2021 Sunderland City Council election

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2021 Sunderland City Council election
Coat of arms of Sunderland City Council.png
← 2019 7 May 2021
One third of 75 seats on Sunderland City Council, plus three vacancies in Copt Hill, Shiney Row, and Washington South
38 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Party Labour Conservative Liberal Democrats
Seats before 51 12 8
Seats won 15 8 5
Seats after 42 18 12
Seat change Decrease9 Increase6 Increase4
  Fourth party Fifth party
 
Party UKIP Green
Seats before 0 1
Seats won 0 0
Seats after 3 0
Seat change Steady Decrease1
Sunderland UK local election 2021 map.svg
Map showing the results of the 2021 Sunderland City Council election
Majority party before election

Labour

 Majority party after election

Labour

The 2021 Sunderland City Council election took place on 6 May 2021 to elect members of Sunderland City Council in England on the same day as other elections across the United Kingdom.[1]

Background[]

The local elections held in 2021 were originally scheduled for 7 May 2020, but were postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, and held on 6 May 2021.[2] There were 28 seats up for election: one-third of the seats on the council, plus three additional vacancies in the Copt Hill, Shiney Row, and Washington South wards.

Vacancies had arisen in the Copt Hill and Houghton Wards ahead of the local elections as the former Labour councillors, Jack Cunningham and Alex Scullion respectively, resigned from the Council during 2020.[3] In Shiney Row, there was an additional vacancy due to the death in office of Labour councillor Geoff Walker in January 2021.[4] The vacancy in the Washington South ward arose with the resignation in March 2021 of the Council's only sitting Green Party councillor, Dom Armstrong, following disagreements with his party about trans rights issues.[5]

There had been speculation ahead of the election that the Labour Party could lose overall control of Sunderland City Council for the first time in its history. Conservative group leader Antony Mullen said that he was 'prepared to form coalition to kick out Labour.'[6]

The Labour Party and Conservatives fielded 28 candidates in the election. The Liberal Democrats fielded 23 candidates, the Green Party 21 and UKIP 19. In addition, there was one Independent, one Populist Party and one Communist Party candidate.

Election results[]

After the election, the Labour Party maintained control of the Council. Labour's majority was reduced to eight, having lost 10 seats. In Washington South, Labour gained the seat vacated by the Green Party, but lost a seat to the Conservatives. Labour also lost to the Conservatives in Ryhope and St Anne's - wards that had been won by UKIP in the 2019 local elections. The Conservatives made further gains from Labour in St Peter's, St Chad's and Barnes.

Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats gained seats with large swings from Labour in Sandhill, Pallion, Doxford and Hendon. Fulwell turned out to be a close contest between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats - pushing Labour into their only third-place position in the city.

Labour leader Graeme Miller described the results as 'very disappointing', commenting that "the UKIP vote across the city moved to the Conservatives, at the same time they received a 10% bump in their vote because the public are happy with the vaccine rollout, and we’ve lost councillors as a result."[7] There were nonetheless some positives for Labour; with strong performances in some of the towns and villages outside Sunderland, winning a close contest in Silksworth, and holding all four seats in the two-up elections in Copt Hill and Shiney Row wards.

2021 Sunderland City Council election
Party This election Full council This election
Seats Net Seats % Other Total Total % Votes Votes % +/−
  Labour 15 Decrease 9 53.6 27 42 56.0 27,904 39.2 +6.5
  Conservative 8 Increase 6 28.6 10 18 24.0 24,735 34.8 +16.1
  Liberal Democrats 5 Increase 4 17.9 7 12 16.0 10,958 15.4 +1.7
  UKIP 0 Steady 0.0 3 3 4.0 3,191 4.5 -19.4
  Green 0 Decrease 1 0.0 0 0 0.0 3,727 5.2 -2.8
  Independent 0 Steady 0.0 0 0 0.0 554 0.8 -1.1
  0 Steady 0.0 0 0 0.0 38 0.1 -0.7
  Communist 0 Steady 0.0 0 0 0.0 32 0.1 New

This resulted in the following composition of the council:

Party Previous Council New Council
Labour 51 42
Conservatives 12 18
Liberal Democrats 8 12
UKIP 3 3
Green Party 1 0
Total 75 75
Working majority  27   9 

Ward results[]

Barnes[]

Barnes[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Richard Dunn 1,610 48.3 +12.1
Labour Rebecca Atkinson 1,367 41.0 +11.0
Liberal Democrats Tim Ellis 201 6.0 -6.8
Green Alyson Kordbarlag 158 4.7 -1.9
Majority 7.3
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Castle[]

Castle[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Denny Wilson 1,243 58.1 +9.8
Conservative Gwennyth Gibson 583 27.3 +16.4
UKIP Tony Clarke 201 9.4 -31.3
Liberal Democrats Allen Curtis 111 5.2 N/A
Majority
Labour hold Swing

Copt Hill[]

Copt Hill[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Kevin Johnston 1,327 46.4 +5.3
Labour Tracy Dodds 1,203 42.1 +1.0
Conservative George Brown 833 29.1 +16.1
Conservative Jakub Wypych 519 18.1 +5.1
UKIP Reg Coulson 403 14.1 -21.1
UKIP John Defty 384 13.4 -21.8
Liberal Democrats Sue Stirling 272 9.5 N/A
Green Esme Featherstone 256 9.0 -1.5
Liberal Democrats Anthony Usher 83 2.9 N/A
Majority
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

Doxford[]

Doxford[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Paul Gibson 1,510 48.7 +6.0
Labour Thomas Johnston 797 25.7 +2.4
Conservative John Wiper 684 22.1 +9.5
Green Auburn Langley 110 3.5 -1.3
Majority 713 23.0 +3.7
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour Swing

Fulwell[]

Fulwell[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Michael Hartnack 1,826 42.4 +11.7
Liberal Democrats Malcolm Bond 1,571 36.5 +16.9
Labour Barry Curran 730 16.9 -12.2
Green Liam Dufferwiel 180 4.2 -2.3
Majority
Conservative hold Swing

Hendon[]

Hendon[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Ciaran Morrissey 1,029 42.2 +36.1
Labour Michael Mordey 849 34.8 -2.3
Conservative Simon Ayre 377 15.5 +2.8
Green Helmut Izaks 110 4.5 -4.1
UKIP Martin Moore 75 3.1 -23.2
Majority
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour Swing

Hetton[]

Hetton[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour James Blackburn 1,258 44.7 +11.5
Independent David Geddis 554 19.7 -1.9
Conservative Patricia Francis 545 19.4 +13.7
UKIP Richard Elvin 313 11.1 -17.6
Green Rachel Lowe 81 2.9 -0.8
Liberal Democrats Ian Ellis 63 2.2 N/A
Majority
Labour hold Swing

Houghton[]

Houghton[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Price 1,437 48.0 +7.6
Conservative Raymond Davison 951 31.7 +21.9
UKIP Donna Thomas 307 10.2 -24.7
Green Billy Howells 195 6.5 -1.5
Liberal Democrats Carlton West 106 3.5 N/A
Majority
Labour hold Swing

Millfield[]

Millfield[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Niall Hodson 1,701 65.8 +5.1
Labour Iain Kay 609 23.6 +0.4
Conservative Syed Ali 192 7.4 +3.7
Green Gary Ogle 50 1.9 -0.7
Communist Julio Romero Johnson 32 1.2 N/A
Majority
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

Pallion[]

Pallion[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Colin Nicholson 1,440 59.4 -4.3
Labour Abul Haque 480 19.8 +3.1
Conservative Judith Porter 410 16.9 +12.8
Green Danielle Chamberlain 93 3.8 +1.3
Majority
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour Swing

Redhill[]

Redhill[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Alison Smith 1,019 50.6 +13.0
Conservative Paul Burke 623 30.9 +16.8
UKIP Sandra Hesslewood 371 18.4 -22.6
Majority
Labour hold Swing

Ryhope[]

Ryhope[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Usman Ali 1,411 49.1 +33.7
Labour Ellen Ball 1,230 42.8 +9.1
UKIP Marek Filipkowski 233 8.1 -26.3
Majority 189 6.3
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Sandhill[]

Sandhill[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Paul Edgeworth 1,274 50.8 +10.7
Labour Debra Waller 812 32.4 +8.1
Conservative Christine Reed 320 12.7 +7.2
UKIP Pauline Huntley 66 2.6 -25.5
Tony Morrow 38 1.5 -7.9
Majority 462 16.4
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour Swing 34

Shiney Row[]

Shiney Row[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Katherine Mason-Gage 1,639 50.9 +12.1
Labour David Snowdon 1,190 36.9 -1.9
Conservative Grant Shearer 1,069 33.2 +18.0
Conservative Richard Vardy 1,026 31.8 +16.6
Green Raymond Moore 223 6.9 -0.3
UKIP Kay Rowham 197 6.1 -19.8
Green Robert Welsh 176 5.5 -1.7
Liberal Democrats Nana Boddy 170 5.3 -0.4
Majority
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

Silksworth[]

Silksworth[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Pat Smith 1,120 42.6 +5.1
Conservative Jack Simm 1,073 40.8 +21.1
Green Chris Crozier 180 6.8 -2.8
Liberal Democrats Sharon Boddy 136 5.2 N/A
UKIP Ian Walton 123 4.7 -23.4
Majority
Labour hold Swing

Southwick[]

Southwick[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Kelly Chequer 1,208 50.8 +11.5
Conservative Liam Ritchie 754 31.7 +18.2
UKIP Stephen Harrison 171 7.2 -14.9
Liberal Democrats Norman Dent 138 5.8 +0.6
Green Morgan Seed 105 4.4 -1.3
Majority 19.1
Labour hold Swing

St Anne's[]

St Anne's[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Greg Peacock 911 42.0 +25.3
Labour Susan Watson 908 41.9 +9.1
UKIP Bryan Foster 190 8.8 -25.8
Liberal Democrats Peter Walton 158 7.3 -1.7
Majority
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

St Chad's[]

St Chad's[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Chris Burnicle 1,647 59.9 +20.2
Labour Darryl Dixon 895 32.5 +4.6
Liberal Democrats Elizabeth Crosby 208 7.6 +3.6
Majority
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

St Michael's[]

St Michael's[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Lyall Reed 1,958 57.1 +6.4
Labour Chris Smith 902 26.3 +5.2
Green John Appleton 455 13.3 +3.0
Liberal Democrats Colin Wilson 117 3.4 -2.1
Majority 1,056
Conservative hold Swing

St Peter's[]

St Peter's[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sam Johnston 1,808 53.8 +18.9
Labour David Newey 1,056 31.4 +5.2
Green Rachel Featherstone 216 6.4 -3.5
Liberal Democrats John Lennox 183 5.4 -5.1
UKIP Ian Lines 95 2.8 -15.4
Majority
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Washington Central[]

Washington Central[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Dianne Snowdon 1,611 55.1 +13.8
Conservative Michael Winter 915 31.3 +13.1
Green Scott Burrows 211 7.2 -2.1
UKIP Tony Ormond 107 3.7 -21.7
Liberal Democrats Sean Terry 82 2.8 -3.1
Majority
Labour hold Swing

Washington East[]

Washington East[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Sean Laws 1,558 47.9 +10.3
Conservative Hilary Johnson 1,403 43.1 +19.1
Green Michal Chantkowski 193 5.9 -6.1
UKIP Stephen Cuthbert 98 3.0 -16.4
Majority
Labour hold Swing

Washington North[]

Washington North[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Michael Walker 1,216 52.8 +10.1
Conservative Derek Dunn 730 31.7 +19.5
Green Graeme Edminson 148 6.4 -5.3
Liberal Democrats Jaye Jordan 119 5.2 +1.6
UKIP Maureen Hibbert 89 3.9 -25.9
Majority
Labour hold Swing

Washington South[]

Washington South[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Paul Donaghy 1,186 40.4 +21.1
Labour Louise Farthing 1,171 39.9 +15.2
Labour Brandon Feeley 931 31.7 +7.0
Conservative Craig Morrison 801 27.3 +8.0
Green Michael Ellis 521 17.8 -7.0
Green Richard Bradley 418 14.2 -10.6
Liberal Democrats Steven Donkin 240 8.2 -3.9
UKIP Josh Green 88 3.0 -15.7
Majority
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Labour gain from Green Swing

Washington West[]

Washington West[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jimmy Warne 1,462 52.0 +9.4
Conservative Olwyn Bird 916 32.6 +17.4
Green Paul Leonard 242 8.6 -5.4
Liberal Democrats Andrew Bex 129 4.6 -0.4
UKIP Bill Little 64 2.3 -21.0
Majority
Labour hold Swing

By-elections[]

Hetton[]

Hetton: 30 September 2021
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Iain Scott 661 31.6 -13.1
Liberal Democrats John Lennox 634 30.3 +28.1
Independent David Geddis 386 18.5 -1.2
Conservative Adelle Burnicle 303 14.5 -4.9
Independent Maurice Allen 67 3.2 N/A
Green Justine Merton-Scott 41 2.0 -0.9
Majority 27 1.3
Turnout 2,092 22.5
Labour hold Swing Decrease20.6

References[]

  1. ^ "Notice of Election - Local Government Elections" (PDF). Sunderland.gov.uk. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  2. ^ "English local elections postponed over coronavirus". BBC News. 2020-03-13. Retrieved 2020-06-20.
  3. ^ "Casual Vacancies". 22 January 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  4. ^ Finnegan, Sophie (3 February 2021). "Tributes paid to Sunderland councillor Geoffrey Walker after shock death". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 10 May 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ Binding, Chris (11 March 2021). "Sunderland Green councillor resigns after clashing with national party over trans and women's issues". Sunderland Echo. Retrieved 10 May 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ^ Harrison, James (1 April 2021). "Sunderland Conservatives 'prepared to form coalition to kick out Labour'". Sunderland Echo. Retrieved 10 May 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ^ Harrison, James (7 May 2021). "Labour laments 'very disappointing' night in Sunderland, while opposition parties celebrate victories". Sunderland Echo. Retrieved 10 May 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y "Local Government Election - List of candidates - Thursday 6 May 2021" (PDF). Sunderland.gov.uk. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
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