2026 Sunderland City Council election
7 May 2026
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All 75 seats to Sunderland City Council 38 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 2026 Sunderland City Council election will be held on 7 May 2026, alongside the other local elections across the United Kingdom being held on the same day. All 75 members of Sunderland City Council will be elected.[1] Boundary changes will be made for these elections.[2]
Background
Before the election Labour was the largest party with Liberal Democrats forming the official opposition after overtaking the Conservatives at the 2023 and 2024 elections.[3] Since the last election two councillors defected from both Labour and the Conservatives to sit as Independents.[4][5]
In November 2025 Reform UK won their first seat on the council with a 35% swing in the Hetton ward by-election, however their councillor resigned from the party after just 76 days and now sits as an independent.[6] There was speculation that Reform would take control of the council like it had the year before in County Durham.[7]
References
- ^ Includes the vacant seat in Washington West last held by Labour.
- ^ "Everything you need to know about landmark Sunderland 2026 local elections". Sunderland Echo. 1 January 2026. Retrieved 27 January 2026.
- ^ "Sunderland facing 'all-out' elections in 2026 with boundary changes expected for city". Sunderland Echo. 15 November 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2026.
- ^ "Calderdale Council local election results: Labour retains control". www.bbc.com. 3 May 2024. Retrieved 27 January 2026.
- ^ "Councillor quits Labour over what he calls 'anti-democratic removal' of former leader". Sunderland Echo. 25 June 2024. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
- ^ "Conservative councillor resigns to sit as independent". Sunderland Echo. 17 June 2025. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
- ^ "Reform UK label councillor's decision to quit the party a betrayal". Sunderland Echo. 13 February 2026. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
- ^ Holland, Daniel (18 March 2026). "Reform to win four more North East councils in May, new polling predicts". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 22 March 2026.