# 2010 Sunderland City Council election

The 2010 Sunderland Council election took place on 6 May 2010 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. The election took place on the same day as the 2010 General Election.

## Campaign

Before the election Sunderland council had 48 Labour, 21 Conservative, 1 Liberal Democrat and 5 Independent councillors. The Independents were made up of 4 in an alliance and 1, Eddie Wake, described as an "Independent Conservative" having been suspended from the Conservative Party in the period since the last local elections in May 2008.
In total 89 candidates stood for the 25 seats being contested, with a full 25 from the Labour Party, 23 Conservatives, 23 Liberal Democrats, 12 British National Party, 2 Green Party and 4 Independents. This was a substantial decline in candidates for the British National Party, which in previous years had contested every ward. The 2 seats not contested by the Conservative party in Copt Hill and Houghton were where Independent candidates had been successful in previous years, with the Conservative party leader on the council Lee Martin saying the party would not have been able to win the seats. The seats were again contested by Independents campaigning against the Houghton Quarry landfill site.
Labour were confident of making gains, pointing to the lowest council tax in the North East and efforts to improve schools and address unemployment. However the Conservatives were also looking to make gains and particularly targeted seats they had previously won in Doxford, Ryhope and Washington South.

## Election results

The results saw the Labour party increase their majority on the council after gaining 4 seats to hold 52 of the 75 seats. Labour held every seat they had been defending, while gaining seats from the Conservatives in Barnes, St Peter's and Washington East, and taking Millfield from an Independent, Peter Maddison. Peter Maddison, who was deputy leader of the Independent group, came last in Millfield with 133 votes and independents also failed to take Copt Hill and Houghton. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats failed to win any seats, but did see an increase in votes for the party. Overall turnout was 55.02%, compared to 34.9% at the 2008 election, with the highest turnout in Fulwell at 68%.
The Conservative leader on the council Lee Martin put his parties failure down to a higher turnout due to the election taking place at the same time as the general election and a higher than usual vote share for the Liberal Democrats. Following the election Lee Martin resigned as leader of the Conservative group and was succeeded by Tony Morrissey.
Sunderland Local Election Result 2010 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 22 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 88 | 49.0 | 57,058 | 9.4% |
| Conservative | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 25.2 | 29,358 | 6.8% |
| Liberal Democrats | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18.3 | 21,290 | 6.7% |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4,621 | 2.4% |
| BNP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.3 | 3,886 | 6.9% |
| Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.3 | 325 | 0.3% |
This resulted in the following composition of the Council:
| Party | Party | Previous Council | New Council |
| | Labour | 48 | 52 |
| | Conservatives | 21 | 18 |
| | Independent | 5 | 4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 1 | 1 |
| Total | Total | 75 | 75 |
| Working majority | Working majority | 21 | 29 |

## Ward by ward results
### Barnes ward

Barnes :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Michael Essl | 2,280 | 41.2 | +16.8 |
| | Conservative | Angela Barkess | 1,991 | 36.0 | −15.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gouilnara Dixon | 1,001 | 18.1 | +3.4 |
| | BNP | Ethan Maggiore | 265 | 4.8 | −4.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 289 | 5.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,537 | 62.6 | +24.6 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Castle ward

Castle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Doris MacKnight | 2,173 | 51.3 | −1.5 |
| | Independent | Tony Clarke | 774 | 18.3 | +8.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jon Dewart | 505 | 11.9 | +4.9 |
| | Conservative | Geoffrey Scott | 449 | 10.6 | −2.6 |
| | BNP | Ian McDonald | 338 | 8.0 | −5.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,399 | 33.0 | −6.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,239 | 50.0 | +19.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Copt Hill ward

Copt Hill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Bob Heron | 2,174 | 45.0 | +10.5 |
| | Independent | Paul Marriner | 1,971 | 40.8 | −4.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Louise Powell | 687 | 14.2 | +14.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 203 | 4.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,832 | 55.2 | +18.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Doxford ward

Doxford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Betty Gibson | 2,463 | 52.0 | +17.0 |
| | Conservative | John Wiper | 1,411 | 29.8 | −11.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Sullivan | 867 | 18.3 | +5.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,052 | 22.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,741 | 60.7 | +25.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Fulwell ward

Fulwell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | George Howe | 2,797 | 45.2 | −8.0 |
| | Labour | Barry Curran | 2,208 | 35.7 | +9.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Geoffrey Pryke | 1,186 | 19.2 | +7.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 589 | 9.5 | −17.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,191 | 68.4 | +24.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Hendon ward

Hendon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Barbara McClennan | 1,976 | 52.7 | +16.3 |
| | Conservative | Sammy Doran | 994 | 26.5 | +5.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nathan Hazlett | 779 | 20.8 | +11.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 982 | 26.2 | +13.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,749 | 44.7 | +15.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Hetton ward

Hetton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Tate | 2,465 | 56.1 | −13.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Philip Dowell | 966 | 22.0 | +22.0 |
| | Conservative | Paula Wilkinson | 575 | 13.1 | −17.7 |
| | BNP | John Richardson | 389 | 8.9 | +8.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,499 | 34.1 | −4.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,395 | 50.4 | +19.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Houghton ward

Houghton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Dennis Richardson | 2,290 | 47.1 | +10.1 |
| | Independent | John Ellis | 1,743 | 35.9 | −8.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Snowball | 824 | 17.0 | +17.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 547 | 11.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,857 | 54.7 | +18.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Millfield ward

Millfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Iain Kay | 1,363 | 38.6 | +14.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jim Major | 1,241 | 35.1 | −10.9 |
| | Conservative | Vijaya Das | 580 | 16.4 | +1.4 |
| | BNP | Edward McFarlane | 217 | 6.1 | −1.7 |
| | Independent | Peter Maddison† | 133 | 3.8 | +0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 122 | 3.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,534 | 48.0 | +15.7 |
| | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
†Peter Maddison had been elected in 2006 as a Liberal Democrat candidate, but subsequently left the party to sit as an Independent councillor. As such, this win for Labour was technically a gain from the Liberal Democrats.

### Pallion ward

Pallion :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Cecilia Gofton | 1,866 | 51.4 | +7.1 |
| | Conservative | Peter O'Connor | 739 | 20.3 | −6.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Amanda Robinson | 709 | 19.5 | +6.7 |
| | BNP | Lynne Hudson | 318 | 8.8 | −7.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,127 | 31.0 | +13.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,632 | 48.7 | +17.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Redhill ward

Redhill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Paul Stewart | 2,669 | 69.5 | +20.0 |
| | Conservative | Martin Anderson | 684 | 17.8 | +7.3 |
| | BNP | Terence Woolford | 490 | 12.8 | −6.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,985 | 51.7 | +21.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,843 | 45.2 | +14.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Ryhope ward

Ryhope :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Alan Emerson | 2,904 | 62.7 | +30.0 |
| | Conservative | Shaun Cudworth | 1,727 | 37.3 | +3.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,177 | 25.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,631 | 58.1 | +21.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Sandhill ward

Sandhill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Allan | 2,197 | 57.6 | +10.6 |
| | Conservative | Paul Tweddle | 842 | 22.1 | −3.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Peel | 778 | 20.4 | +7.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,355 | 35.5 | +14.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,817 | 46.5 | +15.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Shiney Row ward

Shiney Row :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Mel Speding | 2,974 | 54.3 | +5.9 |
| | Conservative | Malcolm Vardy | 1,420 | 25.9 | −1.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Carol Attewell | 1,083 | 19.8 | +6.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,554 | 28.4 | +7.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,477 | 56.1 | +22.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Silksworth ward

Silksworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Philip Tye | 2,740 | 57.7 | +8.4 |
| | Conservative | Dominic McDonough | 1,126 | 23.7 | −4.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andy Bex | 881 | 18.6 | +9.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,614 | 34.0 | +13.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,747 | 56.7 | +20.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Southwick ward

Southwick :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Norma Wright | 2,145 | 54.1 | +10.6 |
| | Conservative | Terry Docherty | 858 | 21.6 | −4.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anne Griffin | 615 | 15.5 | +5.6 |
| | BNP | John McCaffrey | 350 | 8.8 | −11.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,287 | 32.4 | +15.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,968 | 48.7 | +16.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### St Anne's ward

St Annes :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Thomas Wright | 2,263 | 58.8 | +13.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Simon Dawes | 781 | 20.3 | +4.9 |
| | Conservative | Neil Robinson | 656 | 17.0 | −5.0 |
| | Green | Emily Blyth | 151 | 3.9 | +3.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,482 | 38.5 | +15.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,851 | 46.3 | +16.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### St Chad's ward

St Chads :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Oliver | 2,165 | 47.2 | −3.1 |
| | Labour | Darryl Dixon | 1,848 | 40.3 | +3.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sus Wilson | 572 | 12.5 | +6.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 317 | 6.9 | −6.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,585 | 58.9 | +17.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### St Michael's ward

St Michaels :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Paul Maddison | 2,328 | 42.4 | −17.8 |
| | Labour | Juliana Heron | 1,773 | 32.3 | +8.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Edgeworth | 1,013 | 18.4 | +8.3 |
| | BNP | Paul Anderson | 206 | 3.7 | −2.7 |
| | Green | John Lowther | 174 | 3.2 | +3.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 555 | 10.1 | −26.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,494 | 64.2 | +23.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### St Peter's ward

St Peters :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Stephen Bonallie | 1,917 | 37.2 | +10.5 |
| | Conservative | Shirley Leadbitter | 1,843 | 35.8 | −12.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Diana Matthew | 1,038 | 20.1 | +6.0 |
| | BNP | Derek Wright | 357 | 6.9 | −4.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 74 | 1.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,155 | 60.4 | +22.6 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Washington Central ward

Washington Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Linda Williams | 2,799 | 53.1 | +12.8 |
| | Conservative | Tina Richardson | 1,256 | 23.8 | −2.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Mclelland | 1,220 | 23.1 | −0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,543 | 29.3 | +15.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,275 | 60.2 | +23.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Washington East ward

Washington East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Neville Padgett | 2,378 | 45.0 | +4.7 |
| | Conservative | Hilary Johnson | 1,681 | 31.8 | −11.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Malcolm Bannister | 990 | 18.7 | +6.2 |
| | BNP | Linda Birtwell | 240 | 4.5 | +0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 697 | 13.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,289 | 60.7 | +23.6 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Washington North ward

Washington North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jill Fletcher | 2,537 | 57.2 | +4.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Steve Thomas | 875 | 19.7 | +6.7 |
| | Conservative | Tracy Young | 624 | 14.1 | −8.1 |
| | BNP | James Reed | 396 | 8.9 | −2.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,662 | 37.5 | +6.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,432 | 51.2 | +18.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Washington South ward

Washington South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Graeme Miller | 2,062 | 41.4 | +3.8 |
| | Conservative | Joyce Wake | 1,586 | 31.8 | −10.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Griffin | 1,333 | 26.8 | +14.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 476 | 9.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,981 | 60.7 | +23.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Washington West ward

Washington West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Dorothy Trueman | 2,594 | 49.4 | +3.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Irene Bannister | 1,316 | 25.0 | +7.2 |
| | Conservative | Olwyn Bird | 1,026 | 19.5 | −5.8 |
| | BNP | Rian Birtwell | 320 | 6.1 | −4.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,278 | 24.3 | +3.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,256 | 58.4 | +24.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |