Sunderland City Council elections are generally held three years out of every four, with a third of the council being elected each time. Sunderland City Council is the local authority for the metropolitan borough of the City of Sunderland in Tyne and Wear, England. Since the last boundary changes in 2004, 75 councillors have been elected from 25 wards.
Council composition Whilst under Labour control solidly since 1973, the political composition of Sunderland City Council has fluctuated over the years as the Conservatives, SDP-Liberal Alliance, and Independents gained seats from the Labour Party. Until 2019, only Labour, Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Independents (including Independent Labour) had ever won seats on Sunderland City Council. When UKIP and Green Party councillors were elected in 2019, Sunderland became one of the few British councils with all five parties represented. The table below gives an impression of the council's composition based on local election results.Incorporating local by-election results from 2000. ElectionConservativeLabourLiberal DemocratLiberal prior to 1981, SDP-Liberal Alliance from 1981 to 1988.IndependentUKIPGreenReform UKTotal19732156010007819752352120007819762649120007819782749110007819792453010007819801858110007819821549830007519831452720007519841353720007519861159500007519871061400007519889633000075199086430000751991864300007519928643000075199486430000751995567300007519964683000075199846830000751999864300007520001062300007520021162200007520039631200075200412612000075200613592100075200717531400075200822481400075201018521400075201114561400075201286403000752014863040007520156660300075201666711000752018861600007520191251803107520211842120300752022184114100075202313451500017520241053120000752025951122001752026
Council elections Sunderland's Council area comprises 25 wards, each electing three councillors. Elections are held in thirds, in three years out of every four. Between 1974 and 1986, elections were held in every fourth year to Tyne and Wear County Council, until the County Council was abolished. In 1982 and 2004, all seats on Sunderland Council were up for election following boundary changes.
Elections under 1973-1980 boundaries Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1973 (whole council elected) Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1975 Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1976 Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1978 Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1979 Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1980
Elections under 1982-2003 boundaries Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1982 (whole council elected after boundary changes) Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1983 Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1984 Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1986 Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1987 Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1988 Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1990 Sunderland Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1991 1992 Sunderland City Council election 1994 Sunderland City Council election 1995 Sunderland City Council election 1996 Sunderland City Council election 1998 Sunderland City Council election 1999 Sunderland City Council election 2000 Sunderland City Council election 2002 Sunderland City Council election 2003 Sunderland City Council election
Elections under 2004 boundaries 2004 Sunderland City Council election (whole council elected after boundary changes) 2006 Sunderland City Council election 2007 Sunderland City Council election 2008 Sunderland City Council election 2010 Sunderland City Council election 2011 Sunderland City Council election 2012 Sunderland City Council election 2014 Sunderland City Council election 2015 Sunderland City Council election 2016 Sunderland City Council election 2018 Sunderland City Council election 2019 Sunderland City Council election 2021 Sunderland City Council election 2022 Sunderland City Council election 2023 Sunderland City Council election 2024 Sunderland City Council election 2026 Sunderland City Council election
Election results maps
By-election results 1994-1998
1998-2002
2004-2006
2006-2010
2010-2014
2014-2018
2018-2022
At the time of resignation, incumbent Keith Jenkins was an independent.
2022-2026
The by-election was caused by the death of Councillor Claire Rowntree. Cllr Ian McKinley later resigned from Reform UK on 11 February 2026 to sit as an Independent.
References
By-election results
External links Sunderland City Council