# 2016 Sunderland City Council election

The 2016 Sunderland City Council election took place on 5 May 2016 to elect one-third of the members of Sunderland City Council in England. This was on the same day as other local elections held across the United Kingdom.

## Election results

The election saw Labour gain two seats, taking the Houghton and Copt Hill wards after incumbent Independent councillors chose not to stand for re-election. The Conservatives held the seats they were defending in Fulwell and St Michael's. The Liberal Democrats took a seat from Labour in Millfield.
Sunderland Local Election Result 2016 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 22 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 88 | 54 | 35,905 | 4.4 |
| Conservative | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 22.1 | 14,695 | 1.3 |
| UKIP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11.3 | 7,522 | 8.2 |
| Liberal Democrats | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 4,627 | 3.9 |
| Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2,640 | 0.5 |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.1 | 703 | 2 |
| North East | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.5 | 324 | 0.4 |
| TUSC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.2 | 116 | 0.2 |
This resulted in the following composition of the council:
| Party | Party | Previous Council | New Council |
| | Labour | 66 | 67 |
| | Conservatives | 6 | 6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 0 | 1 |
| | Independent | 1 | 1 |
| Total | Total | 75 | 75 |
| Working majority | Working majority | 59 | 58 |

## Ward by ward results

Asterisk denotes incumbent councillor.

### Barnes ward

Barnes :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Rebecca Atkinson* | 1,502 | 46.5 | 9 |
| | Conservative | Peter O'Connor | 1,173 | 36.3 | 4.1 |
| | Independent | Alan Rinaldi | 199 | 6.2 | 6.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Bailey Baker | 179 | 5.5 | 1.4 |
| | Green | Caroline Robinson | 157 | 4.9 | 4.9 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 23 | 0.7 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 329 | 10.2 | 4.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,233 | 38.4 | 2.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,417 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 7.6 | |

### Castle ward

Castle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Denny Wilson* | 1,665 | 77.3 | 8.8 |
| | Conservative | Grant Shearer | 261 | 12.1 | 2.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jack Stoker | 187 | 8.7 | 4.2 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 41 | 1.9 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,404 | 65.2 | 11.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,154 | 26.0 | 0.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,284 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 5.8 | |

### Copt Hill ward

Copt Hill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Kevin Johnston | 1,577 | 53.2 | 12.1 |
| | UKIP | Reginald Coulson | 847 | 28.6 | 28.6 |
| | Conservative | Pat Francis | 339 | 11.4 | 11.4 |
| | Green | Daniel Olaman | 181 | 6.1 | 6.1 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 18 | 0.6 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 730 | 24.6 | 10.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,962 | 34.1 | 0.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,676 | | |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Swing | 33.7† | |
†The incumbent Independent councillor Derrick Smith retired at this election, and none of UKIP, the Conservatives, or the Greens had stood when the seat was last contested. The swing shown is to the Labour candidate from the Independent.

### Doxford ward

Doxford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Christine Marshall* | 1,320 | 49.6 | 17.5 |
| | Conservative | Keith O'Brien | 555 | 20.1 | 1.2 |
| | UKIP | Vincent Costello | 528 | 19.9 | 19.9 |
| | Green | Rachel Featherstone | 171 | 6.4 | 2.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Geoff Pryke | 66 | 2.5 | 0.2 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 19 | 0.7 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 765 | 29.4 | 16.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,659 | 35.5 | 0.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,496 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 18.7 | |

### Fulwell ward

Fulwell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Francis* | 1,728 | 45.5 | 2.6 |
| | Labour | Ken Richardson | 1,279 | 33.7 | 11.7 |
| | UKIP | Christopher Marshall | 480 | 12.6 | 12.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Diana Talbott Matthew | 161 | 4.2 | 2.3 |
| | Green | Peter Murray | 136 | 3.6 | 3.6 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 16 | 0.4 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 449 | 11.8 | 9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,800 | 42.6 | 2.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,906 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 7.6 | |

### Hendon ward

Hendon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Michael Mordey* | 1,376 | 64.2 | 2.4 |
| | Conservative | Syed Ali | 429 | 20.1 | 4.3 |
| | Green | Helmut Izaks | 156 | 7.3 | 0.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Callum James Littlemore | 155 | 7.2 | 7.2 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 26 | 1.2 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 947 | 44.2 | 6.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,142 | 27.9 | 2.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,681 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 3.4 | |

### Hetton ward

Hetton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jim Blackburn* | 1,531 | 51.4 | 0.4 |
| | UKIP | John Defty | 1,037 | 34.8 | 8.5 |
| | Conservative | Douglas Middlemiss | 159 | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| | Independent | David Geddis | 135 | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Phillip Dowell | 92 | 3.1 | 1.8 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 24 | 0.8 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 494 | 16.6 | 8.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,978 | 34.6 | 0.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,618 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 2.9† | |
†Swing away from Labour to the Conservatives, who had stood aside last time this seat was contested.

### Houghton ward

Houghton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Alex Scullion | 1,607 | 56.2 | 10.4 |
| | UKIP | Anthony Holt | 641 | 22.4 | 22.4 |
| | Independent | Mick Watson | 369 | 12.9 | 12.9 |
| | Conservative | George Brown | 229 | 8.0 | 8 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 14 | 0.5 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 966 | 33.8 | 27.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,860 | 31.7 | 4.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,012 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 31.2† | |
†The incumbent Independent councillor Sheila Ellis retired at this election, and neither UKIP, the Conservatives, or Mick Watson had stood when the seat was last contested. The swing shown is to the Labour candidate from the previous Independent.

### Millfield ward

Millfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Niall Hodson | 1,588 | 59.7 | 21.5 |
| | Labour | Bob Price* | 838 | 31.5 | 14 |
| | Conservative | Gwennyth Gibson | 143 | 5.4 | 1.7 |
| | Green | Lucky Pemu | 71 | 2.7 | 1.3 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 19 | 0.7 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 750 | 28.2 | 20.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,659 | 38.4 | 9.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,951 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing | 17.8 | |

### Pallion ward

Pallion :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Amy Wilson* | 1,046 | 50.2 | 16.5 |
| | UKIP | Ian Pallace | 596 | 28.6 | 28.6 |
| | Conservative | Philip Young | 261 | 12.5 | 3.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Conor Sutton | 91 | 4.4 | 0 |
| | Green | Alan Robinson | 71 | 3.4 | 9.8 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 19 | 0.9 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 450 | 21.6 | 29.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,084 | 29 | 1.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,175 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 22.6 | |

### Redhill ward

Redhill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Ronny Davison* | 1,409 | 69.1 | 9.5 |
| | North East | Heather Fagan | 324 | 15.9 | 15.9 |
| | Conservative | Shaun Cudworth | 163 | 12.5 | 7.3 |
| | Green | Edward Robinson | 67 | 3.3 | 3.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Steve Thomas | 59 | 2.9 | 2.9 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 18 | 0.1 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,085 | 53.2 | 9.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,040 | 25.6 | 2.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 12.7 | |

### Ryhope ward

Ryhope :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Paula Hunt | 1,572 | 64.7 | 8.1 |
| | Conservative | Andrei Lucaci | 462 | 19 | 8.2 |
| | Green | Emma Robson | 247 | 10.2 | 10.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anthony Usher | 121 | 5 | 5 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 26 | 1.1 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,110 | 45.7 | 0.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,428 | 30.7 | 1.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 9.2 | |

### Sandhill ward

Sandhill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Debra Waller* | 1,229 | 50.6 | 39.8 |
| | UKIP | Bryan Foster | 579 | 25.8 | 25.8 |
| | Conservative | Christine Reed | 277 | 12.3 | 10.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Susan Wilson | 90 | 4.0 | 12.6 |
| | Green | Jonathan Hume | 59 | 2.6 | 2.6 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 14 | 0.6 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 650 | 28.9 | 18.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,248 | 28.6 | 4.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 32.8 | |

### Shiney Row ward

Shiney Row :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Anne Lawson* | 1,733 | 55.7 | 17.9 |
| | UKIP | Richard Elvin | 740 | 23.8 | 23.8 |
| | Conservative | Sally Oliver | 456 | 14.6 | 5.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sean Terry | 88 | 2.8 | 3.2 |
| | Green | Polly Robinson | 74 | 2.4 | 2.4 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 20 | 0.6 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 993 | 31.9 | 21.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3111 | 32.4 | 1.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 20.9 | |

### Silksworth ward

Silksworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Patricia Smith* | 1,405 | 51.1 | 16.1 |
| | UKIP | Alan Davies | 649 | 23.6 | 10.7 |
| | Conservative | Bryan Reynolds | 458 | 16.6 | 1.1 |
| | Green | Chris Crozier | 146 | 5.3 | 0.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Edgeworth | 83 | 3 | 3 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 10 | 0.4 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 756 | 27.5 | 24.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,751 | 34.2 | 0.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 13.4 | |

### Southwick ward

Southwick :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Kelly Chequer | 1,430 | 60.5 | 5.9 |
| | UKIP | Sandy Taylor | 426 | 18 | 4.4 |
| | Conservative | Neville Chamberlin | 352 | 14.9 | 1.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen O'Brien | 80 | 3.4 | 0 |
| | Green | David Lawson | 61 | 2.6 | 2.6 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 16 | 0.7 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1004 | 42.5 | 7.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,365 | 29.8 | 1.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 5.2 | |

### St Anne's ward

St Anne's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Susan Watson* | 1,371 | 70.2 | 1.9 |
| | Conservative | Tony Morrisey | 548 | 28.1 | 14.1 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 33 | 1.7 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 823 | 42.5 | 15.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1952 | 24.3 | 3.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 8 | |

### St Chad's ward

St Chad's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Darryl Dixon* | 1,188 | 41.2 | 14.1 |
| | Conservative | Dominic McDonough | 978 | 34.5 | 6.9 |
| | UKIP | Joshua Green | 448 | 15.8 | 15.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Margaret Crosby | 132 | 4.7 | 1.4 |
| | Green | Richard Bradley | 68 | 2.4 | 1.4 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 19 | 0.7 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 210 | 6.7 | 7.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2833 | 37.9 | 2.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 15 | |

### St Michael's ward

St Michael's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Oliver | 1,675 | 52.1 | 0.8 |
| | Labour Co-op | Zaf Iqbal | 996 | 31.4 | 4.7 |
| | Green | John Appleton | 242 | 7.6 | 0.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andrew Wood | 237 | 7.5 | 3.1 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 19 | 0.6 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 679 | 20.7 | 5.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3169 | 38.5 | 3.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 2.8 | |

### St Peter's ward

St Peter's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Julia Jackson* | 1,405 | 45.4 | 7.1 |
| | Conservative | Geoffrey Scott | 1215 | 39.3 | 0.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Lennox | 260 | 8.4 | 1 |
| | Green | Michal Chantkowski | 184 | 6.0 | 6 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 33 | 1.0 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 190 | 6.1 | 6.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2833 | 37.9 | 2.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 6.6 | |

### Washington Central ward

Washington Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Dianne Snowdon* | 1,994 | 69.4 | 3.7 |
| | Conservative | Grace Hanson-Eden | 503 | 17.5 | 6.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anne Griffin | 345 | 12 | 6.1 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 31 | 1.1 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1491 | 51.9 | 3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2873 | 33.6 | 0.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 5.2 | |

### Washington East ward

Washington East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | David Snowdon* | 1,508 | 52.1 | 4.4 |
| | Conservative | Hilary Johnson | 842 | 29.6 | 5.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Irene Bannister | 183 | 6.4 | 2.5 |
| | Green | Anthony Murphy | 180 | 6.3 | 1.2 |
| | TUSC | Wilf Laws | 116 | 4.1 | 4.1 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 18 | 0.6 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 666 | 22.5 | 9.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2847 | 32.4 | 2.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 5 | |

### Washington North ward

Washington North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John Kelly* | 1,709 | 71.2 | 8.9 |
| | Conservative | Andrew Gray | 373 | 15.7 | 2 |
| | Green | June Bradley | 266 | 11.2 | 11.2 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 26 | 1.1 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1336 | 55.5 | 10.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2374 | 29.5 | 0.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 5.5 | |

### Washington South ward

Washington South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Louise Farthing* | 1,523 | 59.1 | 6 |
| | Conservative | Martin Talbot | 732 | 28.4 | 1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Griffin | 294 | 11.4 | 3.8 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 27 | 1.0 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 791 | 30.7 | 7.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2576 | 33.2 | 0.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 3.5 | |

### Washington West ward

Washington West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Bernie Scaplehorn* | 1,692 | 58.8 | 18.7 |
| | UKIP | Lynn O'Neil | 551 | 19.1 | 19.1 |
| | Conservative | Olwyn Bird | 384 | 13.3 | 0.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jo Thomas | 136 | 4.7 | 4.2 |
| | Green | Benjamin Wells | 103 | 3.6 | 3.6 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 13 | 0.5 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 39.7 | 1141 | 24.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2879 | 32.5 | 1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 18.9 | |