Sunderland City Council elections explained

Sunderland City Council elections are generally held three years out of every four, with a third of the council being elected each time. Sunderland City Council is the local authority for the metropolitan borough of the City of Sunderland in Tyne and Wear, England. Since the last boundary changes in 2004, 75 councillors have been elected from 25 wards.^[1]

Council composition

Whilst under Labour control solidly since 1973, the political composition of Sunderland City Council has fluctuated over the years as the Conservatives, SDP-Liberal Alliance, and Independents gained seats from the Labour Party. Until 2019, only Labour, Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Independents (including Independent Labour) had ever won seats on Sunderland City Council.^[2] When UKIP and Green Party councillors were elected in 2019, Sunderland became one of the few British councils with all five parties represented. The table below gives an impression of the council's composition based on local election results.^[3]

Election	Conservative	Labour	Liberal Democrat^[4]	Independent	UKIP	Green	Reform UK	Total
1973	21	56	0	1	0	0	0	78
1975	23	52	1	2	0	0	0	78
1976	26	49	1	2	0	0	0	78
1978	27	49	1	1	0	0	0	78
1979	24	53	0	1	0	0	0	78
1980	18	58	1	1	0	0	0	78
1982	15	49	8	3	0	0	0	75
1983	14	52	7	2	0	0	0	75
1984	13	53	7	2	0	0	0	75
1986	11	59	5	0	0	0	0	75
1987	10	61	4	0	0	0	0	75
1988	9	63	3	0	0	0	0	75
1990	8	64	3	0	0	0	0	75
1991	8	64	3	0	0	0	0	75
1992	8	64	3	0	0	0	0	75
1994	8	64	3	0	0	0	0	75
1995	5	67	3	0	0	0	0	75
1996	4	68	3	0	0	0	0	75
1998	4	68	3	0	0	0	0	75
1999	8	64	3	0	0	0	0	75
2000	10	62	3	0	0	0	0	75
2002	11	62	2	0	0	0	0	75
2003	9	63	1	2	0	0	0	75
2004	12	61	2	0	0	0	0	75
2006	13	59	2	1	0	0	0	75
2007	17	53	1	4	0	0	0	75
2008	22	48	1	4	0	0	0	75
2010	18	52	1	4	0	0	0	75
2011	14	56	1	4	0	0	0	75
2012	8	64	0	3	0	0	0	75
2014	8	63	0	4	0	0	0	75
2015	6	66	0	3	0	0	0	75
2016	6	67	1	1	0	0	0	75
2018	8	61	6	0	0	0	0	75
2019	12	51	8	0	3	1	0	75
2021	18	42	12	0	3	0	0	75
2022	18	41	14	1	0	0	0	75
2023	13	45	15	0	0	0	1	75

Council elections

Sunderland's Council area comprises 25 wards, each electing three councillors. Elections are held in thirds, in three years out of every four. Between 1974 and 1986, elections were held in every fourth year to Tyne and Wear County Council, until the County Council was abolished. In 1982 and 2004, all seats on Sunderland Council were up for election following boundary changes.^[5]

Elections under 1973-1980 boundaries

• Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1973 (whole council elected)
• Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1975
• Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1976
• Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1978
• Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1979
• Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1980

Elections under 1982-2003 boundaries

• Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1982 (whole council elected after boundary changes)
• Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1983
• Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1984
• Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1986
• Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1987
• Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1988
• Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1990
• Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1991
• 1992 Sunderland City Council election
• 1994 Sunderland City Council election
• 1995 Sunderland City Council election
• 1996 Sunderland City Council election
• 1998 Sunderland City Council election
• 1999 Sunderland City Council election
• 2000 Sunderland City Council election
• 2002 Sunderland City Council election
• 2003 Sunderland City Council election

Elections under 2004 boundaries

• 2004 Sunderland City Council election (whole council elected after boundary changes)^[6]
• 2006 Sunderland City Council election
• 2007 Sunderland City Council election
• 2008 Sunderland City Council election
• 2010 Sunderland City Council election
• 2011 Sunderland City Council election
• 2012 Sunderland City Council election
• 2014 Sunderland City Council election
• 2015 Sunderland City Council election
• 2016 Sunderland City Council election
• 2018 Sunderland City Council election
• 2019 Sunderland City Council election
• 2021 Sunderland City Council election
• 2022 Sunderland City Council election
• 2023 Sunderland City Council election
• 2024 Sunderland City Council election

By-election results

2018-2022

At the time of resignation, incumbent Keith Jenkins was an independent.^[7]

References

• By-election results

External links

• Sunderland City Council

Notes and References

1. Web site: Information available about your Local Area . 2010-12-21 . Sunderland City Council.
2. Web site: Tyne and Wear: Ward Voting Summaries, 1973-2015. Tyne and Wear Elects. 19 Feb 2018.
3. Incorporating local by-election results from 2000.
4. [Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]
5. Web site: Tyne and Wear: Ward Voting Summaries 1973-2015. Tyne and Wear Elects. 19 Feb 2018.
6. News: Sunderland council. 2010-12-21. BBC News Online.
7. News: Clark . Kevin . By-election looms after resignation of former UKIP city councillor Keith Jenkins . 17 April 2022 . Sunderland Echo . 19 January 2022 . en.