| Election Name: | 2018 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: | 2016 Sunderland City Council election |
| Previous Year: | 2016 |
| Election Date: | 3 May 2018 |
| Next Election: | 2019 Sunderland City Council election |
| Next Year: | 2019 |
| Seats For Election: | One third of 75 seats on Sunderland City Council |
| Majority Seats: | 38 |
| Party1: | Labour Party (UK) |
| Seats Before1: | 65 |
| Seats1: | 17 |
| Seats After1: | 61 |
| Seat Change1: | 4 |
| Majority party | |
| Before Election: | Labour |
| Posttitle: | Majority party after election |
| After Election: | Labour |
| Party2: | Conservative Party (UK) |
| Seats2: | 5 |
| Seat Change2: | 2 |
| Party3: | Liberal Democrats (UK) |
| Seats3: | 3 |
| Seat Change3: | 3 |
| Party4: | Independent politician |
| Seat Change4: | 1 |
| Seats4: | 0 |
| Seats After2: | 8 |
| Seats After3: | 6 |
| Seats After4: | 0 |
| Seats Before2: | 6 |
| Seats Before3: | 3 |
| Seats Before4: | 1 |
The 2018 Sunderland City Council election took place on 3 May 2018 to elect members of Sunderland City Council in England.[1] The election took place on the same day as other local elections.
In the period since the previous local elections in 2016, the Liberal Democrats had won two seats from Labour in by-elections: in January 2017 in Sandhill ward, and February 2018 in Pallion ward.[2]
The Labour, Conservative and Green Parties all fielded 25 candidates in the election. The Liberal Democrats fielded 22 candidates, and there were 4 Independent candidates. UKIP did not field any candidates, despite taking 11% of the vote at the previous election.[3] The election saw a debut for the Populist Party and For Britain, fielding one candidate each.
The election saw Labour defend 16 seats and gain one seat, winning the Copt Hill ward from an Independent councillor. The Liberal Democrats took seats from Labour in Millfield, Pallion, and Sandhill. The Conservatives held the seats they were defending in Fulwell, St Michael's, and St Peter's, and gained from Labour in St Chad's and Barnes.[4]
The election result was the worst for the Labour Party in Sunderland since 2012. It was the Conservatives' best result since 2008, and the best result for the Liberal Democrats since 1982 (when they stood as the SDP/Liberal Alliance).[5]
The overall turnout was 32.9%
This resulted in the following composition of the council:
| Party | Previous Council | New Council | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | 65 | 61 | ||
| Conservatives | 6 | 8 | ||
| Liberal Democrats | 3 | 6 | ||
| Independent | 1 | 0 | ||
| Total | 75 | 75 | ||
| Working majority | ||||
Asterisk denotes incumbent councillor.
†Antony Mullen was suspended by the Conservative Party during the election, and was under investigation due to a series of offensive social media posts he has made about Sunderland and Labour MP Diane Abbott. He remained on the ballot as a Conservative candidate, and was reinstated after being elected. The investigation showed no wrong whatsoever and he was fully reinstated.[6] [7]
†Swing to the Labour candidate from UKIP, who had stood last time this seat was contested.
†Swing to the Labour candidate from UKIP, who had stood last time this seat was contested.
†Swing to the Conservative candidate from UKIP, who had stood last time this seat was contested.
†Swing to the Labour candidate from UKIP, who had stood last time this seat was contested.
†Swing to Labour from an Independent candidate, who had stood last time this seat was contested.
A by-election had been held in one of the other seats in Pallion Ward in February 2018 following the death of the incumbent Labour councillor. The by-election was won by the Liberal Democrats.[8]
†Swing to the Labour candidate from UKIP, who had stood last time this seat was contested.
†Swing to the Labour candidate from UKIP, who had stood last time this seat was contested.
A by-election had been held in one of the other seats in Sandhill Ward in January 2017 following the disqualification of the incumbent Labour councillor for non-attendance. The by-election was won by the Liberal Democrats.[9]
†Swing to the Labour candidate from UKIP, who had stood last time this seat was contested.
†Swing to the Labour candidate from UKIP, who had stood last time this seat was contested.
†Swing to the Labour candidate from UKIP, who had stood last time this seat was contested.
†Swing to the Conservative candidate from UKIP, who had stood last time this seat was contested.
†Swing to the Conservative candidate from UKIP, who had stood last time this seat was contested.
†Swing to the Labour candidate from UKIP, who had stood last time this seat was contested.
†Swing to the Labour candidate from UKIP, who had stood last time this seat was contested.
†Swing to the Labour candidate from UKIP, who had stood last time this seat was contested.
†Swing to the Labour candidate from UKIP, who had stood last time this seat was contested.
†Swing to the Labour candidate from UKIP, who had stood last time this seat was contested.