2024 South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council election explained

Country:Tyne and Wear
Type:legislative
Ongoing:no
Previous Year:2023
Previous Election:2023 South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council election
Next Year:2026
Next Election:2026 South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council election
Seats For Election:18 of 54 seats to South Tyneside Council
Majority Seats:28
Party1:Labour Party (UK)
Leader1:Tracey Dixon
Last Election1:38 seats, 44.0%
Seats Before1:38
Seats1:4
Seats After1:28
Seat Change1:10
Popular Vote1:13,119
Percentage1:35.5%
Swing1: 8.5%
Party2:Independent politician
Last Election2:6 seats, 22.7%
Seats Before2:6
Seats2:10
Seats After2:15
Seat Change2: 9
Popular Vote2:11,770
Percentage2:31.9%
Swing2: 9.2%
Party4:Green Party of England and Wales
Leader4:David Francis
Last Election4:9 seats, 21.7%
Seats Before4:9
Seats4:4
Seats After4:11
Seat Change4: 2
Popular Vote4:9,640
Percentage4:26.1%
Swing4: 4.4%
Party5:Conservative Party (UK)
Last Election5:1 seat, 10.3%
Seats Before5:1
Seats5:0
Seats After5:0
Seat Change5: 1
Popular Vote5:1,709
Percentage5:4.6%
Swing5: 5.7%
Leader
Posttitle:Leader after election
Before Election:Tracey Dixon
Before Party:Labour Party (UK)
After Election:Tracey Dixon
After Party:Labour Party (UK)

The 2024 South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council election was held on 2 May 2024 to elect members of South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council.[1] 18 of the 54 seats of the council were up for election. The election took place at the same time as other local elections across England.[2]

Bucking the trend of the rest of the country, the election saw Labour's seat count drop dramatically, losing ten seats nearly entirely to independent candidates. With 28 seats, Labour was left with only just enough seats for control of the council. The party's poor performance was described as being down to a 'perfect storm' of issues by the council's Labour leader Tracey Dixon,[3] further adding that Labour needed to 'restart' and 'work more closely' council's communities.[4] The results were put down[5] [3] [4] [6] to growing dissatisfaction with the council due to ongoing bin collection strikes that began in late 2023,[7] [8] [9] [10] the council's children services being rated "inadequate" by Ofsted,[11] and the fallout surrounding previous Labour Leader of the council, Iain Malcolm, being found in March 2024 to have inappropriately incurred £18,000 of personal costs on his corporate credit card[12] and bullied council staff.[13]

The Conservatives also lost their only seat on the council, with their Cleadon & East Bolden ward seat going to the Greens.

Summary

Election result

Ward results

Whiteleas

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Binding . Chris . 9 April 2024 . Local elections 2024: South Tyneside Council confirms full list of candidates . The Shields Gazette.
  2. Web site: Elections and voting . 2024-04-16 . South Tyneside Council . en.
  3. Web site: 'Perfect storm' blamed for poor Labour performance in South Tyneside local elections. 31 May 2024. 3 May 2024. James. Robinson. Evening Chronicle.
  4. Web site: 'Labour needs to restart’ - South Tyneside Council leader reacts following disastrous local elections. Shields Gazette. 31 May 2024. 3 May 2024. Ryan. Smith.
  5. Web site: 31 May 2024. Local Elections 2024: Full results for South Tyneside. James. Robinson. The Northern Echo. 3 May 2024.
  6. Web site: Chris. Binding. South Tyneside Green Party sets out ambitions following gains at 2024 local elections. 16 May 2024. 31 May 2024. Shields Gazette.
  7. Web site: South Tyneside bin workers to strike over 'discipline' issue. The Northern Echo. 13 November 2023. 31 May 2024. Patrick. Gouldsbrough.
  8. Web site: BBC News. 6 March 2024. 31 May 2024. Jason. Murugesu. More bin strikes called in bullying row.
  9. Web site: South Tyneside set for more bin strikes - and it could last another SIX months. Shields Gazette. Liam. Kennedy. 26 April 2024. 31 May 2024.
  10. Web site: Two-week bin strike to begin amid ongoing dispute. Adam. Lanigan. 29 April 2024. BBC News. 31 May 2024.
  11. Web site: Fallout continues following inadequate rating from Ofsted for Children's Services. Chris. Binding. 3 Nov 2023. 31 May 2024. Shields Gazette.
  12. Web site: BBC News. Pamela. Tickell. Ex-council leader racked up £18k on corporate card. 10 March 2024. 31 May 2024.
  13. Web site: Probe finds council leader 'bullied' officers. BBC News. 21 March 2024. 31 May 2024. Joanna. Chris. Morris. Binding.