Yahoo News Local Elections 2024: Guide for voters in Gateshead heading to the polls on May 2
Voters across Gateshead will be heading to the polls next week to select their local council representatives on May 2.
Polling stations will be open from 7am until 10pm on the day to allow residents to cast their ballots not just for their councillors, but for the Police and Crime Commissioner and the first-ever North East Mayor.
Voters will need a form of photographic identification to vote at their allocated polling station, following recent changes to legislation. A complete list of permitted IDs can be found on the GOV.UK website.
What is the current political makeup of the council?:
Gateshead is a Labour-dominated council, with 49 elected councillors to the opposition Lib Dem’s 17.
How many councillors are up for election?:
Gateshead’s local election will be ‘by thirds’ meaning one-third of all the seats on the council are up for grabs, amounting to a total of 22.
Who is the leader of Gateshead Council?:
Deckham councillor Martin Gannon is the leader of Gateshead Council and has been since May 2016. Coun Gannon was first elected to the council in 1984 and before taking the mantle of leader he served as deputy leader for six years.
Which seats are worth looking out for on the night?:
Birtley:
Liberal Democrat sources have said the party is confident of another gain in the ward of Birtley and toppling its current Labour majority. The Lib Dems gained a seat in Birtley last year with Paul Thomas Elliot obtaining 1,224 votes.
The ward proved controversial last year, following the closure of Birtley Leisure Centre, alongside Gateshead Leisure Centre in Saltwell. The council’s Labour administration faced serious backlash and public anger over the decision to close the centres after dubbing them financially viable.
However, plans are afoot to see Birtley’s leisure centre and swimming pool reopen by September this year.
Saltwell:
Political consensus concedes that the battle for Saltwell last year was heavily coloured by the closure of Gateshead Leisure Centre. In the end, the Lib Dems managed to scrape a gain in the ward by a thin margin of 58 votes.
The opposition thinks this ward is on a knife’s edge and too close to call, and could again be decided by a handful of votes. However, Labour are confident of regaining a seat in Saltwell, believing residents will see the party’s efforts to see Gateshead Leisure Centre reopen.
Labour’s Robert Waugh lost his seat in Saltwell last year but as a director of community group Gateshead Active, alongside incumbent Labour councillor Denise Robson, worked to see the centre reopened. The centre is now set to reopen in June.
Ryton:
The Lib Dems are hoping to make their presence known in Ryton this year with their local candidate and campaigner Stephen Kelly. Party sources have said it could be an “exciting” ward to watch for on election night.
Bridges:
Both major contenders in Gateshead have acknowledged the Greens have been campaigning hard in Bridges ward. The Greens have been nipping away at Labour wards like Crawcrook for some time with 2023’s candidate Jack Philipson coming second with over 1,000 votes.
Although neither Lib Dems nor Labour think the Greens can take Bridges, both think they could see an increase in votes for the party.
