 May 2016 |
| Next Election: | 2018 Sunderland City Council election |
| Next Year: | 2018 |
| Seats For Election: | One third of 75 seats on Sunderland City Council |
| Majority Seats: | 38 |
| Party1: | Labour Party (UK) |
| Seats Before1: | 66 |
| Seats1: | 22 |
| Seats After1: | 67 |
| Seat Change1: | 1 |
| Majority party | |
| Before Election: | Labour |
| Posttitle: | Majority party after election |
| After Election: | Labour |
| Party2: | Conservative Party (UK) |
| Seats2: | 2 |
| Party3: | Liberal Democrats (UK) |
| Seats3: | 1 |
| Seat Change3: | 1 |
| Party4: | Independent (politician) |
| Seat Change4: | 2 |
| Seats4: | 0 |
| Seats After2: | 6 |
| Seats After3: | 1 |
| Seats After4: | 1 |
| Seats Before2: | 6 |
| Seats Before3: | 0 |
| Seats Before4: | 3 |
The 2016 Sunderland City Council election took place on 5 May 2016 to elect one-third of the members of Sunderland City Council in England.[1] This was on the same day as other local elections held across the United Kingdom.
The election saw Labour gain two seats, taking the Houghton and Copt Hill wards after incumbent Independent councillors chose not to stand for re-election. The Conservatives held the seats they were defending in Fulwell and St Michael's. The Liberal Democrats took a seat from Labour in Millfield.[2]
This resulted in the following composition of the council:
| Party | Previous Council | New Council | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | 66 | 67 | ||
| Conservatives | 6 | 6 | ||
| Liberal Democrats | 0 | 1 | ||
| Independent | 1 | 1 | ||
| Total | 75 | 75 | ||
| Working majority | ||||
Asterisk denotes incumbent councillor.
†The incumbent Independent councillor Derrick Smith retired at this election, and none of UKIP, the Conservatives, or the Greens had stood when the seat was last contested. The swing shown is to the Labour candidate from the Independent.
†Swing away from Labour to the Conservatives, who had stood aside last time this seat was contested.
†The incumbent Independent councillor Sheila Ellis retired at this election, and neither UKIP, the Conservatives, or Mick Watson had stood when the seat was last contested. The swing shown is to the Labour candidate from the previous Independent.