It was another emphatic night for Labour in Sunderland as the party maintained its strong hold on the council, with the Liberal Democrats officially becoming the main opposition party.
The results were finalised at Silksworth Community Pool, Tennis and Wellness Centre at around 1.30am on Friday, with Labour making valuable gains in the three wards of Barnes, Ryhope, and St Anne's to secure 16 seats on the council. The Liberal Democrats made a huge gain in the Fulwell ward - taking a seat in place of the Conservative Party's James Doyle, who had did not stand to be re-elected.
It was a jubilant night for the Lib Dems, who secured five seats on the council and are officially the main opposition party, as opposed to the Conservative's three seats on the night. The Fulwell seat was gained by Cllr Peter Arnold Walton, who secured 1,879 votes.
Read more: Local elections 2023: All the results from Sunderland City Council as they are announced
The new look council now comprises of 45 Labour seats, 15 Liberal Democrats, 13 Conservative and one Reform UK. Labour has held control of Sunderland City Council since its current incarnation was created in 1973. The postponed Hendon ward poll will be held later this year following the death of Conservative candidate, Syed Ajmol Ali.
The first ward to declare on the night was St Anne's, which came in at around 11pm and saw Labour Cllr Catherine Hunter newly elected, with the party gaining a seat from the Conservatives. A tearful Cllr Hunter said she was "overwhelmed" at securing 981 votes following the count.
The final ward to declare was St Michael's at around 12.30am, with the Conservative candidate Adele Suzanne Graham-King securing 1,432 votes to see out a Tory hold. The ward was closely fought, however, with Labour's Chris Smith securing 1,378 votes.
Read Next:
- The complete list of polling stations across the North East for local elections 2023
- Photo ID, face coverings and proxy ballots: Voting guidance for upcoming local elections
- Newcastle City Council local elections 2023: All the candidates, big issues, and seats to watch
- Sunderland elections: Will Labour continue its hold or will there be a major upset?
- Local elections 2023: Your guide to what's happening in Tyne and Wear on May 4
