2026 Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council election

Main article: Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council elections
2026 Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council election
7 May 2026 (2026-05-07)
All 66 seats to Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
34 seats needed for a majority
 
Leader Marion Atkinson John Pugh Mike Pendergast
Party Labour Liberal Democrats Conservative
Last election 49 seats, 54.0% 9 seats, 16.7% 4 seats, 14.7%
Current seats 51[1] 9 3
 
Leader Neil Doolin Mike Morris
Party Green Reform UK Your Party
Last election 1 seat, 8.8% 0 seats, 0.2% Did not exist
Current seats 1 1 1
Incumbent Leader

Marion Atkinson
Labour



The 2026 Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council election is scheduled to be held on Thursday 7 May 2026, alongside other local elections in the United Kingdom. The whole Council of 66 members of Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council in Merseyside will be elected.

Background

Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council was created in 1974. The Conservatives controlled the council from its creation until 1986, when the council fell into no overall control.[2] Labour became the largest party in 1988 but did not form their first majority administration until 24 years later.[3] The Liberal Democrats briefly became the largest party between 2000 and 2002,[4] and again for the more prolonged period between 2004 and 2011.[5] Labour have formed majority administrations since 2012 with the Liberal Democrats serving as the principal opposition (aside from 2021 which saw the Conservatives hold an equal number of seats).

In the most recent election, Labour made no net gains or losses, winning a seat from the Conservatives but also losing a seat to the Green Party and giving the Greens their first seat on the council.[6] The Liberal Democrats also held a seat gained through a defection from the Conservatives.[7]

The seats up for election this year were last contested in 2022. In that election, Labour won 17 seats (up 1), the Conservatives won 3 seats (down 1), and the Liberal Democrats won 2 seats (steady).

Council composition

After 2024 election Before 2026 election[1][a]
Party Seats Party Seats
Labour 49 Labour 51
Liberal Democrats 9 Liberal Democrats 9
Conservative 4 Conservative 3
Green 1 Green 1
Reform UK 0 Reform UK 1
Your Party N/A Your Party 1
Independent 2 Independent 0
Vacant 1 Vacant 0

Changes 2024–2026:

  • March 2024: Paula Spencer (Labour) dies – by-election held June 2024[8]
  • May 2024: John Fairclough (Labour) resigns – by-election held July 2024[9]
  • June 2024: Helen Duerden (Labour) wins by-election[10]
  • July 2024: Jim Conalty (Labour) wins by-election[11]
  • October 2024:
    • Paul Tweed (Labour) expelled from party[12]
    • Paul Tweed (Independent) resigns – by-election held November 2024[13]
  • November 2024: Julia Garner (Labour) wins by-election[14]
  • May 2025: Natasha Carlin (Independent, elected as Labour) resigns – by-election held June 2025[15]
  • June 2025: David Roscoe (Labour) nominally gains by-election from Independent[16]
  • August 2025: Mike Morris (Conservative) joins Reform[17]

References

  1. ^ Last updated 10 February 2026.
  1. ^ a b "Sefton Council Composition: Latest". opencouncildata.co.uk. Open Council Data UK. Archived from the original on 10 February 2026. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  2. ^ "BBC News - Election 2011 - England council elections - Sefton". BBC News. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  3. ^ "Sefton Council Election Results 1973-2012" (PDF). Elections Centre. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  4. ^ "Vote 2002 - Sefton". BBC News. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  5. ^ Hall, Sarah (12 June 2004). "Best ever results just a start, says Kennedy". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  6. ^ Haygarth, Dan; Barnes, Edward; Westwood, Katie; Jessett, Elliot; Thorp, Liam (2 May 2024). "Sefton Council local elections 2024 result in full". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  7. ^ Rand, Lisa (12 May 2023). "Former Sefton conservative councillor joins Liberal Democrats". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  8. ^ "MEETING HELD AT THE TOWN HALL, SOUTHPORT ON THURSDAY 18 APRIL 2024" (PDF). Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  9. ^ Boothroyd, David. "Kingstanding still". LocalCouncils.co.uk. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  10. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — St Oswald Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  11. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Linacre Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  12. ^ Thorp, Liam (4 October 2024). "Shamed pervert councillor was governor at primary school". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  13. ^ Boothroyd, David. "Double SNP win in Dundee". LocalCouncils.co.uk. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  14. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Litherland Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  15. ^ Boothroyd, David. "Reform gets Broads support". LocalCouncils.co.uk. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  16. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Blundellsands Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
  17. ^ Dukes, Emma (21 August 2025). "Councillor becomes Sefton's first to join Reform UK". LiverpoolWorld. Retrieved 9 January 2026.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.