Sunderland Council election, 2007
Encyclopedia
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.
After the election, the composition of the council was
, 4 independent
and 1 Liberal Democrat councillor
s. 25 seats were being contested with a total of 111 candidates standing. 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
.
As at the 2006 election
this election saw Sunderland have three polling station
s open for 10 days before election day in an attempt to make voting more convenient for voters.
East and Washington South to hold 16 seats compared to 54 for Labour. 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. 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. This meant there remained 4 independents on the council, as well as 1 Liberal Democrat who was not defending a seat in the election. Overall turnout
in the election was 34%, up on 32% at the 2006 election.
City of Sunderland
The City of Sunderland is a local government district of Tyne and Wear, in North East England, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough...
Metropolitan Borough
Metropolitan borough
A metropolitan borough is a type of local government district in England, and is a subdivision of a metropolitan county. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972, metropolitan boroughs are defined in English law as metropolitan districts, however all of them have been granted or regranted...
Council in Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in north east England around the mouths of the Rivers Tyne and Wear. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. One third of the council was up for election and the Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
party stayed in overall control of the council.
After the election, the composition of the council was
- LabourLabour Party (UK)The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
54 - ConservativeConservative Party (UK)The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
16 - IndependentIndependent (politician)In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
4 - Liberal Democrat 1
Background
Before the election the council had 57 Labour, 13 ConservativeConservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
, 4 independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
and 1 Liberal Democrat councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
s. 25 seats were being contested with a total of 111 candidates standing. These included a full 25 each from the Labour, Conservative and British National Party
British National Party
The British National Party is a British far-right political party formed as a splinter group from the National Front by John Tyndall in 1982...
, as well as 16 independents, 15 Liberal Democrats, 2 Respect, 2 British First Party and 1 from the United Kingdom Independence Party
United Kingdom Independence Party
The United Kingdom Independence Party is a eurosceptic and right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. Whilst its primary goal is the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, the party has expanded beyond its single-issue image to develop a more comprehensive party platform.UKIP...
.
As at the 2006 election
Sunderland Council election, 2006
The 2006 Sunderland Council election took place on 4 May 2006 to elect members of Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council in Tyne and Wear, England...
this election saw Sunderland have three polling station
Polling station
A polling place or polling station is where voters cast their ballots in elections.Since elections generally take place over a one- or two-day span on a periodic basis, often annual or longer, polling places are often located in facilities used for other purposes, such as schools, churches, sports...
s open for 10 days before election day in an attempt to make voting more convenient for voters.
Election result
The results had Labour stay in control of the council but with a smaller majority. The Conservatives gained 3 seats from Labour in St Chads, WashingtonWashington, Tyne and Wear
Washington is a town in the City of Sunderland in Tyne and Wear, England. Historically part of County Durham, it joined a new county in 1974 with the creation of Tyne and Wear...
East and Washington South to hold 16 seats compared to 54 for Labour. 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. Labour also lost one seat to an independent in Copt Hill, but regained another in Doxford
Doxford Park
Doxford Park is a suburb of Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, located to the south-west of the city centre.Doxford Park is also the name of a wooded area of land located within the suburb....
where the sitting independent councillor, Mike Tansey, had originally been elected for the Labour party. This meant there remained 4 independents on the council, as well as 1 Liberal Democrat who was not defending a seat in the election. Overall turnout
Voter turnout
Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election . After increasing for many decades, there has been a trend of decreasing voter turnout in most established democracies since the 1960s...
in the election was 34%, up on 32% at the 2006 election.