# 2002 Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council election

Elections to Gateshead Council in Tyne and Wear, England were held on 2 May 2002. One third of the council was up for election and the Labour Party kept overall control of the council.
The election took place with all postal voting in an attempt to increase voter turnout. This followed a successful trial in two wards in the previous election in 2000. As a result of the trial turnout rose from 30% to 57.4%, which was higher than Gateshead saw in the 2001 general election.
Only one seat changed hands in the election, with the Liberal Democrats making one gain from Labour.
After the election, the composition of the council was:
* Labour 46
* Liberal Democrat 19
* Liberal 1

## Election result

Gateshead Local Election Result 2002 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes |
| Labour | 16 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 72.7 | 56.9 | 49,121 |
| Liberal Democrats | 6 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 27.3 | 28.7 | 24,792 |
| Conservative | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8.7 | 7,535 |
| Liberal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.1 | 2,697 |
| BNP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 865 |
| Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.9 | 755 |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.6 | 552 |
| Socialist Alliance | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 | 79 |

## Ward results

Bede :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | John Eagle | 1,872 | 76.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andrew Bex | 398 | 16.2 |
| | Conservative | Ruth Fearby | 182 | 7.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,474 | 60.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,452 | |
Bensham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Catherine Donovan | 1,885 | 70.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Susan Armstrong | 262 | 9.8 |
| | Conservative | Ada Callanan | 252 | 9.5 |
| | BNP | Kevin Scott | 185 | 6.9 |
| | Socialist Alliance | David Morton | 79 | 3.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,623 | 61.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,663 | |
Birtley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Neil Weatherley | 1,965 | 53.2 |
| | Liberal | Mark Davidson | 1,508 | 40.8 |
| | Conservative | Barbara Nye | 221 | 6.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 457 | 12.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,694 | |
Blaydon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Malcolm Brain | 2,243 | 64.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | June McFarling | 962 | 27.7 |
| | Conservative | Mark Watson | 272 | 7.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,281 | 36.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,477 | |
Chopwell and Rowlands Gill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Henry Bulmer | 2,645 | 57.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Eileen Blythe | 1,285 | 28.0 |
| | Conservative | David Moor | 336 | 7.3 |
| | Green | Pamela Woolner | 317 | 6.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,360 | 29.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,583 | |
Chowdene :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Gordon Spring | 2,821 | 69.1 |
| | Conservative | Raymond Swadling | 670 | 16.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Glenys Goodwill | 590 | 14.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,151 | 52.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,081 | |
Crawcrook and Greenside :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Derek Anderson | 2,369 | 52.2 |
| | Labour | Jack Graham | 1,933 | 42.6 |
| | Conservative | Leonard Davidson | 238 | 5.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 436 | 9.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,540 | |
Deckham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | June Joyce | 1,969 | 68.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | George Conder | 480 | 16.6 |
| | Conservative | Karen Sludden | 443 | 15.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,489 | 51.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,892 | |
Dunston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | David Bollands | 2,932 | 68.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mary Heslop | 458 | 10.7 |
| | Green | Isabel Blanchflower | 438 | 10.3 |
| | Conservative | John Callanan | 437 | 10.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,474 | 58.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,265 | |
Felling :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | William Dick | 2,349 | 77.7 |
| | Conservative | Trevor Murray | 344 | 11.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ian Ball | 331 | 10.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,005 | 66.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,024 | |
High Fell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | William Batty | 2,313 | 69.3 |
| | Independent | William Maddison | 552 | 16.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Elizabeth Bird | 279 | 8.4 |
| | Conservative | June Murray | 193 | 5.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,761 | 52.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,337 | |
Lamesley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Nicholas O'Neil | 2,105 | 58.9 |
| | Liberal | Catherine Rainbow | 1,189 | 33.3 |
| | Conservative | Charles Sludden | 281 | 7.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 916 | 25.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,575 | |
Leam :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Patricia Ronan | 2,956 | 73.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Norman Spours | 683 | 17.1 |
| | Conservative | Maureen Moor | 359 | 9.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,273 | 56.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,998 | |
Low Fell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Charles Jevon | 2,734 | 57.8 |
| | Labour | Peter Wilson | 1,410 | 29.8 |
| | Conservative | Paul Sterling | 586 | 12.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,324 | 28.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,730 | |
Pelaw and Heworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Doreen Boyes | 1,986 | 48.8 |
| | Labour | Roberts Goldsworthy | 1,910 | 47.0 |
| | Conservative | Elaine McMaster | 171 | 4.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 76 | 1.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,067 | |
Ryton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christine McHatton | 2,945 | 61.6 |
| | Labour | Dane Roberts | 1,590 | 33.2 |
| | Conservative | Antoinette Sterling | 247 | 5.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,355 | 28.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,782 | |
Saltwell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Michael Henry | 2,076 | 65.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Herbert Anderson | 400 | 12.6 |
| | Conservative | Mark Hardy | 355 | 11.2 |
| | BNP | George Bainbridge | 349 | 11.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,676 | 52.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,180 | |
Teams :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Patrick Rice | 2,580 | 67.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | James Blythe | 522 | 13.6 |
| | Conservative | Margaret Bell | 403 | 10.5 |
| | BNP | Michael Dafter | 331 | 8.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,058 | 53.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,836 | |
Whickham North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Maughan | 2,472 | 48.8 |
| | Labour | Frank Earl | 2,201 | 43.4 |
| | Conservative | Elaine Robertson | 393 | 7.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 271 | 5.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,066 | |
Whickham South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Marilyn Ord | 3,164 | 58.5 |
| | Labour | Gary Haley | 1,667 | 30.8 |
| | Conservative | Peter Ross | 576 | 10.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,494 | 27.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,407 | |
Winlaton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | David Lynn | 2,282 | 53.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Stokel | 1,782 | 42.0 |
| | Conservative | Ann Bohill | 178 | 4.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 500 | 11.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,242 | |
Wrekendyke :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | John Green | 3,417 | 75.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Diston | 690 | 15.3 |
| | Conservative | John McNeil | 398 | 8.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,727 | 60.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,505 | |