# 2004 Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council election

The 2004 Gateshead Borough Council election was held on 10 June 2004 to elect members of Gateshead Council in Tyne and Wear, England. The whole council was up for election with boundary changes since the last election in 2003. The Labour Party stayed in overall control of the council.

## Campaign

The boundary changes kept the number of wards and seats on the council unchanged while changing many of the wards. In total 216 candidates stood in the election, with the Labour and Conservative parties standing for all of the seats. The Liberal Democrats stood in all but two wards where the Liberal Party stood instead. There were also 17 British National Party candidates and one Independent.
The council was expected to remain under Labour control as it had been for the previous 30 years but the Liberal Democrats hoped to make gains. Labour called on voters to re-elect them in order to keep the services provided by the council improving. The Liberal Democrats claimed that a local maternity unit and library were under threat of being closed but Labour accused them of scaremongering. Local businessman Sir John Hall called on voters to re-elect the Labour council in order that a partnership with Newcastle council could continue.
Printing problems meant that ballot papers for the election, which was held with all postal voting, were about a week late in being sent out with 150,000 ballots having to be reprinted. As a result, extra printers were used and ballot boxes were placed in local libraries.

## Election result

Gateshead Local Election Result 2004 :
| Party | Seats | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 43 | -3 | 65.2 | 48.5 | 89,861 | -5.7 |
| Liberal Democrats | 22 | +3 | 33.3 | 34.4 | 63,801 | +4.7 |
| Liberal | 1 | 0 | 1.5 | 3.4 | 6,272 | +0.4 |
| Conservative | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 10.1 | 18,719 | +1.7 |
| BNP | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 2.9 | 5,315 | -0.8 |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 651 | +0.4 |

## Resulting Council Composition

| Party | Seats | Seats | Seats | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 |
| Party | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 | Council Composition 10 June 2004 |
| Labour | 46 | 46 | 43 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Liberal Democrats | 19 | 19 | 22 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Liberal | 1 | 1 | 1 | |

## Ward results

Birtley (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | Sarah King | 1,694 | |
| | Labour | Neil Weatherley | 1,305 | |
| | Labour | Paul Foy | 1,237 | |
| | Liberal | Betty Gallon | 1,227 | |
| | Liberal | Henry Reid | 1,175 | |
| | Labour | Mary Foy (politician) | 1,117 | |
| | Conservative | Karen Sludden | 230 | |
| | Conservative | Henry Justice | 222 | |
| | Conservative | Angela Monaghan | 204 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,411 | 48.0 |
Blaydon (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Elsdon Watson | 1,484 | |
| | Labour | Malcolm Brain | 1,461 | |
| | Labour | Kathryn Ferdinand | 1,355 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | June McFarling | 865 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Richard Rook | 768 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Maxine Thompson | 743 | |
| | Conservative | Mark Watson | 295 | |
| | BNP | James Lovatt-McLeish | 248 | |
| | Conservative | Elizabeth Wraith | 233 | |
| | Conservative | John Wraith | 219 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,671 | 41.9 |
Bridges (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | John Eagle | 968 | |
| | Labour | Patricia Murray | 949 | |
| | Labour | Kenneth Childs | 925 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Bernard Shepherd | 413 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Claire Cowie | 391 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Colin Ball | 346 | |
| | BNP | Kevin Bell | 277 | |
| | Conservative | Diana Moore | 206 | |
| | Conservative | Ruth Fearby | 195 | |
| | Conservative | Joan Weihe | 172 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,842 | 38.1 |
Chopwell and Rowlands Gill (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | John Hamilton | 2,096 | |
| | Labour | Michael McNestry | 2,073 | |
| | Labour | Maureen Chaplin | 1,939 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Raymond Callender | 1,050 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Eileen Blythe | 1,016 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mary Heslop | 821 | |
| | Conservative | James Arthur | 358 | |
| | Conservative | Lilian Arthur | 341 | |
| | Conservative | Jeanne Waton | 339 | |
| | BNP | Kenneth Hutton | 245 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,278 | 53.3 |
Chowdene (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | John McElroy | 2,014 | |
| | Labour | Keith Wood | 1,908 | |
| | Labour | Maureen Goldsworthy | 1,749 | |
| | Conservative | Michael Crossman | 710 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Susan Craig | 644 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Glenys Goodwill | 587 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ian Ball | 532 | |
| | Conservative | Peter Lennon | 512 | |
| | BNP | Peter Stewart | 343 | |
| | Conservative | June Murray | 204 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,203 | 50.3 |
Crawcrook and Greenside (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Noel Rippeth | 1,751 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Derek Anderson | 1,704 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sally Danys | 1,635 | |
| | Labour | Jack Graham | 1,200 | |
| | Labour | Judith Brown | 1,173 | |
| | Labour | Paul Mitchinson | 1,091 | |
| | Conservative | Leonard Davidson | 246 | |
| | Conservative | Daniel Duggan | 229 | |
| | Conservative | Lynda Duggan | 219 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,248 | 51.0 |
Deckham (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Brian Coates | 1,276 | |
| | Labour | June Joyce | 1,244 | |
| | Labour | Martin Gannon | 1,180 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ann McCarthy | 626 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Grace Purdie | 517 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | George Conder | 477 | |
| | BNP | Kevin Scott | 448 | |
| | Conservative | Allan Davidson | 344 | |
| | Conservative | David Moor | 328 | |
| | Conservative | Maureen Moor | 291 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,731 | 39.9 |
Dunston and Teams (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | David Bollands | 1,252 | |
| | Labour | Maureen Clelland | 1,198 | |
| | Labour | Patrick Rice | 1,180 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Samantha Harrison | 455 | |
| | BNP | Michael Dafter | 444 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anne Murray | 342 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Elizabeth Robson | 308 | |
| | Conservative | Margaret Bell | 238 | |
| | Conservative | Peter Callanan | 216 | |
| | Conservative | Charles Heslop | 169 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,785 | 39.8 |
Dunston Hill and Whickham East (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Maughan | 1,620 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Yvonne McNicol | 1,552 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Allison Chatto | 1,512 | |
| | Labour | Frank Earl | 1,392 | |
| | Labour | Pauline Dillon | 1,377 | |
| | Labour | Margaret Duddin | 1,343 | |
| | Conservative | John Callanan | 326 | |
| | BNP | David Dafter | 315 | |
| | Conservative | George Walker | 294 | |
| | Conservative | Josephine Walker | 259 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,990 | 54.2 |
Felling (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Raymon Napier | 1,532 | |
| | Labour | John Hird | 1,528 | |
| | Labour | William Dick | 1,416 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Lucas | 411 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Madeleine Jevon | 353 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jean Callender | 334 | |
| | Conservative | John Wraith | 252 | |
| | BNP | Terence Jopling | 246 | |
| | Conservative | Suzanna Crossman | 222 | |
| | Conservative | Trevor Murray | 218 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,512 | 42.2 |
High Fell (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Jean Lee | 1,455 | |
| | Labour | Malcolm Graham | 1,401 | |
| | Labour | Brian Richmond | 1,363 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Elizabeth Bird | 548 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Shakuntala Beadle | 444 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Philip Allen | 413 | |
| | BNP | Ronald Fairlamb | 311 | |
| | Conservative | Shirley McNall | 279 | |
| | Conservative | Edward Parker | 221 | |
| | Conservative | Elizabeth Parker | 204 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,639 | 40.4 |
Lamesley (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Joseph Hattam | 1,507 | |
| | Labour | Nicholas O'Neil | 1,491 | |
| | Labour | Craig Harrison | 1,461 | |
| | Liberal | Robert Murphy | 731 | |
| | Liberal | Edwina Leedale | 726 | |
| | Liberal | Brian Bailey | 719 | |
| | Independent | Brian Weatherburn | 651 | |
| | BNP | Allan Burns | 352 | |
| | Conservative | Charles Sludden | 302 | |
| | Conservative | Alfred Sterling | 238 | |
| | Conservative | Audrey Sterling | 214 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,392 | 48.7 |
Lobley Hill and Bensham (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Catherine Donovan | 1,520 | |
| | Labour | Francis Donovan | 1,468 | |
| | Labour | Kevin Dodds | 1,465 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alexander Simpson | 641 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Audrey Horton | 566 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Phyllis Callender | 539 | |
| | BNP | George Bainbridge | 397 | |
| | Conservative | Ada Callanan | 379 | |
| | Conservative | Josaph Sharp | 341 | |
| | Conservative | Alan Newton | 305 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,621 | 41.6 |
Low Fell (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Frank Hindle | 2,279 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ronald Beadle | 2,198 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Charles Jevon | 2,173 | |
| | Labour | Peter Gannon | 961 | |
| | Labour | Paul McNally | 884 | |
| | Labour | Peter Wilson | 870 | |
| | Conservative | Raymond Swadling | 567 | |
| | Conservative | Cheryle Walker | 558 | |
| | Conservative | Paul Sterling | 524 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,014 | 56.0 |
Pelaw and Heworth (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ian Patterson | 1,725 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Doreen Boyes | 1,561 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robinson Stanaway | 1,526 | |
| | Labour | Robert Goldsworthy | 1,296 | |
| | Labour | Lee Daniels | 1,198 | |
| | Labour | Noor Mian | 1,081 | |
| | BNP | Terence Armstrong | 240 | |
| | Conservative | Alice Irving | 169 | |
| | Conservative | Eleanor Justice | 164 | |
| | Conservative | Eleanor Steeley | 125 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,085 | 51.7 |
Ryton, Cookhill and Stella (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ione Rippeth | 2,166 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Norman Callender | 1,863 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christine McHatton | 1,845 | |
| | Labour | Valerie Murray | 960 | |
| | Labour | Dane Roberts | 883 | |
| | Labour | Brenda Graham | 806 | |
| | BNP | Diane Young | 186 | |
| | Conservative | Antoinette Sterling | 164 | |
| | Conservative | Karl Gatiss | 154 | |
| | Conservative | Andrea Gatiss | 148 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,175 | 53.8 |
Saltwell (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Ian Mearns | 1,554 | |
| | Labour | Michael Henry | 1,525 | |
| | Labour | Joseph Mitchinson | 1,458 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Cowie | 507 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Herbert Anderson | 423 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Walter Danys | 393 | |
| | Conservative | Lily Pearse | 332 | |
| | Conservative | Edward Bohill | 322 | |
| | BNP | Keith McFarlane | 240 | |
| | Conservative | Brett Stephenson | 239 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,993 | 40.3 |
Wardley and Leam Lane (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Linda Green | 1,602 | |
| | Labour | John Green | 1,558 | |
| | Labour | Peter Mole | 1,454 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Susan Walker | 596 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Diston | 565 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Celia Wraith | 548 | |
| | BNP | Brian Lindsay | 315 | |
| | Conservative | John McNeil | 280 | |
| | Conservative | Mary Peart | 268 | |
| | Conservative | Thomas Peart | 229 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,415 | 45.6 |
Whickham North (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mary Wallace | 1,819 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Ord | 1,803 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Craig | 1,743 | |
| | Labour | Thomas Herring | 1,196 | |
| | Labour | James Hewson | 1,157 | |
| | Labour | Jennifer Peace | 1,135 | |
| | Conservative | Elaine Robertson | 339 | |
| | Conservative | John Robertson | 323 | |
| | Conservative | Beryl Bennison | 300 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,815 | 53.7 |
Whickham South and Sunniside (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alan Ord | 2,240 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jonathan Wallace | 2,238 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Marilynn Ord | 2,208 | |
| | Labour | Gary Haley | 949 | |
| | Labour | Peter De-Vere | 896 | |
| | Labour | Patricia Todd | 894 | |
| | Conservative | Sheila Everatt | 508 | |
| | Conservative | Peter Ross | 437 | |
| | Conservative | Eric Young | 398 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,768 | 54.0 |
Windy Nook and Whitehills (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Patricia Ronan | 1,939 | |
| | Labour | James Turnbull | 1,925 | |
| | Labour | Thomas Graham | 1,888 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Helen Robson | 675 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Norman Spours | 645 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Amanda Smith | 619 | |
| | BNP | Michael Cassidy | 417 | |
| | Conservative | Malcolm Campbell | 271 | |
| | Conservative | George Walker | 246 | |
| | Conservative | Ann Wheatley | 243 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,868 | 45.5 |
Winlaton and High Spen (3) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | David Lynn | 1,667 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Brenda Osborne | 1,632 | |
| | Labour | Julie Simpson | 1,517 | |
| | Labour | Lynn Caffrey | 1,515 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andrew Graham | 1,465 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Joanne Smith | 1,422 | |
| | BNP | Joanne Paylor | 291 | |
| | Conservative | Alan Bond | 230 | |
| | Conservative | Valerie Bond | 215 | |
| | Conservative | Dawn Wraith | 192 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,146 | 54.9 |