RECAP: How Sunderland City Council local elections 2021 unfolded as Labour took a battering in Wearside
The Echo team worked through the night to keep readers up-to-date with the results as they came in. Here’s how the count unfolded:
Sunderland City Council elections 2021
Key Events
- Labour suffered heavy damage from the Lib Dems and Tories
- Cabinet member Rebecca Atkinson and former deputy council leader Michael Mordey are among Labour councillors to lose seats
- The new breakdown of seats on Sunderland City Council is Labour 42, Conservatives 18, Lib Dems 12 and UKIP 3
Reporter James Harrison: “Consider yourselves warned - Sunderland returning officer Pat Melia has just promised to send home anyone who isn’t following social distancing rules tonight. ‘We’ve done this for a year - please do it properly tonight.’”
Returning officer Pat Melia is the man in the grey suit. He is overseeing the count, though his day job is as Sunderland City Council’s chief executive.
Labour lose Hendon to the Liberal Democrats
First Sunderland result of the night confirmed is Hendon, where former deputy council leader Michael Mordey has lost his seat to the Lib Dems
Simon John AYRE (Conservative Party) 377
Helmut IZAKS (Green Party) 110
Martin MOORE (UKIP) 75
Dale Michael MORDEY (Labour and Co-operative Party) 849
Ciaran Joseph MORRISSEY (Liberal Democrat) 1029 Rejected - 17 Turnout 30.7%
Southwick - Labour HOLD
Kelly CHEQUER (Labour Party) 1,208
Norman Martin DENT (Liberal Democrat) 138
Stephen Thomas HARRISON (UKIP) 171
Liam Christopher RITCHIE (Conservative Party) 754
Morgan Joseph SEED (Green Party) 105
Turnout 30.4%
Hetton - Labour HOLD
James BLACKBURN (Labour and Co-operative Party) 1,258
Ian David ELLIS (Liberal Democrat) 63
Richard ELVIN (UKIP) 313
Patricia Ann FRANCIS (Conservative Party) 545
David William GEDDIS (Independent) 554
Rachel Louise LOWE (Green Party) 81
Turnout 30.9%
Sandhill - Lib Dem GAIN
Paul EDGEWORTH (Liberal Democrat) 1,274
Pauline Elizabeth HUNTLEY (UKIP) 66
Tony MORROW (Populist Party) 38
Christine REED (Conservative Party) 320
Debra WALLER (Labour Party) 812 T
urnout 32.4%
Silksworth - Labour HOLD
Sharon Elizabeth BODDY (Liberal Democrat) 136
Chris CROZIER (Green Party) 180
Jack Paul SIMM (Conservative Party) 1,073
Pat SMITH (Labour Party) 1,120
Ian WALTON (UKIP) 123
Turnout 33.2%