Here's the key information about the local elections vote in Sunderland in 2022, including all the candidates standing this year.
This article was published in advance of the local elections but the winning candidates are indicated in bold below. Full results by ward including how every candidate scored are here.
Wearside is likely once again to come under national scrutiny as commentators watch to see if the impact of recent scandals in the Conservative government will slow the steady loss of Labour seats in the city over recent years.
You can see the full results from election night here.
How many councillors are standing in the 2022 local election?
There were 25 seats on the council being contested, a third of the total. The city is made up of 25 wards with three seats each, and Sunderland goes to the polls three years out of every four, with one of the three councillors of each ward facing election (plus any vacant seats). However, this year, due to the death of candidate Reg Coulson, the Copt Hill vote will not go ahead as expected.
Who currently controls the council?
The Labour Party has controlled Sunderland City Council since it was formed in 1974. However, in recent years the party's hold on the city has loosened. A loss of 10 seats in 2019 and another nine in 2021 reduced the party's overall majority significantly, now holding on to the lead by only six seats.
Nonetheless, they remain by far the largest party, holding 43 out of 75 seats. The Conservatives are the second-largest party with 19 seats, while the Liberal Democrats have 12. The Green Party lost its single seat to the Conservatives in 2021.
Following the collapse of the UKIP vote in the city, last year Sunderland's three UKIP councillors quit the party, leaving it no longer a force on the council. Ryhope councillor Steven Bewick became an independent, while St Ann's councillor Pam Mann joined the Conservatives. Redhill's Keith Jenkins stood down and was replaced in March this year by Labour's John Usher.
Who is the current council leader?
The council has been led by Graeme Miller, of Washington South Ward, since 2018.
What are the key seats and big issues?
One important seat to watch will be that of the leader, Coun Miller. In last year's elections one of the seats in Washington South, the leader's ward, fell to the Conservative Party and it's likely that's one area where they'll concentrate their efforts in a bid to oust him.
On a city-wide level, Sunderland is likely, once again, to become a focus of national interest. Ever since the city became the predictor of the national Brexit vote in 2016, it's come to be seen as something of a political weathervane - although unlike parts of County Durham and Northumberland, the city didn't gain Tory MPs amid the 2019 fall of the 'Red Wall'.
It's now being touted in the national press as a potential bombshell for Labour, with Sunderland Conservative leader Antony Mullen suggesting the party could lose overall control of the authority. Having lost nine and 10 seats in the previous local council elections, a similar loss would put the party out of control.
However, it's worth noting a significant difference in the polls between this year and last. On May 6 2021, Labour trailed, with one poll predicting a 34% vote share to the Tories 43%. At time of writing, the positions had almost reversed, 40% to Labour and 35% to the ruling party.
Whatever happens, it's likely to be a close-fought battle, and with Sunderland famed for declaring results early, could set the tone for the rest of election night.
When is the deadline for registering to vote?
The last date to register to vote is Thursday, April 14, at midnight. Postal vote applications must be received by Tuesday, April 19, at 5pm. Proxy vote applications must be received by Tuesday, April 26, at 5pm.
Full results of Sunderland's 2022 local elections:
Barnes - Conservative HOLD
Tim Ellis (Liberal Democrat) - 264
Rachel Sara Featherstone (Green) - 212
Abul Bakkar Ehthesham Haque (Labour) - 1,329
Antony Mullen (Conservative) - 1,637
Castle - Labour HOLD
Paul James Anthony Burke (Conservative) - 505
Allison Chisnall (Labour) - 1,308
Alison Margaret Ogle (Green) 223
Doxford - Liberal Democrat GAIN from Labour
Richard Peter Bradley (Green) - 115
Allen Curtis (Liberal Democrat) - 1,511
Tom Cuthbertson (Conservative) - 565
Steven Hanson (Labour) - 851
Fulwell - Liberal Democrat GAIN
Malcolm John Bond (Liberal Democrat) - 2,193
Sandra Boyers (Conservative) - 1,254
Liam Dufferwiel (Green) - 93
Iain William Kay (Labour) - 648
Hendon - Labour HOLD
Syed Ajmol Ali (Conservative) - 281
Helmut Izaks (Green) - 104
Tom Livingstone (Liberal Democrat) - 909
Dale Michael Mordey (Labour) - 1087
Hetton - Labour HOLD
Adelle Burnicle (Conservative) - 339
David William Geddis (Independent) - 991
John Anthony Lennox (Liberal Democrat) - 168
Claire Marilyn Rowntree (Labour) - 1,230
Houghton - Labour HOLD
Mark Burrell (Labour) - 1,655
Craig Morrison (Conservative) - 681
Emma Robson (Green) - 169
Donna Sarah Thomas (Independent) - 466
Millfield - Liberal Democrat HOLD
Gwennyth Gibson (Conservative) - 250
Gary Ogle (Green) - 64
Kingsley Osahon Okojie (Labour Party) - 923
Julio Romero Johnson (Communist Party of Britain) - 30
Andrew Michael Wood (Liberal Democrat) - 1,227
Pallion - Liberal Democrat HOLD
Dorothy Lynch (Green) -79
Karen Patricia Noble (Labour) - 723
Judith Ann Porter (Conservative) - 266
George Thomas Smith (Liberal Democrat) - 1,227
Redhill - Labour HOLD
Steven Boyd Donkin (Liberal Democrat) - 411
Billy Scott Howells (Green) - 89
Sue Leishman (Conservative) - 326
Paul Stewart (Labour) - 1,065
Ryhope - Labour HOLD
Martyn Preston Herron (Labour) - 1,311
Kevin Leonard (Conservative) - 1,283
Robert Welsh (Green) - 277
Sandhill - Liberal Democrat HOLD
Margaret Gillian Crosby (Liberal Democrat) - 1,274
Laura Ann Hind (Green) - 71
Christine Mary Reed (Conservative) - 249
Debra Waller (Labour) - 800
Shiney Row - Labour HOLD
Michael Anthony Kennedy (Freedom Alliance) - 120
Thomas Alexander Mower (Green) - 345
Mel Speding (Labour) - 1,658
Richard Steven Vardy (Conservative) - 882
Silksworth - Labour HOLD
Christopher Crozier (Green) - 337
Jack Paul Simm (Conservative) - 923
Phil Tye (Labour) - 1,618
Southwick - Labour HOLD
Alex Samuels (Labour) - 1,309
Morgan Joseph Seed (Green) - 280
John Scott Wiper (Conservative) - 623
St Anne's - Labour HOLD
Bryan George Foster (Conservative) - 840
Raymond John Moore (Green) - 273
Susan Watson (Labour) - 1,061
St Chad's - Conservative HOLD
Simon John Ayre (Conservative) - 1,453
Alyson Kordbarlag (Green) - 114
Martin Old (Labour) 977
Anthony Usher (Liberal Democrat) - 145
St Michael's - Conservative HOLD
John Leonard Appleton (Green) - 231
Michael Dixon (Conservative) - 1,832
Chris Smith (Labour) - 1,201
Colin Andrew Wilson (Liberal Democrat) - 139
St Peter's - Conservative HOLD
Auburn Langley (Green) - 250
Tom Newton (Labour) - 1,068
Lynn Vera (Conservative) - 1,567
Peter Arnold Walton (Liberal Democrat) - 280
Washington Central - Labour HOLD
Emma Cutting (Green) - 267
Derek Dunn (Conservative) - 883
Linda Williams (Labour Party) -1,683
Washington East - Labour HOLD
Michal Chantkowshi (Green) - 239
Chris Eynon (Conservative) - 883
Logan Guy (Labour) - 1,683
Washington North - Labour HOLD
Scott Andrew Burrows (Green) - 298
Jill Elaine Fletcher (Labour) - 1,349
Hilary Johnson (Conservative) - 552
Washington South - Labour HOLD
Graeme Ferguson Miller (Labour) - 1,454
Peter James Noble (Conservative) - 1,310
Sean Terry (Liberal Democrat) - 303
Washington West - Labour HOLD
Sam Cosgrove (Conservative) - 878
Paul Andrew Leonard (Green) - 280
Dorothy Trueman (Labour Party) - 1,641
