2018 Sunderland City Council election

← 2016 3 May 2018 2019 →
One third of 75 seats on Sunderland City Council 38 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party Third party   Party Labour Conservative Liberal Democrats Seats before 65 6 3 Seats won 17 5 3 Seats after 61 8 6 Seat change 4 2 3   Fourth party   Party Independent Seats before 1 Seats won 0 Seats after 0 Seat change 1
Map of the 2018 Sunderland City Council election results. Labour in red, Conservatives in blue, and Liberal Democrats in yellow.
Majority party before election Labour Majority party after election Labour

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%

Sunderland Local Election Result 2018^[6]

Party		Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	Labour	17	1	5	4	68	47	32,344	7
	Conservative	5	2	0	2	20	29.3	20,195	7.2
	Liberal Democrats	3	3	0	3	16	12.1	8,342	5.1
	Green	0	0	0	0	0	6.1	4,196	2.1
	Independent	0	0	1	1	0	4.1	2,820	3
	Populist Party	0	0	0	0	0	0.6	414	0.6
	North East	0	0	0	0	0	0.5	342	0.5
	For Britain	0	0	0	0	0	0.2	156	0.2

This resulted in the following composition of the council:

Asterisk denotes incumbent councillor.

Barnes Ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Antony Mullen†	1,560	45.1	8.1
	Labour	Zaf Iqbal	1,238	35.8	5
	Liberal Democrats	Timothy Ellis	432	12.5	8.6
	Green	Caroline Robinson	220	6.4	6.4
Rejected ballots			6	0.2	0.6
Majority			322	9.3	5.5
Turnout			3,456	40.7	1.3
Registered electors			8,484
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing	6.6

†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.^[7][8]

Castle Ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Doris MacKnight*	1,358	63.0	7.1
	Conservative	James Doyle	439	20.1	12.6
	Green	Rebecca Lapping	178	8.3	8.3
	Liberal Democrats	Jack Stoker	174	8.1	5.7
Rejected ballots			6	0.3	0.5
Majority			919	42.6	23.2
Turnout			2,155	25.7	2
Registered electors			8,387
	Labour hold		Swing	17.4†

†Swing to the Labour candidate from UKIP, who had stood last time this seat was contested.

Copt Hill Ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Jack Cunningham	1,400	48.6	4.4
	Independent	Anthony Allen*	940	32.6	13.8
	Conservative	Patricia Francis	428	14.8	6.8
	Green	Esme Featherstone	108	3.7	3.7
Rejected ballots			7	0.2	1.2
Majority			460	16	13.8
Turnout			2,883	32.4	2.4
Registered electors			8,889
	Labour gain from Independent		Swing	9.1

Doxford Ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Elizabeth Gibson*	1,258	44.4	11.4
	Conservative	George Brown	1,199	42.3	35
	Green	Alan Robinson	208	7.3	3.1
	Liberal Democrats	Peter Walton	170	6.0	7.9
Rejected ballots			6	0.3	0.4
Majority			59	2.1	19.8
Turnout			2,155	25.7	9.6
Registered electors			8,387
	Labour hold		Swing	18.2†

†Swing to the Labour candidate from UKIP, who had stood last time this seat was contested.

Fulwell Ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	George Howe*	1,816	46.6	3.3
	Labour	Christopher Harding	1,289	33.1	1.2
	Liberal Democrats	Malcolm Bond	631	16.2	13.4
	Green	Steven Murray	159	4.1	0.3
Rejected ballots			19	0.5	0.1
Majority			527	13.5	2.1
Turnout			3,914	43.7	3.2
Registered electors			8,949
	Conservative hold		Swing	10.3†

†Swing to the Conservative candidate from UKIP, who had stood last time this seat was contested.

Hendon Ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Barbara McClennan*	1,029	47.4	2.7
	Conservative	Syed Ali	421	19.4	6.9
	North East Party	Kris Brown	342	15.7	15.7
	Green	Richard Bradley	239	11	4.2
	Liberal Democrats	Anthony Usher	134	6.2	6.2
Rejected ballots			8	0.4	0.5
Majority			608	28	5.6
Turnout			2,173	27.6	0.3
Registered electors			7,870
	Labour hold		Swing	4.8

Hetton Ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Claire Rowntree	1,480	53.3	5.6
	Independent	David Geddis	799	28.8	28.8
	Conservative	Douglas Middlemiss	358	12.9	6.8
	Green	Rachel Lowe	74	2.7	2.7
	Liberal Democrats	Diana Matthew	54	1.9	0.5
Rejected ballots			12	0.4	0.5
Majority			681	24.5	20.7
Turnout			2,777	30.8	4.2
Registered electors			9,029
	Labour hold		Swing	24.7†

†Swing to the Labour candidate from UKIP, who had stood last time this seat was contested.

Houghton Ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Neil MacKnight	1,630	54.2	11.6
	Independent	Linda Wood	737	24.5	24.5
	Conservative	Craig Morrison	460	15.3	10.4
	Liberal Democrats	Susan Sterling	97	3.2	3.2
	Green	Graham Martin	79	2.6	2.6
Rejected ballots			4	0.1	0.4
Majority			893	29.7	20.5
Turnout			3,007	32	3.5
Registered electors			9,409
	Labour hold		Swing	22.5†

†Swing to Labour from an Independent candidate, who had stood last time this seat was contested.

Millfield Ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Andrew Wood	1,522	58	25.4
	Labour	Iain Kay*	871	33.2	3.1
	Conservative	Gwennyth Gibson	155	5.9	0.7
	Green	Billy Howells	73	2.8	1
Rejected ballots			4	0.2	0.1
Majority			651	24.8	21
Turnout			2,625	36.7	4.8
Registered electors			7,156
	Liberal Democrats gain from Labour		Swing	14.3

Pallion Ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	George Smith	1,461	60.1	57
	Labour	Elise Thompson	714	29.4	18.4
	Conservative	Grant Shearer	178	7.3	7
	Green	Craig Hardy	76	3.1	1.7
Rejected ballots			3	0.1	0.8
Majority			747	30.7	13.2
Turnout			2,432	32.7	2.6
Registered electors			7,445
	Liberal Democrats gain from Labour		Swing	37.7

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.^[9]

Redhill Ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Paul Stewart*	1,168	60.1	1.4
	Independent	Heather Fagan	344	17.7	11.8
	Conservative	Neville Chamberlin	343	17.6	11.7
	Green	Rafal Marzec	85	4.4	4.4
Rejected ballots			5	0.6	0.4
Majority			824	42.4	11.8
Turnout			1,945	24.2	1.7
Registered electors			8,039
	Labour hold		Swing	14.7†

†Swing to the Labour candidate from UKIP, who had stood last time this seat was contested.

Ryhope Ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Michael Essl	1,286	50.7	3.7
	Conservative	Paula Wilkinson	797	31.4	17.5
	Green	Emma Robson	290	11.4	8
	Liberal Democrats	Keith Townsend	149	5.9	3.1
Rejected ballots			13	0.5	0.2
Majority			489	19.3	5.3
Turnout			2,535	31	3.1
Registered electors			8,169
	Labour hold		Swing	18.3†

†Swing to the Labour candidate from UKIP, who had stood last time this seat was contested.

Sandhill Ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Lynn Appleby	1,025	45.1	34.9
	Labour	Dave Allan*	820	36	29.6
	Conservative	Michael Leadbitter	317	13.9	10.3
	Green	John Appleton	110	4.8	4.8
Rejected ballots			3	0.1	2.9
Majority			205	9	31.1
Turnout			2,275	29	1.1
Registered electors			7,858
	Liberal Democrats gain from Labour		Swing	32.3

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.^[10]

Shiney Row Ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Mel Speding*	1,704	54.4	2.2
	Conservative	Sally Oliver	742	23.7	8.7
	Populist Party	Tony Morrow	414	13.2	13.2
	Green	Neil Shaplin	147	4.7	4.7
	Liberal Democrats	Nana Boddy	128	4.1	0.8
Rejected ballots			7	0.2	0.4
Majority			962	30.6	7.9
Turnout			3,142	32.2	0.1
Registered electors			9,747
	Labour hold		Swing	15.8†

†Swing to the Labour candidate from UKIP, who had stood last time this seat was contested.

Silksworth Ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Phil Tye*	1,417	52.4	0.2
	Conservative	Bryan Reynolds	880	32.6	16.3
	Liberal Democrats	Thomas Crawford	203	7.5	7.5
	Green	Chris Crozier	202	7.5	7.5
Rejected ballots			7	0.3	0.7
Majority			537	19.8	1.5
Turnout			2,709	33.5	0.2
Registered electors			8,090
	Labour hold		Swing	8.3

Southwick Ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Alex Samuels	1,307	54.6	3.1
	Conservative	Clair Hall	627	26.2	13
	Liberal Democrats	Bill Meeks	315	13.2	10.6
	Green	Anna Debska	139	5.8	5.8
Rejected ballots			7	0.3	0.5
Majority			680	28.4	8.8
Turnout			2,395	29.7	0.4
Registered electors			8,071
	Labour hold		Swing	17.4†

†Swing to the Labour candidate from UKIP, who had stood last time this seat was contested.

St Anne's Ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Karen Wood	1,062	51.2	3.2
	Conservative	Gavin Wilson	620	29.9	15.8
	Liberal Democrats	Emma Neale	260	12.5	12.5
	Green	Gary Ogle	122	5.9	1.6
Rejected ballots			10	0.5	0.1
Majority			442	21.3	12.7
Turnout			2,074	26.2	1.2
Registered electors			7,926
	Labour hold		Swing	18.1†

†Swing to the Labour candidate from UKIP, who had stood last time this seat was contested.

St Chad's Ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	William Blackett	1,268	44.9	10
	Labour	Gillian Galbraith*	1,203	42.6	2
	Liberal Democrats	Margaret Crosby	261	9.3	6.2
	Green	Helmut Izaks	89	3.2	3.2
Rejected ballots			0	0	0.5
Majority			65	2.3	3.4
Turnout			2,821	37.6	0.7
Registered electors			7,506
	Conservative gain from Labour		Swing	6

St Michael's Ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Michael Dixon*	1,958	58.3	13.7
	Labour	Steve Hansom	990	29.5	3.8
	Green	Robert Welsh	220	6.6	0.8
	Liberal Democrats	Julia Potts	184	5.5	1.6
Rejected ballots			4	0.1	0.2
Majority			968	28.8	9.9
Turnout			3,356	40	1.2
Registered electors			8,395
	Conservative hold		Swing	15.9†

†Swing to the Conservative candidate from UKIP, who had stood last time this seat was contested.

St Peter's Ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Shirley Leadbitter*	1,457	43.3	6.9
	Labour	Ken Richardson	1,256	37.3	3.9
	Liberal Democrats	John Lennox	418	12.4	12.4
	Green	Rachel Featherstone	236	7.6	3.1
Rejected ballots			7	0.2	0.8
Majority			201	6	3
Turnout			3,374	41.6	6.8
Registered electors			8,111
	Conservative hold		Swing	14.4†

†Swing to the Conservative candidate from UKIP, who had stood last time this seat was contested.

Washington Central Ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Linda Williams*	1,800	60.6	7.2
	Conservative	Anna Snell	907	30.5	19.2
	Green	Michal Chantkowski	251	8.5	8.5
Rejected ballots			11	0.4	0.1
Majority			893	30.1	7.7
Turnout			2,969	34.6	0.2
Registered electors			8,578
	Labour hold		Swing	19.1†

†Swing to the Labour candidate from UKIP, who had stood last time this seat was contested.

Washington East Ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Tony Taylor*	1,561	50.1	8.8
	Conservative	Hilary Johnson	1,123	36	10.1
	Liberal Democrats	Siobhán Kelleher	233	7.5	2.7
	Green	Josh Flynn	188	6	6
Rejected ballots			12	0.4	0.4
Majority			438	14.1	1
Turnout			3,117	34.4	0.1
Registered electors			9,063
	Labour hold		Swing	17.5†

†Swing to the Labour candidate from UKIP, who had stood last time this seat was contested.

Washington North Ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Jill Fletcher*	1,514	62.9	4.2
	Conservative	Carol Groombridge	443	18.4	10.7
	Green	June Bradley	170	7.1	7.1
	For Britain	Andrew Cox	156	6.5	6.5
	Liberal Democrats	Carlton West	120	5	2.5
Rejected ballots			5	0.2	0.7
Majority			1,071	44.5	17
Turnout			2,408	29.7	0.9
Registered electors			8,106
	Labour hold		Swing	17.6†

†Swing to the Labour candidate from UKIP, who had stood last time this seat was contested.

Washington South Ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Graeme Miller*	1,292	47.2	2.3
	Conservative	Martin Talbot	978	35.7	14.4
	Green	Dominic Armstrong	254	9.3	9.3
	Liberal Democrats	Sean Terry	206	7.5	2.4
Rejected ballots			8	0.3	0.3
Majority			314	11.5	6.5
Turnout			2,738	35.1	1
Registered electors			7,794
	Labour hold		Swing	15.6†

†Swing to the Labour candidate from UKIP, who had stood last time this seat was contested.

Washington West Ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Dorothy Trueman*	1,697	59.2	2.2
	Conservative	Olwyn Bird	721	25.2	10.5
	Green	Paul Leonard	274	9.5	9.5
	Liberal Democrats	Kevin Morris	165	5.8	1.4
Rejected ballots			9	0.3	0.3
Majority			976	25.2	7.7
Turnout			2,866	32.1	0.3
Registered electors			8,924
	Labour hold		Swing	13.1†

†Swing to the Labour candidate from UKIP, who had stood last time this seat was contested.