Local elections are being held across Tyne and Wear next month.
Voters will go to the polls on Thursday, May 4, to elect councillors across the region. While the five areas where elections are being held are dominated by Labour, there are sure to be plenty of interesting stories to watch come polling day.
There is also a major change coming into force at polling stations this year, with voters now being forced to show photo ID in order to cast their ballot. Here is a guide to what is happening the North East on May 4:
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Which elections are being held here?
Local elections are being held in all five areas of Tyne and Wear – Newcastle, Gateshead, South Tyneside, North Tyneside, and Sunderland. Each of those Labour-controlled councils hold their elections on a rolling basis, with only a third of their seats being contested each time – one in each ward, plus any other vacancies that have arisen if councillors have resigned before the end of their term.
County Durham and Northumberland, on the other hand, both hold ‘all-out’ elections for the entire council every four years and are not due to do so again until 2025. There is, however, a by-election scheduled in Durham to fill a vacancy in the Chester-le-Street East ward, following the death of former council chair Beaty Bainbridge.
When are the counts being held and when will we know the results?
Newcastle, Sunderland, and South Tyneside will count their ballots overnight, starting after the polls close at 10pm. Results should be declared in those three areas in the early hours of Friday morning. In North Tyneside and Gateshead, counts are being held on the Friday morning and the results should come in around lunchtime.
Who is standing in my ward?
You can find a full list of candidates standing in every ward by clicking these links: Newcastle; Gateshead; North Tyneside; South Tyneside; Sunderland.
Do I need an ID card to vote?
Yes. For the first time, voters in England are now required to show an accepted form of photographic identification when they go to cast their ballot – such as a passport or driving licence. If you do not have an accepted form of ID, you can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate before April 25. More information on that is available here.
Where is my polling station?
The local of your polling station will be printed on your polling card, which you should have received through the post. You can also find out by clicking here.
When do polls open?
Polling stations are open from 7am to 10pm on polling day, Thursday May 4.
What are the stories to watch out for?
Nationally, the main focus will be on whether Labour will be able to convert its advantage in the opinion polls into big gains over the Conservatives. While there are several parts of Teesside where Labour will be hoping to regain control after some bruising defeats over recent years, the five Tyne and Wear councils are already red-dominated.
Having held onto its majority in Sunderland last year after a previous run of losing seats, Labour will be keen to cut the Tory ranks on the city council, while the Lib Dems will hope to take over as the main opposition party. In South Tyneside, the Green Party is bidding for more success to swell its six-strong contingent and make further inroads on a council that has been heavily-dominated by Labour.
The Greens also hope to get a first councillor elected in both Gateshead and Newcastle, where Labour council leader Nick Kemp faces the first test of his reign at the ballot box. He is up for re-election in Byker, a year after taking over from Nick Forbes at the civic centre.
The swing ward of North Jesmond is likely to draw attention, with two seats up for grabs in a part of the city where the council has provoked anger lately over a new Low Traffic Neighbourhood. The St Mary’s ward in North Tyneside promises to be a source of intrigue too, after a major row among the area’s Conservatives.
Ex-Tory group leader George Westwater is standing as an independent after he, along with councillors Pam McIntyre and Judith Wallace, resigned their party memberships after alleging that it is a hotbed of “sustained bullying” and “toxic behaviour”.
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