Sunderland City Council
Sunderland City Council | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
Patrick Melia since August 2018[2] | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 75 councillors[3] |
 | |
Political groups |
|
Joint committees | North East Combined Authority |
| Elections | |
| First past the post | |
Last election | 4 May 2023 |
Next election | 2 May 2024 |
| Motto | |
| Nil desperandum auspice deo | |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| City Hall, Plater Way, Sunderland, SR1 3AA | |
| Website | |
| www.sunderland.gov.uk | |
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 Labour majority control since the formation of the metropolitan borough in 1974. It is based at City Hall on Plater Way.
History
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 to provide its own 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
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. Since 2014 the council has been a member of the North East Combined Authority, which is due to be replaced by the larger North East Mayoral Combined Authority in May 2024.[13] There are civil parishes at Hetton, Burdon and Warden Law, which form an additional tier of local government for their areas; the rest of the borough is an unparished area.[14]
Political composition
The council has been under Labour majority control since the reforms of 1974.[15][16][17]
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour | 1974–present | |
Leadership
The role of Mayor of Sunderland is largely ceremonial. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 2002 have been:[18]
| Councillor | Party | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Symonds[19] | Labour | May 2002 | 14 May 2008 | |
| Paul Watson | Labour | 14 May 2008 | 7 Nov 2017 | |
| Harry Trueman | Labour | 7 Mar 2018 | 16 May 2018 | |
| Graeme Miller | Labour | 16 May 2018 | ||
Composition
Following the 2023 election and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance up to April 2024, the composition of the council was:[20]
| Party | Councillors | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour | 47 | |
| Conservative | 13 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 12 | |
| Independent | 2 | |
| Reform UK | 1 | |
| Total | 75 | |
The next election is due in May 2024.
Premises
The council is based at City Hall on Plater Way (formerly the site of the Vaux Brewery), which was purpose-built for the council and opened in 2021.[21]
Prior to that the council was based at the Civic Centre on Burdon Road, which had been built in 1970.[22] The Civic Centre was demolished in 2022.[23]
The Civic Centre in turn had replaced the old borough council's headquarters at the Town Hall on Fawcett Street which had been built in 1890 and was demolished shortly after the council moved to the Civic Centre.[24]
Elections
Since the last boundary changes in 2004, the council has comprised 75 councillors, representing 25 wards, with each ward electing 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.[25] New ward boundaries are being drawn up with the aim that they will be ready for the 2026 elections.[26]
Wards
The Sunderland City Council area is coterminous with the boundaries of the city's three parliamentary constituencies – Sunderland Central, Houghton and Sunderland South and Washington and Sunderland West – and the 25 council wards are distributed between them.[27]
The following Sunderland Council wards fall within the Sunderland Central constituency: Barnes, Fulwell, Hendon, Millfield, Pallion, Ryhope, St Michael's (covering the areas of Ashbrooke and Hill View), St Peter's (covering the areas of Roker and Monkwearmouth) and Southwick.
Houghton and Sunderland South constituency comprises the wards of Copt Hill, Doxford, Hetton, Houghton, St Chad's (covering the areas of Herrington and Farringdon), Sandhill (covering the areas of Thorney Close, Grindon and Springwell), Shiney Row, and Silksworth.
Washington and Sunderland West constituency comprises the wards of Castle (covering the areas of Castletown and Town End Farm), Redhill (covering Redhouse and Witherwack), St Anne's (covering South Hylton and Pennywell), Washington Central, Washington East, Washington North, Washington South and Washington West.
| Sunderland Central | Houghton and Sunderland South | Washington and Sunderland West |
|---|---|---|
| A. Barnes
E. Fulwell F. Hendon J. Millfield K. Pallion M. Ryhope P. St Michael's Q. St Peter's U. Southwick |
C. Copt Hill
D. Doxford G. Hetton H. Houghton O. St Chad's R. Sandhill S. Shiney Row T. Silksworth |
B. Castle
L. Redhill N. St Anne's V. Washington Central W. Washington East X. Washington North Y. Washington South Z. Washington West |
Councillors
Sunderland's 25 Council wards are each represented by three elected councillors.[28]
| Parliamentary Constituency | Ward | Councillors | Elected on | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunderland Central | Barnes | Antony Mullen | 5 May 2022 | |
| Ehthesham Haque | 4 May 2023 | |||
| Richard Dunn | 6 May 2021 | |||
| Washington and Sunderland West | Castle | Allison Chisnal | 5 May 2022 | |
| Stephen Foster | 4 May 2023 | |||
| Denny Wilson | 6 May 2021 | |||
| Houghton and Sunderland South | Copt Hill | Melanie Thornton | 4 May 2023 | |
| Kevin Johnston | 6 May 2021 | |||
| Tracy Dodds | 16 June 2022 | |||
| Houghton and Sunderland South | Doxford | Allen Curtis | 5 May 2022 | |
| Heather Fagan | 4 May 2023 | |||
| Paul Gibson | 6 May 2021 | |||
| Sunderland Central | Fulwell | Malcolm Bond | 5 May 2022 | |
| Peter Walton | 4 May 2023 | |||
| Michael Hartnack | 6 May 2021 | |||
| Sunderland Central | Hendon | Michael Mordey | 5 May 2022 | |
| Lynda Scalan | 2 May 2019 | |||
| Ciaran Morrissey | 6 May 2021 | |||
| Houghton and Sunderland South | Hetton | Claire Rowntree | 5 May 2022 | |
| Iain Scott | 4 May 2023 | |||
| James Blackburn | 6 May 2021 | |||
| Houghton and Sunderland South | Houghton | Mark Burrell | 5 May 2022 | |
| Juliana Heron | 4 May 2023 | |||
| John Price | 6 May 2021 | |||
| Sunderland Central | Millfield | Andrew Wood | 5 May 2022 | |
| Julia Potts | 4 May 2023 | |||
| Niall Hodson | 6 May 2021 | |||
| Sunderland Central | Pallion | Gorge Smith | 5 May 2022 | |
| Martin Haswell | 4 May 2023 | |||
| Colin Nicholson | 6 May 2021 | |||
| Washington and Sunderland West | Redhill | Paul Stewart | 5 May 2022 | |
| John Usher | 4 May 2023 | |||
| Alison Smith | 6 May 2021 | |||
| Sunderland Central | Ryhope | Martyn Herron | 5 May 2022 | |
| Lindsey Leonard | 4 May 2023 | |||
| Usman Ali | 6 May 2021 | |||
| Houghton and Sunderland South | Sandhill | Margaret Crosby | 5 May 2022 | |
| Stephen O’Brien | 4 May 2023 | |||
| Paul Edgeworth | 6 May 2021 | |||
| Houghton and Sunderland South | Shiney Row | Mel Speding | 5 May 2022 | |
| David Snowdon | 4 May 2023 | |||
| Katherine Mason-Gage | 6 May 2021 | |||
| Houghton and Sunderland South | Silksworth | Phillip Tye | 5 May 2022 | |
| Joanne Laverick | 4 May 2023 | |||
| Pat Smith | 6 May 2021 | |||
| Sunderland Central | Southwick | Alex Samuels | 5 May 2022 | |
| Michael Butler | 4 May 2023 | |||
| Kelly Chequer | 6 May 2021 | |||
| Washington and Sunderland West | St Anne's | Susan Watson | 5 May 2022 | |
| Catherine Hunter | 4 May 2023 | |||
| Greg Peacock | 6 May 2021 | |||
| Houghton and Sunderland South | St Chad's | Simon Ayre | 5 May 2022 | |
| Dominic McDonough | 4 May 2023 | |||
| Chris Burnicle | 6 May 2021 | |||
| Sunderland Central | St Michael's | Michael Dixon | 5 May 2022 | |
| Adele Graham-King | 4 May 2023 | |||
| Lyall Reed | 6 May 2021 | |||
| Sunderland Central | St Peter's | Lynn Vera | 5 May 2022 | |
| Josh McKeith | 4 May 2023 | |||
| Sam Johnston | 6 May 2021 | |||
| Washington and Sunderland West | Washington Central | Linda Williams | 5 May 2022 | |
| Beth Jones | 4 May 2023 | |||
| Dianne Snowdon | 6 May 2021 | |||
| Washington and Sunderland West | Washington East | Logan Guy | 5 May 2022 | |
| Fiona Miller | 4 May 2023 | |||
| Sean Laws | 6 May 2021 | |||
| Washington and Sunderland West | Washington North | Jill Fletcher | 5 May 2022 | |
| Peter Walker | 4 May 2023 | |||
| Michael Walker | 6 May 2021 | |||
| Washington and Sunderland West | Washington South | Graeme Miller | 5 May 2022 | |
| Joanne Chapman | 4 May 2023 | |||
| Paul Donaghy | 6 May 2021 | |||
| Washington and Sunderland West | Washington West | Dorothy Trueman | 5 May 2022 | |
| Henry Trueman | 4 May 2023 | |||
| Jimmy Warne | 6 May 2021 | |||
References
- ^ "Annual Council minutes, 17 May 2023". Sunderland City Council. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Muncipal 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.
- ^ "North East devolution deal". GOV.UK. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
- ^ "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
- ^ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Council minutes". Sunderland City Council. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
- ^ "Tributes to former Sunderland council leader and education chief". Sunderland Echo. 8 January 2019. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
- ^ "Local elections 2023: live council results for England". The Guardian.
- ^ Wheeler, Katy (25 November 2021). "Exclusive - a first look inside Sunderland's new £42m City Hall". Sunderland Echo. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
- ^ 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. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
- ^ "The City of Sunderland (Electoral Changes) Order 2004", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2004/362, retrieved 3 April 2024
- ^ "Sunderland". Local Government Boundary Commission for England. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
- ^ "Ward maps". Sunderland City Council. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
- ^ "Elected Members". Sunderland City Council. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
