2026 East Sussex County Council election

Main article: East Sussex County Council elections
2026 East Sussex County Council election
7 May 2026 (2026-05-07)
All 50 seats to East Sussex County Council
26 seats needed for a majority
 
Leader Keith Glazier Kathryn Field Johnny Denis
Party Conservative Liberal Democrats Green
Last election 27 seats, 42.0% 11 seats, 20.9% 4 seats, 14.5%
Current seats 22[1] 11 6
 
Leader Chris Collier Stephen Shing[a]
Party Labour Independent Reform UK
Last election 5 seats, 15.2% 3 seats, 6.5% 0 seats, 0.2%
Current seats 5 4[b] 2
Incumbent Leader

Keith Glazier
Conservative
No overall control[c]



The 2026 East Sussex County Council election is due to take place in 2026 to elect members to East Sussex County Council in East Sussex, England.[2][3] All 50 seats will be elected. This will be on the same day as other local elections.

Summary

Background

At the 2021 election, the Conservatives won an outright majority of seats.[4]

Council composition

After 2021 election Before 2026 election
Party Seats Party Seats
Conservative 27 Conservative 22
Liberal Democrats 11 Liberal Democrats 11
Green 4 Green 6
Labour 5 Labour 5
Reform UK 0 Reform UK 2
Independent 3 Independent 4[d]

Changes 2021–2026:

  • April 2023: Rupert Simmons (Conservative) dies – by-election held July 2023[5]
  • June 2023: Barry Taylor (Conservative) dies – by-election held August 2023[6]
  • July 2023: Anne Cross (Green) gains by-election from Conservatives[7]
  • August 2023: Brett Wright (Liberal Democrats) gains by-election from Conservatives[8]
  • June 2024: Abul Azad (Conservative) leaves party to sit as an independent[9]
  • May 2025: Samuel Adeniji (Conservative) leaves party to sit as an independent[10]
  • September 2025: Peter Pragnell (Conservative) dies – by-election held November 2025[11]
  • November 2025: Aidan Fisher (Reform) gains by-election from Conservatives[12]
  • January 2026: Samuel Adeniji (Independent) joins Reform[13]
  • February 2026: Brett Wright (Liberal Democrats) joins Greens[14]

Incumbents by authority

Eastbourne

Ward Incumbent councillor Party Re-standing
Devonshire Stephen Holt Liberal Democrats
Hampden Park Colin Swansborough Liberal Democrats
Langney Alan Shuttleworth Liberal Democrats
Meads Brett Wright[e] Green Yes[15]
Old Town John Ungar Liberal Democrats
Ratton Colin Belsey Conservative
St Anthony's David Tutt Liberal Democrats Not standing for re-election[16]
Sovereign Penny Di Cara Conservative
Upperton Pat Rodohan Liberal Democrats

Hastings

Ward Incumbent councillor Party Re-standing
Ashdown & Conquest Aidan Fisher[f] Reform UK
Baird & Ore Alan Hay Conservative
Braybrooke & Castle Godfrey Daniel Labour
Central St Leonards & Gensing Trevor Webb Labour
Hollington & Wishing Tree Phil Scott Labour
Maze Hill & West St Leonards Matthew Beaver Conservative
Old Hastings & Tressell Julia Hilton Green
St Helens & Silverhill Sorrell Marlow-Eastwood Conservative

Lewes

Ward Incumbent councillor Party Re-standing
Chailey Matthew Milligan Conservative
Lewes Wendy Maples Green
Newhaven & Bishopstone James MacCleary Liberal Democrats
Ouse Valley West & Downs Sarah Osborne Liberal Democrats
Peacehaven Chris Collier Labour
Ringmer & Lewes Bridge Johnny Denis Green
Seaford North Sam Adeniji[g] Reform UK
Seaford South Carolyn Lambert Liberal Democrats
Telscombe Christine Robinson Labour

Rother

Ward Incumbent councillor Party Re-standing
Battle & Crowhurst Kathryn Field Liberal Democrats Yes[17]
Bexhill East Charles Clark Independent
Bexhill North Abul Azad[h] Independent
Bexhill South Ian Hollidge Conservative
Bexhill West Nuala Geary Conservative
Brede Valley & Marsham Carl Maynard Conservative
Northern Rother Paul Redstone Conservative
Rother North West Eleanor Kirby-Green Conservative
Rye & Eastern Rother Keith Glazier Conservative

Wealden

Ward Incumbent councillor Party Re-standing
Arlington, East Hoathly & Hellingly Nick Bennett Conservative
Crowborough North &
Jarvis Brook 		Johanna Howell Conservative
Crowborough South &
St John's 		Philip Lunn Conservative
Forest Row & Groombridge Georgia Taylor Green Yes
Hailsham Market Steve Murphy Liberal Democrats
Hailsham New Town Gerard Fox Conservative
Heathfield & Mayfield Anne Cross[i] Green Not standing for re-election
Maresfield & Buxted Roy Galley Conservative
Pevensey & Stone Cross Tom Liddiard Conservative
Polegate & Watermill Daniel Shing Independent
Uckfield North Claire Dowling Conservative
Uckfield South with Framfield Chris Dowling Conservative
Wealden East Bob Bowdler Conservative
Wealden North East Bob Standley Conservative
Willingdon & South Downs Stephen Shing Independent

References

  1. ^ Leader of the Independent Democrats group.
  2. ^ Of the 4 Independent councillors before the election, 2 sat in the Independent Democrats group and 2 were non-aligned.
  3. ^ Conservative minority.
  4. ^ 2 councillors sit as part of the Independent Democrats group.
  5. ^ Originally elected as a Liberal Democrat at the 2023 Meads by-election; later defected to the Green Party.
  6. ^ Elected at the 2025 Ashdown & Conquest by-election.
  7. ^ Originally elected as a Conservative, but later defected to Reform.
  8. ^ Originally elected as a Conservative, but later left the party to sit as an Independent.
  9. ^ Elected at the 2023 Heathfield & Mayfield by-election.
  1. ^ "East Sussex Council Composition: Latest". opencouncildata.co.uk. Open Council Data UK. Retrieved 18 February 2026.
  2. ^ "Suffolk County Council elections 'will go ahead in May 2026'". BBC News. 2025-11-05. Retrieved 2025-11-10.
  3. ^ "Election timetable in England". Electoral Commission. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
  4. ^ "Elections 2021: Conservatives hold Sussex county councils". BBC News. 2021-05-07. Retrieved 2024-11-29.
  5. ^ Fuller, Christian (19 April 2023). "Rupert Simmons: Tributes as veteran East Sussex councillor dies at 70". BBC News. Retrieved 18 February 2026.
  6. ^ Oxburgh, Huw (19 July 2023). "Fresh tributes paid to long-serving Eastbourne councillor described as a 'true gentleman'". SussexWorld. Retrieved 18 February 2026.
  7. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Heathfield and Mayfield Division". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 18 February 2026.
  8. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Meads Division". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 18 February 2026.
  9. ^ Oxburgh, Huw (10 June 2024). "East Sussex conservative councillor resigns to stand as independent". Sussex News. Retrieved 18 February 2026.
  10. ^ Boothroyd, David. "Reform gets Broads support". LocalCouncils.co.uk. Retrieved 18 February 2026.
  11. ^ Oxburgh, Huw (2 September 2025). "Tributes after death of 'respected' East Sussex councillor". BBC News. Retrieved 18 February 2026.
  12. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Ashdown and Conquest Division". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 18 February 2026.
  13. ^ Boothroyd, David. "Liberals in the Bear's Den". LocalCouncils.co.uk.
  14. ^ Robson, Graham (6 February 2026). "Eastbourne gains first Green County Councillor after Brett Wright defects from Lib Dems". Scene Magazine. Retrieved 18 February 2026.
  15. ^ "Turning Green: new councillor says it's time to have some political fun". Eastbourne Reporter. 2026-02-24. Retrieved 2026-03-06.
  16. ^ "New Leader for East Sussex County Council Liberal Democrats". Hastings & Rye Lib dems. 2026-02-28. Retrieved 2026-03-05.
  17. ^ "New Leader for East Sussex County Council Liberal Democrats". Hastings & Rye Lib dems. 2026-02-28. Retrieved 2026-03-05.
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