2026 Hyndburn Borough Council election

Main article: Hyndburn Borough Council elections
2026 Hyndburn Borough Council election
7 May 2026
11 of 35 seats to Hyndburn Borough Council
18 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Munsif Dad Zak Khan Mohammed Fazal
Party Labour Conservative Green
Leader's seat Spring Hill St Oswald's Central
Seats before 21 12 1
Seat change
2022 local election results in Hyndburn
  Labour
  Conservative
  Not contested
Leader before election

Munsif Dad
Labour

 Elected Leader

TBD

The 2026 Hyndburn Borough Council election will be held on 7 May 2026, to elect 11 of the 35 members of Hyndburn Borough Council in Lancashire, England, being the usual approximate third of the council. This will be on the same day as other local elections across the country.

Hyndburn requested the election to be cancelled,[1] but the government abandoned its initial plans to cancel some 2026 elections following a legal challenge.[2]

Prior to this election year, the council was under Labour majority control.

Background

Before the election Labour had 21 councillors, the Conservatives had 13 councillors and the Greens had 1. Eighteen or more seats are needed for overall control of the council. Labour were running the council as a majority administration.[3]

The seats up for election in 2026 had last been contested in 2022. Due to plans outlined by the Government in 2024 to abolish several borough councils in Lancashire in favour of new unitary authorities, it was not known if the 2026 election in Hyndburn would be required. However, back in 2025 Labour council leader Munsif Dad claimed that the elections would be going ahead as planned.[4][5]

Despite initially confirming that the elections would take place as planned, Labour council leader Munsif Dad later wrote to the government to request a delay to 2027, and the government announced its plans to delay the election.[6][7] On 16 February 2026, the government abandoned its plans to delay the elections after a legal challenge and confirmed that they will take place as originally planned.[2]

As a result of the Elections Act 2022 electors will be required to present photographic identification to polling staff in order to cast their vote. Postal voters will not be affected.

Council composition

After 2024 election Before 2026 election
Party Seats Party Seats
Labour 22 Labour 21
Conservative 11 Conservative 13
Green 1 Green 1
Independent 1 Independent 0

Changes 2024–2026:

  • November 2024: Edward Blake (Labour) dies – by-election held February 2025[8]
  • February 2025: David Heap (Conservative) gains by-election from Labour[9]
  • June 2025: Joyce Plummer (Independent) joins Conservatives[10]
  • February 2026: Marlene Haworth (Conservative) dies[11]

Incumbents

Ward Incumbent councillor Party Re-standing
Clayton-le-Moors Peter Edwards Conservative
Huncoat Danny Cassidy Conservative
Immanuel Josh Allen Conservative No[12]
Milnshaw Andrew Clegg Labour
Netherton Jodi Clements Labour
Overton Scott Brerton Labour
Peel Joyce Plummer[a] Conservative
Rishton Bernard Dawson Labour
Spring Hill Kimberley Whitehead Labour
St Andrew's Steven Smithson Conservative
St Oswald's Vacant Conservative[b]

Candidates

References

  1. ^ Previously sitting as an Independent, she joined the Conservatives in June 2025.
  2. ^ Vacant seat last held by the Conservatives.
  1. ^ "Revealed: The councils that asked to cancel elections". 2026-01-15. Retrieved 2026-01-16.
  2. ^ a b "Government abandons plans to delay 30 council elections". BBC News. 16 February 2026.
  3. ^ "Labour wins Hyndburn and unseats opposition Tory leader in Chorley". BBC News. 2024-05-03. Retrieved 2025-10-01.
  4. ^ "Borough's local elections WILL go ahead in 2026 councillors told". Lancashire Telegraph. 2025-03-03. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2025-10-01.
  5. ^ "Agenda item - Announcements". 2025-02-27. Retrieved 2025-10-01.
  6. ^ "Call to delay 2026 local elections in Lancashire over devolution". BBC News. 2025-11-14. Retrieved 2026-01-22.
  7. ^ "Transitioning Lancashire councils seek to postpone elections". BBC News. 2026-01-14. Retrieved 2026-01-22.
  8. ^ Jacobs, Bill (13 November 2024). "Sadness after Labour councillor dies after just six months in job". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  9. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Baxenden Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  10. ^ Jacobs, Bill (9 June 2025). "Former Labour finance boss joins council Tory group". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  11. ^ Jacobs, Bill (2026-02-05). "Tributes paid after death of former Hyndburn Council leader and mayor". Lancs Live. Retrieved 2026-02-05.
  12. ^ "Mayor sacked as candidate by Tories in shock move". Lancashire Telegraph. 2025-10-02. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
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