'Disappointment' for Labour in South Tyneside elections as Green Party gains seats

Councillor Tracey Dixon made the statement after the Green Party gained three seats from Labour during the 2023 local elections on Thursday, May 4.

The successful night for the Green Party means that the make up of South Tyneside Council is now Labour with 38 seats, Green Party with nine seats, six independent candidates and one Conservative councillor.

Speaking after the count at Temple Park Leisure Centre, Cllr Dixon expressed her disappointment in how the results went for the Labour Party.

She said: "It has been a little bit of a disappointment for us as a Labour Party, obviously the Greens have taken some seats from us but this Labour council leads on so many environment projects so it is about how we get our messaging across.

"Now it will be very interesting to see how we work alongside the Greens as our main opposition group and I'm looking forward to seeing what policies they are going to bring forward.

"It is a disappointment but this Labour council is still very strong with 38 seats."

Cllr Dixon also told South Tyneside residents that they can expect the Labour-led council to deliver on the projects that they have promised over the next year.

She added: "They can see us delivering all the projects that we have committed too, the town centre regeneration, the environmental projects, so we are focused on our residents and communities.

"I would like to thank the electorate for our elected members because the Labour elected members have the community very much at the heart of what they do."

The 2023 local elections saw Green Party candidates Rachael Milne gain the Biddick and All Saints ward, Shirley Ford gain the Cleadon and East Boldon ward and Jim Yare gain the West Park ward.

David Francis, the councillor for Beacon and Bents and leader of the Green Party in South Tyneside, was celebrating holding his own seat as well as the gains made by the party.

He commented: "It has been a fantastic night for South Tyneside Green Party, we couldn't be happier with the results really.

"We held our first defence after we won our first seat four years ago and now we have three more seats so we're over the moon with that progress.

"Before 2019, there had never been a Green Party councillor in South Tyneside so to go from that to the nine councillors that we have now shows that it is clear that when Green councillors get elected, people want more of them.

"It is clear that when people see what Green councillors can do for their local areas, they are keen to support more Green candidates."

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