2026 Essex County Council election

2026 Essex County Council election

7 May 2026 (2026-05-07)

All 78 seats to Essex County Council
40 seats needed for a majority
 
Leader Kevin Bentley Michael Mackrory[b] Ivan Henderson
Party Conservative Liberal Democrats Labour
Last election 52 seats, 48.8% 8 seats, 13.8% 5 seats, 17.1%
Current seats 50[a] 7 6

 
Leader Michael Mackrory[b] / Chris Pond[c] Chris Pond[c] Chris Pond[c]
Party Independent R4U CIIP
Last election 3 seats, 5.9% 2 seats, 2.4% 2 seats, 1.0%
Current seats 5 2 2

 
Leader Michael Mackrory[b] Chris Pond[c]
Party Green Loughton Residents Reform UK
Last election 1 seat, 5.6% 1 seat, 1.2% 0 seats, 0.6%
Current seats 1 1 1

Map showing the new pattern of electoral divisions for the Essex County Council area.

Incumbent Leader

Kevin Bentley
Conservative



The 2026 Essex County Council election will take place on 7 May 2026 to elect members to Essex County Council in Essex, England. This will be on the same day as other local elections.

Background

At the 2021 election, the Conservatives won an outright majority of seats on the council, maintaining overall control of the authority for a seventh consecutive term. Kevin Bentley (Stanway & Pyefleet), leader of the Conservative group, was appointed leader of the council and formed a Conservative administration.

Boundary changes

Following a local government boundary review, there will be an increase in the number of councillors from 75 to 78, and a new pattern of electoral division boundaries will be used. As part of the changes, all two-member divisions will be abolished, meaning all divisions will now elect only one councillor each.[1]

Delay

The general election of councillors was due to take place on 1 May 2025. However, following the publication of the English Devolution White Paper, the majority of the members of Essex County Council voted in favour of asking the government to cancel the planned 2025 elections. The Conservative and Labour groups, in addition to the sole Loughton Residents Association councillor, voted in favour of the motion of the Conservative administration to request both that Essex County Council take part in the local government reorganisation and that the elections be delayed. The Liberal Democrat, Canvey Island Independent Party, and Residents for Uttlesford groups voted against the motion, as did the sole councillors for Reform UK and for the Rochford District Residents.[2][3] The Liberal Democrat group put an amendment that would have removed the request for an election delay from the motion as a whole, but this was voted down by a show of hands without a roll call vote.

The May 2025 local elections that would have taken place were cancelled.[4] It was announced on 22 January 2026 that the election would go ahead on 7 May 2026.[5]

Summary

Election result

2026 Essex County Council election
Party Candidates Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative N/A N/A
  Liberal Democrats N/A N/A
  Labour N/A N/A
  Independent N/A N/A
  R4U N/A N/A
  CIIP N/A N/A
  Green N/A N/A
  Loughton Residents N/A N/A
  Reform UK N/A N/A

Candidates by local authority

Basildon

Incumbents

Ward Incumbent councillor Party Re-standing
Basildon Laindon Park & Fryerns Jeff Henry Conservative
Basildon Laindon Park & Fryerns Patricia Reid[d] Labour
Basildon Pitsea Aidan McGurran Labour
Basildon Pitsea Emma Callaghan[e] Labour
Basildon Westley Heights Kerry Smith Independent
Billericay & Burstead Anthony Hedley Conservative
Billericay & Burstead Richard Moore Conservative
Wickford Crouch Tony Ball Conservative
Wickford Crouch Malcolm Buckley Conservative

Authority summary

Basildon borough summary
Party Seats +/- Votes % +/-
Conservative
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Green
Independent
Reform UK
Total
Registered electors

Division results

Billericay North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Burstead
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Castledon & Crouch
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Gloucester Park
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Laindon Town
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Pitsea
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Vange
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Westley Heights
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Wickford East & Bowers Gifford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK

Braintree

Incumbents

Ward Incumbent councillor Party Re-standing
Bocking Lynette Bowers-Flint Conservative
Braintree Eastern Paul Thorogood Green
Braintree Town Tom Cunningham Conservative
Halstead Chris Siddall Conservative
Hedingham Peter Schwier Conservative
Three Fields with Great Notley Graham Butland Conservative
Witham Northern Ross Playle Conservative
Witham Southern Vacant Conservative[f]

Authority summary

Braintree district summary
Party Seats +/- Votes % +/-
Conservative
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Green
Independent
Reform
Total
Registered electors

Division results

Bocking
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Braintree Eastern
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Braintree Town
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Halstead
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Hedingham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Three Fields & Great Notley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Witham Town
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Witham West & Rural
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK

Brentwood

Incumbents

Ward Incumbent councillor Party Re-standing
Brentwood Hutton Louise McKinlay Conservative
Brentwood North Barry Aspinell Liberal Democrats
Brentwood Rural Lesley Wagland Conservative
Brentwood South Andy Wiles Conservative

Authority summary

Brentwood borough summary
Party Seats +/- Votes % +/-
Conservative
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Green
Reform UK
Independent
Total
Registered electors

Division results

Brentwood Hutton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Brentwood North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Brentwood Rural
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Brentwood South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK

Castle Point

Incumbents

Ward Incumbent councillor Party Re-standing
Canvey Island East Dave Blackwell CIIP
Canvey Island West Peter May CIIP
Hadleigh Jillian Reeves Conservative
South Benfleet Andrew Sheldon Conservative
Thundersley Beverley Egan Conservative

Authority summary

Castle Point borough summary
Party Seats +/- Votes % +/-
Conservative
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Green
Reform UK
Independent
PIP
CIIP
Canvey Residents
Total
Registered electors

Division results

Canvey Island East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
CIIP
Canvey Residents
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Canvey Island West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
CIIP
Canvey Residents
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Hadleigh
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
PIP
Reform UK
South Benfleet
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
PIP
Reform UK
Thundersley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
PIP
Reform UK

Chelmsford

Incumbents

Ward Incumbent councillor Party Re-standing
Broomfield & Writtle Mike Steel Conservative
Chelmer John Spence Conservative
Chelmsford Central David Loxton[g] Liberal Democrats
Chelmsford North Stephen Robinson Liberal Democrats
Chelmsford West Jude Deakin[h] Independent
Great Baddow Anthony McQuiggan Conservative
South Woodham Ferrers Bob Massey Conservative
Springfield Michael Mackrory Liberal Democrats
Stock Sue Dobson[i] Conservative

Authority summary

Chelmsford city summary
Party Seats +/- Votes % +/-
Conservative
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Green
Independent
Reform UK
Total
Registered electors

Division results

Broomfield & Writtle
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Chelmer
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Chelmsford Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Chelmsford North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Chelmsford Springfield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Chelmsford West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Danbury & The Hanningfields
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Great Baddow & Galleywood
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Woodham Ferrers
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK

Colchester

Incumbents

Ward Incumbent councillor Party Re-standing
Abbey Lee Scordis Labour Yes[6]
Constable Lewis Barber Conservative
Drury Sue Lissimore Conservative
Maypole Dave Harris Labour
Mersea & Tiptree John Jowers Conservative
Mile End & Highwoods David King Liberal Democrats
Parsons Heath & East Gates Simon Crow Conservative
Stanway & Pyefleet Kevin Bentley Conservative
Wivenhoe St Andrew Mark Cory Liberal Democrats

Authority summary

Colchester city summary
Party Seats +/- Votes % +/-
Conservative
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Green
Reform UK
Independent
Total
Registered electors

Division result

Colchester Abbey
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour Lee Scordis*[6]
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Colchester Lexden
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Colchester Maypole
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Colchester North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Colchester St Johns
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Constable
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Mersea & Tiptree
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Stanway & Marks Tey
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Wivenhoe St Andrew
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK

Epping Forest

Incumbents

Ward Incumbent councillor Party Re-standing
Buckhurst Hill & Loughton
South
Marshall Vance Conservative
Chigwell & Loughton
Broadway
Lee Scott Conservative
Epping & Theydon Bois Holly Whitbread Conservative
Loughton Central Chris Pond Loughton Residents
North Weald & Nazeing Christopher Whitbread Conservative
Ongar & Rural Jaymey McIvor[j] Reform UK
Waltham Abbey Sam Kane Conservative

Authority summary

Epping Forest district summary
Party Seats +/- Votes % +/-
Conservative
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Green
Reform UK
Independent
Loughton Residents
Total
Registered electors

Division results

Chigwell & Buckhurst Hill East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Epping & Theydon Bois
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Loughton North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Loughton Residents
Reform UK
Loughton South & Buckhurst Hill West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Loughton Residents
Reform UK
North Weald & Nazeing
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Ongar & Rural
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Raymond Balcombe
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Waltham Abbey
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK

Harlow

Incumbents

Ward Incumbent councillor Party Re-standing
Harlow North Mike Garnett Conservative
Harlow South East Andrew Johnson[k] Conservative
Harlow West Michael Hardware Conservative
Harlow West Clive Souter Conservative

Authority summary

Harlow district summary
Party Seats +/- Votes % +/-
Conservative
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Green
Reform UK
Independent
Harlow Alliance
Total
Registered electors

Division results

Harlow Common & Church Langley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Harlow Alliance
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Harlow Netteswell
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Harlow Alliance
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Harlow Parndon & Toddbrook
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Harlow Alliance
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Harlow South West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Harlow Alliance
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Old Harlow
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Harlow Alliance
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK

Maldon

Incumbents

Ward Incumbent councillor Party Re-standing
Heybridge & Tollesbury Mark Durham Conservative
Maldon Jane Fleming Conservative
Southminster Wendy Stamp Independent

Authority summary

Maldon district summary
Party Seats +/- Votes % +/-
Conservative
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Green
Reform UK
Independent
Total
Registered electors

Division results

Burnham & Southminster
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Maldon Rural North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Maldon Rural South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Maldon Town & Heybridge
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK

Rochford

Incumbents

Ward Incumbent councillor Party Re-standing
Rayleigh North James Newport[l] Liberal Democrats
Rayleigh South June Lumley Conservative
Rochford North Laureen Shaw Conservative
Rochford South Mike Steptoe Conservative
Rochford West Michael Hoy[m] Independent

Authority summary

Rochford district summary
Party Seats +/- Votes % +/-
Conservative
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Green
Reform UK
Independent
Rochford Resident
Total
Registered electors

Division results

Rayleigh South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Rochford Resident
Rochford West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Rochford Resident
Rochford East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Rochford Resident
Rochford North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Rochford Resident
Rochford South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Rochford Resident

Tendring

Incumbents

Ward Incumbent councillor Party Re-standing
Brightlingsea Alan Goggin Conservative
Clacton East Mark Stephenson Independent
Clacton North Mick Skeels Conservative
Clacton West Paul Honeywood Conservative
Frinton & Walton Mark Platt Conservative
Harwich Ivan Henderson Labour
Tendring Rural East Dan Land Conservative
Tendring Rural West Carlo Guglielmi Conservative

Authority summary

Tendring district summary
Party Seats +/- Votes % +/-
Conservative
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Green
Reform UK
Independent
Total
Registered electors

Division results

Brightlingsea
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Clacton North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Clacton South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Clacton West & St Osyth
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Frinton & Walton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Harwich
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Tendring Rural East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
Tendring Rural West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK

Uttlesford

Incumbents

Ward Incumbent councillor Party Re-standing
Dunmow Susan Barker Conservative
Saffron Walden Paul Gadd R4U
Stansted Ray Gooding Conservative
Thaxted Martin Foley R4U

Authority summary

Uttlesford district summary
Party Seats +/- Votes % +/-
Conservative
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Green
Reform UK
Independent
R4U
Total
Registered electors

Division results

Dunmow
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
R4U
Saffron Walden
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
R4U
Stansted
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
R4U
Takeley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
R4U
Thaxted
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative
Green
Independent
Labour
Liberal Democrats
Reform UK
R4U

References

  1. ^ Includes the vanact seat in Witham Southern, which was last held by a Conservative.
  2. ^ a b c Leader of the Lib Dem & Independent Group (7 Liberal Democrats, 2 Independents & 1 Green)
  3. ^ a b c d Leader of the Non-Aligned Group (3 Independents, 2 R4U, 2 CIIP & 1 LRA)
  4. ^ Elected at the 2003 Basildon Laindon Park & Fryerns by-election.
  5. ^ Elected at the 2024 Basildon Pitsea by-election.
  6. ^ Vacant seat last held by the Conservatives.
  7. ^ Elected at the 2025 Chelmsford Central by-election.
  8. ^ Originally elected as a Liberal Democrat, but later left the party to sit as an Independent.
  9. ^ Elected at the 2024 Stock by-election.
  10. ^ Originally elected as a Conservative, but later defected to Reform.
  11. ^ Elected at the 2024 Harlow South East by-election.
  12. ^ Elected at the 2022 Rayleigh North by-election.
  13. ^ Originally elected as a Rochford District Resident, but left the party to sit as an Independent.
  1. ^ "New electoral arrangements for Essex County Council - Final Recommendations" (PDF). LGBCE. July 2024. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  2. ^ "Essex calls to scrap elections and reform councils". Simon Dedman. BBC News. 10 January 2025. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  3. ^ "Full council meeting - 10 January 2025". ECC Democracy. 10 January 2025. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
  4. ^ Walker, Peter; Quinn, Ben (5 February 2025). "Some councillors in England could stay for more than extra year under shake-up plans". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
  5. ^ McKiernan, Jennifer; Forsyth, Alex (22 January 2026). "Twenty-nine English councils to delay elections, minister confirms". BBC News. Retrieved 22 January 2026.
  6. ^ a b Scordis, Lee (15 January 2026). "Colchester City elections to go ahead in May". facebook.com. Facebook. Archived from the original on 6 February 2026. Retrieved 6 February 2026.