This week, voters across Sunderland will find out if their preferred local council candidates have been successful as elections once again take place.
The city council’s ruling Labour Group - headed by Graeme Miller - and opposition Conservative and Liberal Democrat groups will be contesting and defending seats across the city, including in several marginal wards.
The elections will take place on Thursday, May 4, and voters will be keen to find out if Labour will continue to keep overall control or possibly lose it for the first time ever. The Green Party, which currently has no representatives on the local authority, is standing candidates in all 25 wards, and the party will be looking to make an impression.
Read more: Photo ID, face coverings and proxy ballots: Voting guidance for upcoming local elections
Will Labour continue to keep control?
As Sunderland City Council holds its elections by ‘thirds’ for its 75 councillors, one seat is up for grabs in each council ward with 25 councillors due to be elected.
At last year's elections, Labour maintained its grip as the Liberal Democrats celebrated important gains. Labour had been steadily losing seats in previous years, losing a total of nine seats in 2021 and 10 in 2019. But last year's local elections saw that trend slow significantly, with Labour handing over only one seat, Doxford, to the Liberal Democrats.
This year, it is expected that Labour will be wanting to assert dominance over the Conservatives, with the Lib Dems wanting to overtake the Tories in becoming the biggest opposition party.
Changes in Conservative Party
There have also been some big changes within the Conservative Party this year, with some high-profile defections occurring. Ryhope councillor Usman Ali announced last month that he was leaving the group and defecting to Labour. Speaking of his decision at the time, Cllr Ali, said: "Let me make it clear, my decision was made because I have loyalty, to my city, my ward, my colleagues, and I won’t continue to support their mistreatment."
In January, Washington South councillor, Paul Donaghy resigned from the Conservative Party and joined Reform UK. The group, which was founded with support from Nigel Farage in 2018 as the Brexit Party and was later rebranded, will be standing candidates in 24 out of 25 wards this year.
Countermanded Hendon election
As the elections approach, a total of seven elected members from across the local authority are not seeking re-election when their current terms come to an end in May and one candidate sadly passed away suddenly in April. Businessman Syed Ajmol Ali was to stand in the Hendon ward for the Conservatives before his death.
Due to Mr Ali's death, the election of a councillor to the Hendon ward has been countermanded and a new election will be ordered to take place at a later date.
Polling stations will be open from 7am until 10pm on the day and voters are now required to bring photo ID into polling stations owing to new legislation. Remember to bring some form of photo ID to avoid disappointment or being turned away.
Here is the full list of the people vying for your vote in Sunderland:
BARNES
Alan Douglas Bilton (Reform UK)
Tim Ellis-Dale (Liberal Democrat)
Abul Bakkar Ehthesham Haque (Labour and Co-operative Party)
Kevin Leonard (The Conservative Party Candidate)
Mark Dominic Tyers (Green Party candidate)
CASTLE
Paul James Anthony Burke (The Conservative Party Candidate)
Mia Coupland (Liberal Democrat)
Stephen Paul Foster (Labour Party)
Peter Middleton (Reform UK)
Gary Ogle (Green Party candidate)
COPT HILL
Nana Boddy (Liberal Democrat)
Philip John Dowell (Independent)
Pat Francis(The Conservative Party Candidate)
Andrew Robertson (Green Party candidate)
Sheila Samme (Reform UK)
Melanie Thornton (Labour Party)
DOXFORD
Heather Fagan (Liberal Democrat)
Dawn Hurst (Reform UK)
Auburn Langley (Green Party)
Andrew John Rowntree (Labour and Co-operative Party)
John Scott Wiper (The Conservative Party Candidate)
FULWELL
Liam Dufferwiel (Green Party candidate)
Lisa Marie Hilton (Reform UK)
Jumping Jack Flash Jack (Official Monster Raving Loony Party)
David Sinclair (The Conservative Party Candidate)
Andy Stafford (Labour Party)
Peter Arnold Walton (Liberal Democrat)
HENDON
Syed Ajmol Ali (The Conservative Party Candidate)
Steven Boyd Donkin (Liberal Democrat)
Helmut Izaks (Green Party candidate)
Ian Robert Jones (Reform UK)
Lynda Rontree Scanlan (Labour Party)
HETTON
Ian David Ellis (Liberal Democrat)
David William Geddis (Independent)
Rachel Louise Lowe (Green Party candidate)
Iain Grant Burns Scott (Labour and Co-operative Party)
Connor Sinclair (The Conservative Party Candidate)
Sam David Woods-Brass (Reform UK)
HOUGHTON
Sharon Boddy (Liberal Democrat)
Juliana Heron (Labour Party)
Steve Holt (Reform UK)
Alyson Kordbarlag (Green Party candidate)
Craig Morrison (The Conservative Party Candidate)
Donna Sarah Thomas (Independent)
MILLFIELD
Hardip Barad (The Conservative Party Candidate)
Richard Peter Bradley (Green Party candidate)
David Craig (Reform UK)
Kingsley Osahon Okojie (Labour Party)
Julia Kay Potts (Liberal Democrat Focus Team)
Julio Romero Johnson (Communist Party of Britain)
PALLION
Gwennyth Gibson (The Conservative Party Candidate)
Martin Haswell (Liberal Democrat)
Raymond Lathan (Reform UK)
Dorothy Lynch (Green Party candidate)
Karen Patricia Noble (Labour Party)
REDHILL
Steven John Dale (Liberal Democrat)
Neil William Farrer (Reform UK)
Sue Leishman (The Conservative Party Candidate)
Justine Merton-Scott (Green Party candidate)
John Joseph Usher (Labour and Co-operative Party)
RYHOPE
Lorraine Helen Douglas (The Conservative Party Candidate)
Janice Susan Ellis (Liberal Democrat)
Micheal Joseph Harker (Green Party candidate)
Lindsey Mair Leonard (Labour and Co-operative Party)
Tony Nathan Thompson (Reform UK)
SANDHILL
Martha Rachel Bradley (Green Party candidate)
Ciera Hudspith (Reform UK)
Keith Lakeman (Labour Party)
Stephen Francis O`Brien (Liberal Democrat)
Christine Mary Reed (The Conservative Party Candidate)
SHINEY ROW
Lynsey Gibson (Independent)
Thomas Alexander Mower (Green Party candidate)
Michael Keith Peacock (Liberal Democrat)
Morgan Ellen Amy Proud (Reform UK)
David Snowdon (Labour and Co-operative Party)
Richard Steven Vardy (The Conservative Party Candidate)
SILKSWORTH
Mauro Alfiero Amatosi (Liberal Democrat)
Christopher Crozier (Green Party candidate)
Michael Ellis (Reform UK)
Joanne Laverick (Labour Party)
Owen Snaith (The Conservative Party Candidate)
SOUTHWICK
Michael John Butler (Labour Party)
Hélder Daniel Cardinal Costa (Liberal Democrat)
Emma Cutting (Green Party candidate)
Liam Christopher Ritchie (The Conservative Party Candidate)
Paul Watt (Reform UK)
ST ANNE’S
Simon Andrew Hughes (Green Party candidate)
Catherine Louise Hunter (Labour and Co-operative Party)
Pam Mann (The Conservative Party Candidate)
Elaine Georgina Rumfitt (Liberal Democrat)
ST CHAD’S
Scott Andrew Burrows (Green Party candidate)
Graham Hurst (Reform UK)
Dominic McDonough (The Conservative Party Candidate)
Martin Old (Labour Party)
Anthony Usher (Liberal Democrat)
ST MICHAEL’S
John Leonard Appleton (Green Party candidate)
Chris Eynon (Reform UK)
Adele Suzanne Graham-King (The Conservative Party Candidate)
Chris Smith (Labour Party)
Colin Andrew Wilson (Liberal Democrat)
ST PETER’S
Rachel Sara Featherstone (Green Party candidate)
John Anthony Lennox (Liberal Democrat)
Josh McKeith (The Conservative Party Candidate)
David Laurence Newey (Labour and Co-operative Party)
Keith Samme (Reform UK)
WASHINGTON CENTRAL
Dean Hilton (Reform UK)
Audrey Jaitay (The Conservative Party Candidate)
Beth Veronica Jones (Labour and Co-operative Party)
Raymond John Moor (Green Party candidate)
Linda Mary Wood (Liberal Democrat)
WASHINGTON EAST
Lynda Alexander (Reform UK)
Richard John Bond (Liberal Democrat)
Michal Chantowski (Green Party candidate)
Hilary Johnson (The Conservative Party Candidate)
Fiona Margaret Ann Mackenzie Miller (Labour and Co-operative Party)
WASHINGTON NORTH
Graeme Arnott (Liberal Democrat)
Elizabeth Anne Brown (Reform UK)
Kevin Lynch (Green Party candidate)
Svetlana Rakhimova (The Conservative Party Candidate)
Peter Walker (Labour Party)
WASHINGTON SOUTH
Joanne Chapman (Labour and Co-operative Party)
Deborah Ann Lorraine (Reform UK)
Peter James Noble (The Conservative Party Candidate)
Sean Terry (Liberal Democrat)
Robert Welsh (Green Party candidate)
WASHINGTON WEST
Andrew Philip Bex (Liberal Democrat)
Kathryn Annette Brown (Reform UK)
Samantha Jayne Cosgrove (The Conservative Party Candidate)
Paul Andrew Leonard (Green Party candidate)
Harry Trueman (Labour Party)
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