2011 Sunderland City Council election

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2011 Sunderland City Council election
Flag of England.svg
  2010 5 May 2011 2012  

One third of 75 seats on Sunderland City Council
38 seats needed for a majority
 First partySecond partyThird party
 
Party Labour Conservative Independent
Seats before52184
Seats won2131
Seats after56144
Seat changeIncrease2.svg4Decrease2.svg4Steady2.svg0

 Fourth party
 
Party Liberal Democrats
Seats before1
Seats won0
Seats after1
Seat changeSteady2.svg0

Sunderland UK local election 2011 map.svg
Map of the 2011 Sunderland City Council election results. Labour in red, Independents in grey and Conservatives in blue.

Majority party before election

Labour

Majority party after election

Labour

The 2011 Sunderland Council election took place on 5 May 2011 to elect members of Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council in Tyne and Wear, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Labour Party stayed in overall control of the council. [1] [2]

Contents

Campaign

Before the election Labour ran the council with 52 seats, compared to 18 Conservatives, 1 Liberal Democrat and 4 independents, with 1 of the 4 independents being described as an "Independent Conservative". [3] 26 seats were being contested in the election with 2 seats being available in Sandhill ward, after councillor Jim Scott stood down from the council. [3]

Labour were hopeful of making gains due to a backlash against the national Conservative led government and rising unemployment. [3] However the Conservatives hoped the national council tax freeze and pension increases would help the party do well and blamed the previous Labour government for the economic situation. [3] Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats said they would focus on local issues and targeted Millfield ward. [3]

Other candidates included 7 from the Green Party and 3 from the United Kingdom Independence Party. [3] However the British National Party did not put up any candidates, after contesting every seat in some previous elections. [3]

Election results

The results saw Labour increase their majority on the council after gaining 4 seats from the Conservatives to have 56 councillors. [4] [5] The gains came in the wards of St Chad's, St Peter's, Washington East and Washington South and left the Conservatives with 14 seats. [4] [5] The Liberal Democrats had a bad election, coming fourth in many seats, after a drop in their share of the vote. [5] Meanwhile, independent Colin Wakefield held his seat in Copt Hill by 428 votes over Labour. [5] Neither the Green Party or the United Kingdom Independence Party won any seats, but the Greens came third in 6 of the 7 seats they had contested and the United Kingdom Independence Party came second in Hetton. [6] Overall turnout in the election was 35.1%. [4]

Sunderland kept up its position as a quick counter of results, with the first result in Pallion being declared at 10.53pm, after the polls had closed at 10pm. [5] The council was also the first to finish counting with the final results being declared at 1am. [7] The Labour leader of the council Paul Watson held the seat in Pallion and put Labour's success down to the cuts being made by the national government [5] and as an endorsement of the city council. [6] The Conservative group leader Paul Morrissey meanwhile said his party had suffered due to being in government nationally. [6]

Sunderland Local Election Result 2011 [8]
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Labour 2240Increase2.svg484.660.349,898Increase2.svg11.3%
  Conservative 304Decrease2.svg411.525.721,303Increase2.svg0.5%
  Liberal Democrats 000Steady2.svg005.14,185Decrease2.svg13.2%
  Independent 100Steady2.svg03.84.63,782Increase2.svg0.6%
  Green 000Steady2.svg002.41,979Increase2.svg2.1%
  UKIP 000Steady2.svg002.01,654Increase2.svg2.0%

This resulted in the following composition of the council:

PartyPrevious CouncilNew Council
Labour5256
Conservatives1814
Independent44
Liberal Democrats11
Total7575
Working majority 29  37 

Ward by ward results

Barnes [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Lee Martin1,98949.1+13.1
Labour Rebecca Atkinson1,89646.8+5.6
Liberal Democrats Anthony Usher1704.2−13.9
Majority932.3
Turnout 4,05545.7−16.9
Conservative hold Swing
Castle [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Stephen Foster2,20284.6+33.3
Conservative Geoff Scott29411.3+0.7
Liberal Democrats Paul Hillman1084.1−7.8
Majority1,90873.3+40.3
Turnout 2,60430.4−19.6
Labour hold Swing
Copt Hill [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Colin Wakefield1,96156.1+14.3
Labour Juliana Heron1,53343.9−1.1
Majority42812.2
Turnout 3,49439.6−15.6
Independent hold Swing
Doxford [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour David Errington1,90659.7+7.7
Conservative Hilary Johnson94629.6−0.2
Green Caroline Robinson2969.3+9.3
Liberal Democrats Matt MacDonald461.4−16.9
Majority96030.1+7.9
Turnout 3,19440.5−20.2
Labour hold Swing
Fulwell [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative John Wiper1,99247.3+2.1
Labour Paul Middleton1,79942.7+7.0
Liberal Democrats Geoffrey Pryke42310.0−9.2
Majority1934.6−4.9
Turnout 4,21446.5−21.9
Conservative hold Swing
Hendon [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Thomas Martin1,78168.1+15.4
Conservative Debbie Lorraine53520.4−6.1
Green Sam May30111.5+11.5
Majority1,24647.6+21.4
Turnout 2,61729.9−14.8
Labour hold Swing
Hetton [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Florence Anderson1,94058.8+2.7
UKIP John Defty95629.0+29.0
Conservative Pat Francis2397.2−5.9
Liberal Democrats Philip Dowell1675.1−16.9
Majority98429.8−4.3
Turnout 3,30237.6−12.8
Labour hold Swing
Houghton [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Kath Rolph1,82052.3+5.2
Independent John Ellis1,66047.7+11.8
Majority1604.6−6.7
Turnout 3,48038.6−16.1
Labour hold Swing
Millfield [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Lynda Scanlan1,36353.8+15.2
Liberal Democrats Paul Edgeworth58523.1−12.0
Conservative Vijaya Das28911.4−5.0
Independent Rod MacPherson1616.4+2.6
Green Jack McGlen1345.3+5.3
Majority77830.7+27.2
Turnout 2,53233.1−14.9
Labour hold Swing
Pallion [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Paul Watson1,68863.8+12.4
Conservative Peter O'Connor50619.1−1.2
Green David Campbell45117.1+17.1
Majority1,18244.7+13.7
Turnout 2,64535.1−13.6
Labour hold Swing
Redhill [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Richard Bell2,10487.6+18.1
Conservative Martin Anderson29912.4−5.4
Majority1,80575.1+23.4
Turnout 2,40329.9−15.3
Labour hold Swing
Ryhope [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Ellen Ball2,02264.2+1.5
Conservative Shaun Cudworth1,12935.8−1.5
Majority89328.3+2.9
Turnout 3,15139.0−19.1
Labour hold Swing
St Annes [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Lisa Smiles1,90871.4+12.6
Conservative Paula Wilkinson43616.3−0.7
Green Emily Blyth2388.9+5.0
Liberal Democrats Kathy Walker903.4−16.9
Majority1,47255.1+16.6
Turnout 2,67231.2−15.1
Labour hold Swing
St Chads [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Stuart Porthouse1,85152.9+12.6
Conservative Michael Dixon1,64747.1−0.1
Majority2045.8
Turnout 3,49844.6−14.3
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
St Michaels [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Peter Wood1,96250.8+8.4
Labour David Owens1,36435.3+3.0
Green John Appleton2857.4+4.2
Liberal Democrats Andrew Wood2486.4−12.0
Majority59815.5+5.4
Turnout 3,85942.8−21.4
Conservative hold Swing
St Peters [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Barry Curran1,75549.6+12.4
Conservative Graham Hall1,52143.0+7.2
Liberal Democrats Diana Matthew2597.3−12.8
Majority2346.6+5.2
Turnout 3,53541.7−18.7
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Sandhill (2) [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour John Gallagher1,783
Labour Debra Waller1,637
Conservative Paul Tweddle456
Conservative Juliette Muca440
Liberal Democrats Susan Wilson241
Turnout 4,55733.7−12.8
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Shiney Row [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour John Scott2,42364.9+10.6
Conservative Malcolm Vardy1,03527.7+1.8
Liberal Democrats Carol Attewell2787.4−12.4
Majority1,38837.2+8.8
Turnout 3,73637.5−18.6
Labour hold Swing
Silksworth [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Peter Gibson2,22766.7+9.0
Conservative Dominic McDonough70921.2−2.5
Green Joella Lynch2748.2+8.2
Liberal Democrats Andy Bex1303.9−14.7
Majority1,51845.4+11.4
Turnout 3,34039.6−17.1
Labour hold Swing
Southwick [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Christine Shattock1,93069.7+15.6
Conservative Terence Docherty69124.9+3.3
Liberal Democrats Anne Griffin1495.4−10.1
Majority1,23944.7+12.3
Turnout 2,77033.8−14.9
Labour hold Swing
Washington Central [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Len Lauchlan2,24061.9+8.8
Conservative Tracy Young70619.5−4.3
UKIP Erland Polden44312.2+12.2
Liberal Democrats John McLelland2306.4−16.7
Majority1,53442.4+13.1
Turnout 3,61940.5−19.7
Labour hold Swing
Washington East [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Fiona Miller1,93553.9+8.9
Conservative Ian Cuthbert1,20133.4+1.6
UKIP Linda Hudson2557.1+7.1
Liberal Democrats Malcolm Bannister2015.6−13.1
Majority73420.4+7.2
Turnout 3,59240.9−19.8
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Washington North [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Peter Walker2,25376.3+19.1
Conservative Joyce Wake46915.9+1.8
Liberal Democrats Kevin Morris2327.9−11.8
Majority1,78460.4+22.9
Turnout 2,95434.0−17.2
Labour hold Swing
Washington South [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour George Thompson2,12660.5+19.1
Conservative Martin Talbot1,10231.3−0.5
Liberal Democrats David Griffin2888.2−18.6
Majority1,02429.1+19.5
Turnout 3,51643.0−17.7
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Washington West [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Harry Trueman2,41269.7+20.3
Conservative Olwyn Bird71020.5+1.0
Liberal Democrats Irene Bannister3409.8−15.2
Majority1,70249.2+24.9
Turnout 3,46238.3−20.1
Labour hold Swing

References

  1. "England council elections". BBC News. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
  2. "Election results 2011: English council summary results". The Guardian. 6 May 2011. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Robertson, Russ (5 April 2011). "BNP will not contest Sunderland Council election". Sunderland Echo . Retrieved 30 July 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 "Sunderland Council elections – Results – Labour gains from Tories". Sunderland Echo . 5 May 2011. Archived from the original on 9 May 2011. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Unwin, Bruce (6 May 2011). "Labour hold Sunderland and South Tyneside". The Northern Echo . Retrieved 30 July 2011.
  6. 1 2 3 "Labour celebrates a night of success". Sunderland Echo . 6 May 2011. Archived from the original on 10 May 2011. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
  7. "Labour takes back Newcastle from Lib Dems". BBC News. 6 May 2011. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 "Results of Poll". Sunderland City Council. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
Preceded by
2010 Sunderland City Council election
Sunderland City Council elections Succeeded by
2012 Sunderland City Council election