2007 Sunderland City Council election

The 2007 Sunderland Council election took place on 3 May 2007 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.[1][2]

2007 Sunderland City Council election
3 May 2007
One third of 75 seats on Sunderland City Council
38 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Party Labour Conservative Independent
Seats before 58 13 3
Seats won 17 7 1
Seats after 54 16 4
Seat change Decrease4 Increase3 Increase1
  Fourth party
 
Party Liberal Democrats
Seats before 1
Seats won 0
Seats after 1
Seat change Steady1
Map of the 2007 Sunderland City Council election results. Labour in red, Conservatives in blue, and Independents in white.
Majority party before election

Labour

 Majority party after election

Labour

Background

Before the election the council had 57 Labour, 13 Conservative, 4 independent and 1 Liberal Democrat councillors. In the period since the previous local elections in May 2006, three councillors had left their parties to sit as Independents: Peter Maddison leaving the Liberal Democrat Group in July 2006, and Bryn Sidaway (Hendon) and George Blyth (Doxford) leaving the Labour Group in November 2006.[3] Blyth's ward colleague Mike Tansey had previously left the Labour Group to sit as an Independent in November 2005, and stood for re-election as an Independent candidate in this election.[4]

25 seats were contested in the 2007 elections with a total of 111 candidates standing.[5] These included a full 25 each from the Labour, Conservative and British National Party, as well as 16 independents, 15 Liberal Democrats, 2 Respect, 2 British First Party and 1 from the United Kingdom Independence Party.[5]

As at the 2006 election this election saw Sunderland have three polling stations open for 10 days before election day in an attempt to make voting more convenient for voters.[6]

Election results

The results had Labour stay in control of the council but with a smaller majority.[7] The Conservatives gained 3 seats from Labour in St Chads, Washington East and Washington South to hold 16 seats compared to 54 for Labour.[8] The 2 Conservative gains in Washington were the first time the party had won seats in the town since it became part of Sunderland council.[9] Labour also lost one seat to an independent in Copt Hill, but regained another in Doxford where the sitting independent councillor, Mike Tansey, had originally been elected for the Labour Party.[7] This meant there remained 4 Independents on the council, as well as 1 Liberal Democrat who was not defending a seat in the election.[8] Overall turnout in the election was 34%, up on 32% at the 2006 election.[9]

Sunderland Local Election Result 2007[2][10]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Labour 17 0 4 Decrease4 68 43.3 31,148 Increase2.8%
  Conservative 7 3 0 Increase3 28 28.1 20,223 Decrease0.3%
  Independent 1 1 0 Increase1 4 8.3 5,992 Increase7.6%
  BNP 0 0 0 Steady0 0 10.6 7,653 Decrease4.0%
  Liberal Democrats 0 0 0 Steady0 0 8.7 6,293 Decrease7.0%
  British First Party 0 0 0 Steady0 0 0.5 335 Increase0.5%
  Respect 0 0 0 Steady0 0 0.3 224 Increase0.3%
  UKIP 0 0 0 Steady0 0 0.1 72 Increase0.1%

This resulted in the following composition of the Council:

Party Previous Council New Council
Labour 58 54
Conservatives 13 16
Independent 3 4
Liberal Democrats 1 1
Total 75 75
Working majority  41   33 

Ward by ward results

Barnes ward
Barnes[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Lee Martin 1,767 53.7 +7.1
Labour Helmut Izaks 747 22.7 -0.9
Liberal Democrats Robert Boyce 492 14.9 -4.8
BNP John McCaffrey 287 8.7 -1.4
Majority 1,020 31.0 +8.0
Turnout 3,293 37.7 +0.4
Conservative hold Swing

Castle ward
Castle[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Denny Wilson 1,675 66.0 +16.3
BNP Ian McDonald 395 15.6 -5.7
Independent Ronald McQuillan 276 10.9 -7.7
Conservative Martin Anderson 191 7.5 -3.0
Majority 1,280 50.5 +22.1
Turnout 2,537 30.0 +1.6
Labour hold Swing

Copt Hill ward
Copt Hill[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Colin Wakefield 1,382 42.9 +42.9
Labour Juliana Heron 1,146 35.6 -15.1
Conservative Richard Vardy 358 11.1 -22.1
BNP Michael Webb 176 5.5 -10.7
Liberal Democrats Margaret Gibbons 159 4.9 +4.9
Majority 236 7.3
Turnout 3,221 36.0 +6.2
Independent gain from Labour Swing

Doxford ward
Doxford[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour David Errington 1,041 35.8 -3.3
Independent Mike Tansey† 924 31.8 +31.8
Conservative Alistair Newton 701 24.1 -5.0
BNP Lesley Dathan 243 8.4 -6.6
Majority 117 4.0 -6.0
Turnout 2,909 36.2 +3.7
Labour hold Swing

†Mike Tansey had been elected in 2004 as a Labour candidate, but subsequently left the party to sit as an Independent councillor. The result was technically a hold for Labour although Tansey, the incumbent, lost his seat.

Fulwell ward
Fulwell[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Walton 2,077 53.9 +1.7
Labour Bob Price 968 25.1 -0.4
Liberal Democrats Geofrey Pryke 507 13.1 +1.1
BNP Joseph Dobbie 304 7.9 -2.4
Majority 1,109 28.8 +2.2
Turnout 3,856 42.7 +0.0
Conservative hold Swing

Hendon ward
Hendon[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Thomas Martin 1,045 43.0 +1.1
Independent Sammy Doran 453 18.6 +18.6
Conservative Deborah Lorraine 442 18.2 -2.6
BNP David Guynan 362 14.9 -6.2
Respect Tafazzal Hussain 129 5.3 +5.3
Majority 592 24.4 +3.6
Turnout 2,431 30.2 -1.2
Labour hold Swing

Hetton ward
Hetton[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Florence Anderson 1,506 55.3 -1.5
Liberal Democrats Philip Dowell 489 17.9 +17.9
BNP John Richardson 402 14.8 -7.8
Conservative George Brown 328 12.0 -8.6
Majority 1,017 37.3 +3.2
Turnout 2,725 31.3 +3.9
Labour hold Swing

Houghton ward
Houghton[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Kath Rolph 1,496 50.7 +0.1
Independent John Finn 544 18.4 +18.4
Conservative Douglas Middlemiss 338 11.5 -5.0
Liberal Democrats Avril Snowball 326 11.1 -7.3
BNP Peter Swain 246 8.3 -6.2
Majority 952 32.3 +0.0
Turnout 2,950 33.8 +4.2
Labour hold Swing

Millfield ward
Millfield[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Kevin O'Connor 754 32.9 +1.3
Liberal Democrats Jim Major 698 30.5 -10.5
Conservative Gwennyth Gibson 306 13.4 -1.6
BNP Christopher Lathan 198 8.7 -3.7
Independent Rachel Moore 166 7.3 +7.3
Respect Keith Adshead 95 4.2 +4.2
UKIP Pauline Featonby-Warren 72 3.1 +3.1
Majority 56 2.4
Turnout 2,289 31.8 +2.6
Labour hold Swing

Pallion ward
Pallion[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Paul Watson 1,061 44.7 +1.2
Conservative Michael Leadbitter 445 18.7 +0.5
Independent Fred Dove 314 13.2 +13.2
BNP James Davison 279 11.7 -7.2
Liberal Democrats Ann Hollern 277 11.7 -7.7
Majority 616 25.9 +1.9
Turnout 2,376 30.5 +0.8
Labour hold Swing

Redhill ward
Redhill[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Richard Bell 1,426 56.1 +5.0
BNP Ian Leadbitter 585 23.0 -3.8
Conservative Paula Wilkinson 275 10.8 +0.4
Independent Lesley Dixon 176 6.9 +6.9
British First Party Julie Potter 78 3.1 +3.1
Majority 841 33.1 +8.7
Turnout 2,540 29.9 +0.2
Labour hold Swing

Ryhope ward
Ryhope[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ellen Ball 1,194 41.3 +0.1
Conservative Christopher Fairs 872 30.2 +1.9
Independent Patrick Lavelle 443 15.3 +15.3
BNP Frederick Donkin 383 13.2 -2.7
Majority 322 11.1 -1.8
Turnout 2,892 36.1 +3.5
Labour hold Swing

Sandhill ward
Sandhill[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour David Forbes 1,420 56.8 +14.1
Conservative Gordon Newton 674 26.9 +3.1
BNP Joseph Dobbie 408 16.3 +0.9
Majority 746 29.8 +11.0
Turnout 2,502 30.4 +1.4
Labour hold Swing

Shiney Row ward
Shiney Row[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Scott 1,656 54.2 +4.2
Conservative Eddie Wake 740 24.2 +5.5
Independent George Parkin 353 11.5 +11.5
BNP Sharon Leadbitter 309 10.1 -2.7
Majority 916 30.0 -1.3
Turnout 3,058 31.7 +1.2
Labour hold Swing

Silksworth ward
Silksworth[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Peter Gibson 1,637 55.3 +9.7
Conservative Patricia Francis 929 31.4 +8.0
BNP Anthony James 395 13.3 -1.4
Majority 708 23.9 +1.7
Turnout 2,961 35.6 +0.7
Labour hold Swing

Southwick ward
Southwick[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Christine Shattock 1,193 44.8 +2.7
Conservative Terence Docherty 541 20.3 -1.0
BNP Alan Brettwood 463 17.4 -3.7
Liberal Democrats Anne Griffin 278 10.4 -5.1
Independent Stephen Hanratty 190 7.1 +7.1
Majority 652 24.5 +3.6
Turnout 2,665 32.9 +2.1
Labour hold Swing

St Anne's ward
St Anne's[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Sylvia Old 1,172 50.4 +4.9
Conservative Marjorie Matthews 399 17.2 -3.3
BNP Deborah Boyd 260 11.2 -5.7
British First Party John Martin 257 11.0 +11.0
Liberal Democrats Leslie Wascoe 238 10.2 -6.9
Majority 773 33.2 +8.2
Turnout 2,326 29.0 +1.3
Labour hold Swing

St Chad's ward
St Chad's[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Michael Dixon 1,563 46.9 -7.1
Labour Stuart Porthouse 1,348 40.4 +8.9
BNP Carol Dobbie 248 7.4 -0.3
Independent Chain Gill 175 5.2 +5.2
Majority 215 6.4 -16.1
Turnout 3,334 42.6 +1.6
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

St Michael's ward
St Michael's[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Wood 1,928 59.4 +6.3
Labour Michael Mordey 827 25.5 +5.3
Independent Martin Quinn 293 9.0 +9.0
BNP Ian Sayers 196 6.0 -4.1
Majority 1,101 33.9 +1.0
Turnout 3,244 39.3 +0.8
Conservative hold Swing

St Peter's ward
St Peter's[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Graham Hall 1,361 43.8 +2.3
Labour Linda Mitchell 968 31.2 +0.7
Liberal Democrats Diana Matthew 417 13.4 -1.7
BNP Derek Wright 275 8.9 -4.0
Independent Robbie Menzies 86 2.8 +2.8
Majority 393 12.6 +1.6
Turnout 3,107 37.7 -0.4
Conservative hold Swing

Washington Central ward
Washington Central[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Eric Timmins 1,522 48.6 +4.5
Conservative Jackie Atkinson 727 23.2 +3.1
Liberal Democrats David Snowball 556 17.7 -4.0
BNP Clive Thompson 329 10.5 -3.6
Majority 795 25.4 +3.0
Turnout 3,134 35.7 +3.3
Labour hold Swing

Washington East ward
Washington East[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Cuthbert 1,245 40.1 +5.2
Labour Bryan Williams 1,220 39.3 +1.0
Liberal Democrats Malcolm Bannister 441 14.2 -2.7
BNP David Laing 195 6.3 -3.6
Majority 25 0.8
Turnout 3,101 35.9 +2.7
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Washington North ward
Washington North[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Peter Walker 1,567 58.0 +3.2
Liberal Democrats Paul Hillman 441 16.3 -2.3
Conservative Kathleen Irvine 441 16.3 +1.9
BNP Lynne Hudson 254 9.4 -2.8
Majority 1,126 41.7 +5.5
Turnout 2,703 31.3 +3.2
Labour hold Swing

Washington South ward
Washington South[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Kathryn Chamberlin 1,066 37.1 +7.6
Labour Louise Farthing 1,019 35.4 +4.5
Liberal Democrats David Griffin 444 15.4 -12.9
BNP William Ramshaw 222 7.7 -3.7
Independent Walter Scott 124 4.3 +4.3
Majority 47 1.6
Turnout 2,875 34.8 +3.9
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Washington West ward
Washington West[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Harry Trueman 1,540 52.9 +1.5
Liberal Democrats Irene Bannister 530 18.2 -3.2
Conservative Olwyn Bird 509 17.5 +1.0
BNP Jason Dent 239 8.2 -2.5
Independent Ian Snowball 93 3.2 +3.2
Majority 1,010 34.7 +4.7
Turnout 2,911 33.1 +2.6
Labour hold Swing

References
  1. "Sunderland". BBC News Online. Retrieved 26 December 2010.
  2. "Results". The Times. 5 May 2007. p. 83.
  3. "Betrayal call as councillor leaves party". Archived from the original on 2 July 2018. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
  4. Administrator, journallive (10 August 2006). "Councillor `treated like a pariah'". journallive. Archived from the original on 2 July 2018. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
  5. "Get ready to cast your vote". Evening Chronicle. 2 May 2007. p. 6.
  6. "Going to the polls early". The Northern Echo. 23 April 2007. p. 12.
  7. "Early results give a boost to blues". The Journal. 4 May 2007. p. 4.
  8. Young, Peter (4 May 2007). "Winners and losers". Evening Chronicle. p. 6.
  9. "Labour still in charge - but Tories celebrate too". Sunderland Echo. 4 May 2007. Retrieved 29 December 2010.
  10. "Results of poll". Sunderland City Council. Archived from the original on 7 August 2011. Retrieved 26 December 2010.
  11. "Thursday night's election results". The Journal. 4 May 2007. Archived from the original on 4 April 2012. Retrieved 29 December 2010.
Preceded by
2006 Sunderland City Council election		 Sunderland City Council elections Succeeded by
2008 Sunderland City Council election
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