The 2024 South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council election was held on 2 May 2024 to elect members of South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council.[1] 18 of the 54 seats of the council were up for election. The election took place at the same time as other local elections across England.[2]
Bucking the trend of the rest of the country, the election saw Labour's seat count drop dramatically, losing ten seats nearly entirely to independent candidates. With 28 seats, Labour was left with only just enough seats for control of the council. The party's poor performance was described as being down to a 'perfect storm' of issues by the council's Labour leader Tracey Dixon,[3] further adding that Labour needed to 'restart' and 'work more closely' council's communities.[4] The results were put down[5][3][4][6] to growing dissatisfaction with the council due to ongoing bin collection strikes that began in late 2023,[7][8][9][10] the council's children services being rated "inadequate" by Ofsted,[11] and the fallout surrounding previous Labour Leader of the council, Iain Malcolm, being found in March 2024 to have inappropriately incurred £18,000 of personal costs on his corporate credit card[12] and bullied council staff.[13]
The Conservatives also lost their only seat on the council, with their Cleadon & East Bolden ward seat going to the Greens.
Summary
Election result
2024 South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council election
^Binding, Chris (9 April 2024). "Local elections 2024: South Tyneside Council confirms full list of candidates". The Shields Gazette.
^"Elections and voting". South Tyneside Council. Retrieved 2024-04-16.
^ abRobinson, James (3 May 2024). "'Perfect storm' blamed for poor Labour performance in South Tyneside local elections". Evening Chronicle. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
^ abSmith, Ryan (3 May 2024). "'Labour needs to restart' - South Tyneside Council leader reacts following disastrous local elections". Shields Gazette. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
^Robinson, James (3 May 2024). "Local Elections 2024: Full results for South Tyneside". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
^Binding, Chris (16 May 2024). "South Tyneside Green Party sets out ambitions following gains at 2024 local elections". Shields Gazette. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
^Gouldsbrough, Patrick (13 November 2023). "South Tyneside bin workers to strike over 'discipline' issue". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
^Murugesu, Jason (6 March 2024). "More bin strikes called in bullying row". BBC News. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
^Kennedy, Liam (26 April 2024). "South Tyneside set for more bin strikes - and it could last another SIX months". Shields Gazette. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
^Lanigan, Adam (29 April 2024). "Two-week bin strike to begin amid ongoing dispute". BBC News. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
^Binding, Chris (3 Nov 2023). "Fallout continues following inadequate rating from Ofsted for Children's Services". Shields Gazette. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
^Tickell, Pamela (10 March 2024). "Ex-council leader racked up £18k on corporate card". BBC News. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
^Morris, Joanna; Binding, Chris (21 March 2024). "Probe finds council leader 'bullied' officers". BBC News. Retrieved 31 May 2024.