2026 Portsmouth City Council election

Main article: Portsmouth City Council elections
2026 Portsmouth City Council election
7 May 2026 (2026-05-07)
14 out of 42 seats to Portsmouth City Council
22 seats needed for a majority
 
Party Liberal Democrats Labour Reform UK
Last election 19 seats, 30.0% 8 seats, 27.7% 0 seats, 1.0%
Current seats 18[1] 9 8
 
Party Conservative PIP Independent
Last election 4 seats, 16.2% 9 seats, 23.0% 2 seats, 0.0%
Current seats 4 2 1
Incumbent Leader

Steve Pitt
Liberal Democrats
No overall control[a]



The 2026 Portsmouth City Council election will be held on 7 May 2026, alongside the other local elections across the United Kingdom being held on the same day, to elect 14 of 42 members of Portsmouth City Council.[2]

Background

In 2024, the council remained under no overall control.[3]

Council composition

After 2024 election Before 2026 election
Party Seats Party Seats
Liberal Democrats 19 Liberal Democrats 18
Labour 8 Labour 9
Reform UK 0 Reform UK 10
Conservative 4 Conservative 4
PIP 9 PIP 0
Independent 2 Independent 1

Changes 2024–2026:

  • September 2024: Raj Ghosh (Labour) suspended from party[4]
  • May 2025: Raj Ghosh (Independent) and Judith Smyth (Independent)[b] readmitted to Labour[6]
  • July 2025: Raymond Dent (Portsmouth Independent) and George Madgwick (Portsmouth Independent) join Reform[7]
  • September 2025: Brian Madgwick (Portsmouth Independent) resigns – by-election held October 2025[8]
  • October 2025:
    • Joe Standen (Reform) gains by-election from Portsmouth Independents[9]
    • Matthew Cordy, Chris Dike, Derek North, and Russell Simpson join Reform from the Portsmouth Independent Party[10]
  • November 2025: Jason Fazackarley joins Reform from the Liberal Democrates[11]
  • Feb 2026 Cllr Leo Tindall and Emily Strudwick join Reform from the Portsmouth Independent Party

Incumbents

Ward Incumbent councillor Party Re-standing
Baffins Abdul Kadir Liberal Democrats
Central Southsea George Fielding Labour
Charles Dickens Yinka Adeniran Labour
Copnor Benedict Swann Conservative
Cosham Asghar Shah Labour
Drayton & Farlington Simon Bosher Conservative
Eastney & Craneswater Matthew Winnington Liberal Democrats
Fratton Tom Coles Labour
Hilsea Russell Simpson[c] Reform
Milton Steve Pitt Liberal Democrats
Nelson Jason Fazackarley[d] Reform
Paulsgrove Joe Standen[e] Reform
St Jude Judith Smyth Labour
St Thomas Mark Jeffery Liberal Democrats

Results

Notes

  1. ^ Liberal Democrat minority
  2. ^ Smyth was suspended in December 2022.[5]
  3. ^ Originally elected as Portsmouth Independent Party councillor, but defected to Reform in October 2025.
  4. ^ Originally elected as a Liberal Democrat, but defected to Reform in November 2025.
  5. ^ Elected at the 2025 Paulsgrove by-election.

References

  1. ^ "Portsmouth Council Composition: Latest". opencouncildata.co.uk. Open Council Data UK. Archived from the original on 6 February 2026. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
  2. ^ "Portsmouth Defends May 2026 Local Elections Timeline". 22 December 2025. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  3. ^ "Portsmouth result - Local Elections 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  4. ^ Boothroyd, David. "Post-election roundup". LocalCouncils.co.uk. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
  5. ^ Wright, Josh (1 December 2022). "Portsmouth Labour councillor is suspended from party after complaint is lodged". The News. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
  6. ^ Forero, Natalia (14 May 2025). "Temporary truce in opposition row as threat of names being drawn from a hat looms". The News. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
  7. ^ Paine, Toby (23 July 2025). "Two councillors ditch Portsmouth Independent Party to join Reform UK". The News. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
  8. ^ Paine, Toby (10 September 2025). "Councillor Brian Madgwick thanks residents as he retires from office". The News. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
  9. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Paulsgrove Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
  10. ^ "Four independent Portsmouth councillors switch to Reform UK". BBC News. 16 October 2025. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
  11. ^ "Portsmouth Lib Dem Jason Fazackarley defects to Reform UK". BBC News. 12 November 2025. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
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