Sunderland City Council
Sunderland City Council | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
Patrick Melia since August 2018[1] | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 75 councillors[2] |
 | |
Political groups |
|
Joint committees | North East Mayoral Combined Authority |
| Elections | |
| First past the post | |
Last election | 7 May 2026 |
Next election | 6 May 2027 |
| Motto | |
| Nil desperandum auspice deo | |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| City Hall, Plater Way, Sunderland, SR1 3AA | |
| Website | |
| www | |
Sunderland City Council is the local authority of Sunderland, a metropolitan borough with city status in the ceremonial county of Tyne and Wear in North East England. It is one of five such councils in Tyne and Wear and one of 36 in England. It provides the majority of local government services in Sunderland.
The council has been under Reform UK control since May 2026, having previously been under Labour majority control since the formation of the metropolitan borough in 1974.[3] It is based at City Hall on Plater Way. The council is a member of the North East Combined Authority.
History
[edit]The town of Sunderland was an ancient borough, having been given its first charter (as 'Wearmouth') in 1179.[4] A subsequent charter of 1634 incorporated the town under the name of Sunderland, which had become the more commonly used name.[5]
Sunderland was reformed to become a municipal borough in 1836 under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835, which standardised how most boroughs operated across the country. It was then governed by a body formally called the "mayor, aldermen and burgesses of the borough of Sunderland", generally known as the corporation or town council.[6] When elected county councils were established in 1889, Sunderland was considered large enough for its existing council to provide county-level services, and so it was made a county borough, independent from the new Durham County Council.[7] The borough boundaries were enlarged on several occasions.[8]
In 1974 the county borough was replaced by a larger metropolitan borough within the new county of Tyne and Wear. From 1974 until 1986 the borough council was a lower-tier district authority, with Tyne and Wear County Council providing county-level services.[9][10] The county council was abolished in 1986, since when the borough council has again provided both district-level and county-level services, as it had done when it was a county borough prior to 1974. Some functions are provided across Tyne and Wear by joint committees with the other districts.[11] The borough was awarded city status in 1992, allowing the council to change its name to Sunderland City Council.[12]
Governance
[edit]Since 1986 the council has provided both district-level and county-level functions, with some services being provided through joint arrangements with the other Tyne and Wear councils. In 2024 a combined authority was established covering Sunderland, County Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside, Northumberland and South Tyneside, called the North East Combined Authority. It is chaired by the directly elected Mayor of the North East and oversees the delivery of certain strategic functions across the area.[13][14]
There are civil parishes at Hetton, Burdon and Warden Law, of which only Hetton has a parish council. Parish councils form an additional tier of local government for their areas. Apart from the aforementioned areas, the rest of the borough is unparished.[15] The ward boundaries of Hetton Town Council have also been modified.[16] This comes as part of the larger review of Sunderland ward boundaries for the 2026 council election.
Political composition
[edit]The council was under Labour majority control since the reforms of 1974, up until the local election in 2026. While Labour's majority on the council had been consistent from its creation, the opposition party had traditionally been the Conservative Party before they fell behind the Liberal Democrats at recent elections.[17][18][19]
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour | 1974–2026 | |
| Reform UK | 2026–present | |
Leadership
[edit]The role of Mayor of Sunderland is largely ceremonial. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The first leader of the metropolitan borough council, Charles Slater, had been the last leader of the old Sunderland Town Council.[20] As of its formation in May 2024, the leader of Sunderland City Council has sat on the cabinet of the North East Combined Authority.[21] The leaders of the council since 1974 have been:
| Councillor | Party | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Slater[20][22] | Labour | 1 April 1974 | Nov 1990 | |
| Eric Bramfitt[23][24] | Labour | Dec 1990 | Apr 1994 | |
| Bryn Sidaway[24][25] | Labour | May 1994 | May 1999 | |
| Colin Anderson[25][26] | Labour | May 1999 | May 2002 | |
| Bob Symonds[27] | Labour | May 2002 | May 2008 | |
| Paul Watson[28][29] | Labour | 14 May 2008 | Nov 2017 | |
| Harry Trueman[30][31] | Labour | 7 March 2018 | 16 May 2018 | |
| Graeme Miller[32][33] | Labour | 16 May 2018 | 20 May 2024 | |
| Michael Mordey[34][35] | Labour Co-op | 20 May 2024 | 7 May 2026 | |
| Chris Eynon | Reform UK | 20 May 2026 | ||
Elections
[edit]
Since the last changes to ward boundaries in 2026, the council has comprised 75 councillors, representing 25 wards, with each ward electing and being represented by three councillors. Elections are held three years out of every four, with a third of the council (one councillor for each ward) elected each time for a four-year term of office.[36]
Councillors
[edit]Sunderland's 25 Council wards are each represented by three elected councillors, with one seat in each ward being contested at each local election.[37]
| Ward | Councillors | Elected Until | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barnes and Thornhill | Ehthesham Haque | 2030 | |
| Caroline Comer | 2028 | ||
| Fiona Tobin | 2027 | ||
| Deptford and Hendon | David Barker | 2030 | |
| Marie Mccarthy | 2028 | ||
| Lynda Andrews | 2027 | ||
| Doxford Park | Heather Fagan | 2030 | |
| Paul Gibson | 2028 | ||
| Michael Peacock | 2027 | ||
| Farringdon and Silksworth | Helen Greener | 2030 | |
| Ian Dury | 2028 | ||
| Robert Hutchinson | 2027 | ||
| Fulwell | Malcolm Bond | 2030 | |
| Peter Walton | 2028 | ||
| | | Steve Pickering | 2027 | |
| Grangetown | Daniel Cowie | 2030 | |
| Mark Wynn | 2028 | ||
| Colin Wright | 2027 | ||
| Grindon and Thorney Close | Paul Edgeworth | 2030 | |
| Stephen O'Brien | 2028 | ||
| Meg Crosby | 2027 | ||
| Herrington and Newbottle | Bill Blackett | 2030 | |
| Bruce Allcroft | 2028 | ||
| Jeffrey Shaw | 2027 | ||
| Hetton | Alan Davies | 2030 | |
| Jason Lloyd | 2028 | ||
| Steven Paterson | 2027 | ||
| Houghton North | Sandra Hobson-Tate | 2030 | |
| Joseph Parkin | 2028 | ||
| Donna Thomas | 2027 | ||
| Houghton South and Hetton Downs | Heather Finlay | 2030 | |
| Jonathon Emerson | 2028 | ||
| Michael Quigley | 2027 | ||
| Hylton Castle | Ian Jones | 2030 | |
| David Laing | 2028 | ||
| Glenn Gibbons* | 2027 | ||
| Pallion and Ford | Martin Haswell | 2030 | |
| Steve Donkin | 2028 | ||
| Julia Potts | 2027 | ||
| Pennywell and South Hylton | Carol Giles | 2030 | |
| Russell Giles | 2028 | ||
| Julia Ann Irwing | 2027 | ||
| Penshaw and Shiney Row | Carole Allcroft | 2030 | |
| Abbey Purcell | 2028 | ||
| Axel Tye | 2027 | ||
| Redhouse | Shaun Conley | 2030 | |
| Chris Eynon | 2028 | ||
| Ciera Hudspith | 2027 | ||
| Roker | Kirsty Alder | 2030 | |
| Andrew Ramsey | 2028 | ||
| Thomas Steele | 2027 | ||
| Ryhope | Sharon Surtees | 2030 | |
| Pamela Taylor | 2028 | ||
| James Jackson | 2027 | ||
| Southwick | Michael Leadbitter | 2030 | |
| Jannine Morrow | 2028 | ||
| Jamie Scott | 2027 | ||
| Tunstall and Humbledon | David Wales | 2030 | |
| Richard Vardy | 2028 | ||
| Glenda Hall | 2027 | ||
| Washington Central | Joesph Phillips | 2030 | |
| Janis Berzemnieks | 2028 | ||
| Saleem Memon | 2027 | ||
| Washington East | Ian Hembrough | 2030 | |
| Emily Lopez | 2028 | ||
| Anthony Ormond | 2027 | ||
| Washington North | Jason King | 2030 | |
| Paul Donaghy | 2028 | ||
| Elizabeth Brown | 2027 | ||
| Washington South | Robert Pattison | 2030 | |
| Elouise Redmayne | 2028 | ||
| John Watson | 2027 | ||
| Washington West | Brandon Feeley | 2030 | |
| Joanne Chapman | 2028 | ||
| Adrian Pickering | 2027 | ||
Premises
[edit]The council is based at City Hall on Plater Way, which was purpose-built for the council and opened in 2021.[38] The new City Hall is located on the former premises of Vaux Breweries. The building is part of the larger development project on the Vaux Site and the regeneration project of Riverside Sunderland.[39] The building was designed by FaulknerBrowns and constructed by Bowmer and Kirkland.[40] City Hall is also used for community events and meetings in addition to being the base of council operations.[41] The building has an area of 17,480 m².[42]
Prior to the construction of the new City Hall, the council was based at the Civic Centre on Burdon Road, which had been built in 1970.[43] The Civic Centre was demolished in 2022 and a new housing estate has been constructed in its place.[44]
The Civic Centre in turn had replaced the old borough council's headquarters at the Town Hall on Fawcett Street which itself had been built in 1890 and was demolished shortly after the council moved to the Civic Centre.[45]
References
[edit]- ^ Seddon, Sean (21 June 2018). "Sunderland City Council appoint Patrick Melia as new chief executive". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
- ^ "Open Council Data UK - compositions councillors parties wards elections". opencouncildata.co.uk. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
- ^ "Reform UK takes control of Sunderland City Council from Labour". BBC News. 8 May 2026.
- ^ Simpson, David (1999). The Millennium History of North East England. Leighton. p. 1763. ISBN 9780953698431. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
- ^ Report of the Commissioners Appointed to Inquire into the Municipal Corporations in England and Wales: Appendix 3. 1835. p. 1734. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
- ^ Municipal Corporations Act. 1835. p. 458. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
- ^ "Local Government Act 1888", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1888 c. 41
- ^ "Sunderland Municipal Borough / County Borough". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
- ^ "Local Government Act 1972: Schedule 1", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70 (sch. 1), retrieved 25 March 2024
- ^ "The Metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/137
- ^ "Local Government Act 1985", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1985 c. 51, retrieved 29 March 2024
- ^ "No. 52874". The London Gazette. 26 March 1992. p. 5413.
- ^ "The North East Mayoral Combined County Authority (Establishment and Functions) Order 2024", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2024/402, retrieved 6 May 2024
- ^ "North East devolution deal". GOV.UK. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
- ^ "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
- ^ "The Sunderland (Electoral Changes) Order 2025", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2025/564
- ^ "Compositions Calculator". The Elections Centre. University of Exeter. Retrieved 21 May 2025. (Put "Sunderland" in search box to see specific results.)
- ^ "Sunderland". BBC News Online. 19 April 2009. Retrieved 21 December 2010.
- ^ "Tyne and Wear: Ward Voting Summaries, 1973-2015". Tyne and Wear Elects. 10 December 2015. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
- ^ a b "Political cousins". Newcastle Journal. 1 April 1974. p. 4. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
- ^ "Cabinet". NECA. 19 March 2024. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
- ^ "Long-serving leader absent from line-up". Newcastle Journal. 29 April 1991. p. 4. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
- ^ "Bid to be new leader". Newcastle Evening Chronicle. 1 December 1990. p. 4. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
- ^ a b Speed, Nick (7 May 1994). "Bryn beats all the odds for leadership triumph". Sunderland Echo. p. 2. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
- ^ a b Marks, Simon (20 May 1999). "New leader welcomes his greatest challenge". Sunderland Echo. p. 13. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
- ^ "Labour opts for new man". Northern Echo. 7 May 2002. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
- ^ "Tributes to former Sunderland council leader and education chief". Sunderland Echo. 8 January 2019. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
- ^ "Council minutes, 14 May 2008". Sunderland City Council. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
- ^ "Sunderland Council leader Paul Watson dies aged 63". BBC News. 8 November 2017. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
- ^ "Council minutes, 7 March 2018". Sunderland City Council. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
- ^ "New council leader set to take over in Sunderland after winning Labour leadership contest". Sunderland Echo. 5 May 2018. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
- ^ "Council minutes, 16 May 2018". Sunderland City Council. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
- ^ Binding, Chris (21 May 2024). "Outgoing Sunderland City Council leader Graeme Miller gets standing ovation as replacement is crowned". Sunderland Echo. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
- ^ "Council minutes, 20 May 2024". Sunderland City Council. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
- ^ Marko, Nic (21 May 2024). "New Sunderland City Council leader begins first day at the job after official vote takes place". Sunderland Echo. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
- ^ "The City of Sunderland (Electoral Changes) Order 2004", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2004/362, retrieved 3 April 2024
- ^ "Elected Members". Sunderland City Council. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
- ^ Wheeler, Katy (25 November 2021). "Exclusive - a first look inside Sunderland's new £42m City Hall". Sunderland Echo. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
- ^ "Sunderland City Hall". MySunderland. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
- ^ "This is how Sunderland's new £42m City Hall council building on Vaux site will look". Sunderland Echo. 23 October 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
- ^ "Meetings & Events at City Hall". MySunderland. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
- ^ "City Hall". FaulknerBrowns. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
- ^ Cordner, Chris (23 March 2020). "13 golden memories of Sunderland as it looked in 1970 - but how many scenes do you remember?". Sunderland Echo. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
- ^ Morris, Aaron (19 October 2022). "Demolition starts on Sunderland's 'obsolete' Civic Centre, paving way for 265 new homes". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
- ^ "Sunderland Town Hall". Wearside Online. 16 May 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
