2022 Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council election

The Local Government Act 1972 created a two-tier system of metropolitan counties and districts covering Greater Manchester, Merseyside, South Yorkshire, Tyne and Wear, the West Midlands, and West Yorkshire starting in 1974. Gateshead was a district of the Tyne and Wear metropolitan county.^[1] The Local Government Act 1985 abolished the metropolitan counties, with metropolitan districts taking on most of their powers as metropolitan boroughs.

Gateshead Council has continuously been under Labour control since its creation. The Liberal Democrats have generally been the main opposition. In the most recent election in 2021, Labour won 19 seats on 46.8% of the vote and the Liberal Democrats won 5 seats on 20.6% of the vote. The Conservatives received 22.5% of the vote and the Green Party received 8.6% of the vote, but neither party won any seats.^[2]

Positions up for election in 2022 were last election in 2018. In that election, Labour won 19 seats and the Liberal Democrats won four seats.^[3]

The council elects its councillors in thirds, with a third being up for election every year for three years, with no election in the fourth year.^[4][5] The election will take place by first-past-the-post voting, with wards generally being represented by three councillors, with one elected in each election year to serve a four-year term.

All registered electors (British, Irish, Commonwealth and European Union citizens) living in Gateshead aged 18 or over will be entitled to vote in the election. People who live at two addresses in different councils, such as university students with different term-time and holiday addresses, are entitled to be registered for and vote in elections in both local authorities. Voting in-person at polling stations will take place from 07:00 to 22:00 on election day, and voters will be able to apply for postal votes or proxy votes in advance of the election.