# 2024 Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council election

The 2024 Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council election was held on 2 May 2024, alongside the other local elections across the United Kingdom on the same day. Labour retained its majority on the council.

## Background

The Local Government Act 1972 created a two-tier system of metropolitan counties and districts covering Greater Manchester, Merseyside, South Yorkshire, Tyne and Wear, the West Midlands, and West Yorkshire starting in 1974. Gateshead was a district of the Tyne and Wear metropolitan county. The Local Government Act 1985 abolished the metropolitan counties, with metropolitan districts taking on most of their powers as metropolitan boroughs.
Gateshead Council has continuously been under Labour control since its creation. The Liberal Democrats have generally been the main opposition. In the most recent election in 2023, Labour won 15 seats on 50.3% of the vote and the Liberal Democrats won 7 seats on 27.5% of the vote. The Conservatives received 12.5% of the vote and the Green Party received 7.5% of the vote, but neither party won any seats.
Positions up for election in 2024 were last up for election in 2021. In that election, Labour won 19 seats and the Liberal Democrats won five seats.

## Electoral process

The council elects its councillors in thirds, with a third being up for election every year for three years, with no election in the fourth year. The election took place by first-past-the-post voting, with wards generally being represented by three councillors, with one elected in each election year to serve a four-year term.
All registered electors (British, Irish, Commonwealth and European Union citizens) living in Gateshead aged 18 or over will be entitled to vote in the election. People who live at two addresses in different councils, such as university students with different term-time and holiday addresses, are entitled to be registered for and vote in elections in both local authorities. Voting in-person at polling stations will take place from 07:00 to 22:00 on election day, and voters will be able to apply for postal votes or proxy votes in advance of the election.

## Previous composition

| After 2023 election | After 2023 election | After 2023 election | Before 2024 election | Before 2024 election | Before 2024 election | After 2024 election | After 2024 election | After 2024 election |
| Party | Party | Seats | Party | Party | Seats | Party | Party | Seats |
| | Labour | 49 | | Labour | 49 | | Labour | 48 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 17 | | Liberal Democrats | 17 | | Liberal Democrats | 18 |

## Results

The election saw the Liberal Democrats take one seat from Labour, but no other seats changed party and so Labour retained their large majority on the council.
2024 Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council election :
| Party | Party | This election | This election | This election | Full council | Full council | Full council | This election | This election | This election |
| Party | Party | Seats | Net | Seats % | Other | Total | Total % | Votes | Votes % | +/− |
| | Labour | 16 | 1 | 72.7 | 32 | 48 | 72.7 | 24,775 | 49.5 | -0.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 6 | 1 | 27.3 | 12 | 18 | 27.3 | 12,812 | 25.6 | -1.9 |
| | Conservative | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 5,761 | 11.5 | -1.0 |
| | Green | 0 | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4,848 | 9.7 | +2.2 |
| | TUSC | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 557 | 1.1 | 0.0 |
| | Independent | 0 | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 412 | 0.8 | +0.2 |
| | Reform UK | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 303 | 0.6 | +0.3 |
| | Save Us Now | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 83 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| | North East | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 82 | 0.2 | N/A |

## Ward results

The results for each ward were:

### Birtley

Birtley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Joe Sowerby | 892 | 43.0 | −13.6 |
| | Labour | Hazel Weatherley | 887 | 42.8 | +7.3 |
| | Conservative | Joseph Ronald Callanan | 170 | 8.2 | +0.4 |
| | Independent | Michelle Mabel Hepburn | 125 | 6.0 | +6.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5 | 0.0 | −21.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2088 | 33.6 | −1.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Blaydon

Blaydon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Stephen Christopher Ronchetti | 1,275 | 60.8 | −4.8 |
| | Conservative | John Michael McConnel | 297 | 14.2 | +3.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Joanne Stanton | 211 | 10.1 | −7.5 |
| | Green | Ralf Russow | 207 | 9.9 | +9.9 |
| | TUSC | Tom Allen | 108 | 5.1 | −0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 978 | 46.6 | −1.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2113 | 29.5 | +1.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Bridges

Bridges :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Eagle | 871 | 49.0 | −10.8 |
| | Green | Rachel Mary Cabral | 581 | 32.7 | +18.3 |
| | Conservative | Edward Bohill | 191 | 10.7 | −5.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gareth Cooper | 136 | 7.6 | −3.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 290 | 16.3 | −25.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1801 | 30.8 | +3.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Chopwell and Rowlands Gill

Chopwell and Rowlands Gill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jamie Joe Park | 1,916 | 70.9 | +4.1 |
| | Conservative | Alexander Robert Telford | 419 | 15.5 | −0.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jean Callender | 368 | 13.6 | +1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1497 | 55.4 | +4.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2738 | 40.3 | +2.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Chowdene

Chowdene :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John McElroy | 1,110 | 50.4 | −7.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Catherine Mary Knell | 366 | 16.6 | +2.9 |
| | Reform UK | Damian Heslop | 303 | 13.8 | +13.8 |
| | Conservative | David William Potts | 215 | 9.8 | −9.1 |
| | Green | Thomas Frederick Newell | 127 | 5.8 | +0.3 |
| | North East Party | Emile Persaud | 82 | 3.7 | +3.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 744 | 37.8 | −0.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2216 | 33.8 | +0.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Crawcrook and Greenside

Crawcrook and Greenside :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Kath McCartney | 1,520 | 54.3 | +6.2 |
| | Green | Pat Chanse | 589 | 21.1 | −14.5 |
| | Independent | Doug Musgrove | 287 | 10.3 | +10.3 |
| | Conservative | Susan Mary Wilson | 273 | 9.8 | −1.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robin Stanaway | 128 | 4.6 | −0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 931 | 33.2 | +25.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2817 | 39.5 | −0.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Deckham

Deckham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Leigh Kirton | 1,079 | 53.5 | −3.2 |
| | Green | Gary Rutherford Brooks | 308 | 15.3 | +5.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Steven Hawkins | 255 | 12.6 | +1.0 |
| | Conservative | Josh Alan Knotts | 247 | 12.3 | +0.7 |
| | TUSC | Norman Hall | 127 | 6.3 | +3.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 771 | 38.2 | −12.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2028 | 31.7 | +1.3 |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Swing | | |

### Dunston and Teams

Dunston and Teams :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Brenda Clelland | 1,057 | 61.4 | +0.4 |
| | Green | Andy Blanchflower | 295 | 17.1 | +17.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alexander Walls | 197 | 11.4 | −9.7 |
| | Conservative | Mojgan Safaralinejad | 173 | 10.0 | −7.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 762 | 44.3 | +4.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1742 | 29.1 | +1.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Dunston Hill and Whickham East

Dunston Hill and Whickham East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Maughan | 1,184 | 48.7 | −3.0 |
| | Labour | Andrew Dylan Moir | 753 | 31.0 | +4.1 |
| | Green | Mary Blanchflower | 235 | 9.7 | +1.4 |
| | Conservative | Jak Hocking | 174 | 7.2 | −0.9 |
| | Save Us Now | Graham Steele | 83 | 3.4 | +0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 431 | 17.7 | −7.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2445 | 36.7 | −0.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Felling

Felling :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Sonya Dickie | 937 | 62.6 | +0.3 |
| | Conservative | Peter Crompton Jackson | 199 | 13.3 | −4.2 |
| | Green | Ashleigh Taylor McLean | 190 | 12.7 | +2.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Shakun Beadle | 171 | 11.4 | +2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 738 | 49.3 | +3.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1509 | 26.5 | +0.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### High Fell

High Fell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Barry Robert Turnbull | 896 | 56.6 | −16.3 |
| | Conservative | Francis Thomas Athey | 214 | 13.5 | +3.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Len Bell | 187 | 11.8 | +1.7 |
| | TUSC | Elaine Brunskill | 164 | 10.4 | +3.1 |
| | Green | Joe Painter | 122 | 7.7 | +7.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 682 | 43.1 | −19.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1595 | 26.5 | −8.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Lamesley

Lamesley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Judith Turner | 1,457 | 63.5 | +0.8 |
| | Conservative | Richard Herdman | 444 | 19.4 | +0.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Janice Wharton | 393 | 17.1 | +7.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1013 | 44.1 | +0.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2327 | 31.9 | +1.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Lobley Hill and Bensham

Lobley Hill and Bensham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Catherine Donovan | 1,274 | 58.1 | −1.5 |
| | Green | Andy Redfern | 319 | 14.5 | +2.5 |
| | Conservative | John Rogan Gardiner | 305 | 13.9 | −1.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Catherine Mulvie | 296 | 13.5 | +0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 955 | 43.6 | −0.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2224 | 31.9 | +0.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Low Fell

Low Fell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Daniel Stephen Duggan | 1,749 | 53.1 | −5.9 |
| | Labour | Robert Lee Waugh | 954 | 28.7 | +1.9 |
| | Green | Campbell Grant | 323 | 9.7 | +0.2 |
| | Conservative | Paul Sterling | 187 | 5.6 | +0.9 |
| | TUSC | Simon James Morden | 82 | 2.5 | +2.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 795 | 24.4 | −7.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3320 | 48.3 | +2.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Pelaw and Heworth

Pelaw and Heworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ian Patterson | 1,290 | 55.5 | +2.8 |
| | Labour | Jennifer Reay | 765 | 32.9 | −4.9 |
| | Green | Nicholas Boldrini | 208 | 8.9 | +2.8 |
| | Conservative | Ali Reza Akbari Pargam | 63 | 2.7 | −0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 525 | 22.6 | +7.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2326 | 36.5 | +0.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Ryton, Crookhill and Stella

Ryton Crookhill and Stella :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Christopher William Buckley | 1,315 | 45.2 | −12.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen Paul Kelly | 830 | 28.5 | +20.5 |
| | Conservative | Christopher Anthony Coxon | 392 | 13.5 | +2.9 |
| | Green | Andrew Mason | 296 | 10.2 | −1.5 |
| | TUSC | Ros Cooper | 76 | 2.6 | +0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 485 | 16.7 | −29.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2936 | 41.1 | +2.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Saltwell

Saltwell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Denise Marianne Robson | 1,131 | 52.2 | +9.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jamie Rickelton | 689 | 31.8 | −13.4 |
| | Green | Ravi Cabra | 197 | 9.1 | +2.9 |
| | Conservative | Robert Ableson | 150 | 6.9 | +0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 442 | 20.4 | +17.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2189 | 34.4 | +2.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Wardley and Leam Lane

Wardley and Leam Lane :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jill Green | 1,290 | 66.6 | +0.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Graham Randall | 345 | 17.8 | −0.1 |
| | Conservative | John Robert McNeil | 302 | 15.6 | −0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 945 | 48.8 | +0.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1964 | 33.4 | +1.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Whickham North

Whickham North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sonya Hawkins | 1,331 | 57.9 | −6.0 |
| | Labour | Jeff Bowe | 614 | 26.7 | −0.9 |
| | Conservative | John Callanan | 204 | 8.9 | +0.5 |
| | Green | Diane Cadman | 149 | 6.5 | +6.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 717 | 31.2 | −5.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2315 | 37.5 | −0.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Whickham South and Sunniside

Whickham South and Sunniside :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jonathan Mohammed | 1,238 | 44.8 | −19.5 |
| | Labour | David Robert Lowes | 1,102 | 39.9 | +16.6 |
| | Conservative | Perry Wilson | 282 | 10.2 | +0.6 |
| | Green | James Richard Standaloft | 143 | 5.2 | +5.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 136 | 4.9 | −36.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2781 | 42.7 | −1.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Windy Nook and Whitehills

Windy Nook and Whitehills :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Rachel Louise Mullen | 1,137 | 55.7 | −6.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Susan Walker | 361 | 17.7 | +4.8 |
| | Conservative | Kyle Lambert Murray | 352 | 17.3 | −0.7 |
| | Green | Ruth Christina Grant | 190 | 9.3 | +2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 776 | 38.0 | −6.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2069 | 29.8 | +1.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Winlaton and High Spen

Winlaton and High Spen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Julie Simpson | 1,435 | 57.2 | −0.3 |
| | Conservative | Jordan-Lee Guthrie | 508 | 20.3 | −5.3 |
| | Green | Paul Martin McNally | 369 | 14.7 | +2.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lynda Duggan | 195 | 7.8 | +2.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 927 | 36.9 | +5.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2530 | 37.0 | +0.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

## Changes 2024-2026
### By-elections
#### Whickham North

Whickham North by-election: 24 October 2024 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Susan Craig | 902 | 64.6 | +6.7 |
| | Labour | Jeff Bowe | 285 | 20.4 | –6.3 |
| | Conservative | Robert Ableson | 137 | 9.8 | +0.9 |
| | Green | Pat Chanse | 72 | 5.2 | –1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 617 | 44.2 | +13.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,406 | 22.8 | –14.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,164 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 6.5 | |