2026 Swindon Borough Council election

2026 Swindon Borough Council election

7 May 2026 (2026-05-07)

All 57 seats to Swindon Borough Council
29 seats needed for a majority
 
Leader Jim Robbins Gary Sumner Tom Butcher
Party Labour Conservative Green
Last election 41 seats, 50.2% 15 seats, 35.5% 0 seats, 5.0%
Current seats 34[1] 16 4

 
Leader Adam Poole
Party Independent Liberal Democrats
Last election 0 seats, 1.4% 1 seat, 9.8%
Current seats 2 1

Incumbent Leader

Jim Robbins
Labour



The 2026 Swindon Borough Council election will take place on 7 May 2026 to elect councillors to Swindon Borough Council in Wiltshire, England. The elections is on the same day as other local elections across England. All seats will be contested.[2]

At the previous council election, Labour kept an overall majority control of Swindon Borough Council with 41 out of 57 seats, with the Conservatives having 15 seats.[3] In 2025, four Labour councillors defected to the Green Party.[4]

Previous council composition

After 2024 election Before 2026 election
Party Seats Party Seats
Labour 41 Labour 34
Conservative 15 Conservative 16
Green 0 Green 4
Liberal Democrats 1 Liberal Democrats 1
Independent 0 Independent 2

Changes 2024–2026:

  • September 2024: Will Stone (Labour) resigns – by-election held October 2024[5]
  • October 2024: Sudha Nukana (Conservative) gains by-election from Labour[6]
  • March 2025: Matt Lodge (Labour) leaves party to sit as an independent[7]
  • September 2025: Ian Edwards (Labour) and Sean Wilson (Labour) leave party to sit as independents[8]
  • October 2025: Repi Begum (Labour), Tom Butcher (Labour), and Ian Edwards (Indepedent) join Green Party[9]
  • November 2025: Rob Heath (Labour) joins Green Party[10]

References

  1. ^ "Swindon Council Composition: Latest". opencouncildata.co.uk. Open Council Data UK. Archived from the original on 11 February 2026. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  2. ^ "Election timetable in England". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2024-04-07.
  3. ^ Thomas, Aled (3 May 2024). "Labour tightens grip on Swindon council after election triumph". Swindon Advertiser. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
  4. ^ Robertson, Kirsten (26 November 2025). "Town sees fourth councillor defect to Greens". BBC News. Retrieved 15 December 2025.
  5. ^ Boothroyd, David. "Crane forward to see a Tory gain". LocalCouncils.co.uk. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  6. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Rodbourne Cheney Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  7. ^ Boothroyd, David. "Fabian gets the Exe". LocalCouncils.co.uk. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  8. ^ Thomas, Aled (29 September 2025). "Swindon councillors announce split from Labour group". Swindon Advertiser. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  9. ^ Thomas, Aled (22 October 2025). "Green Party gathers pace as two more Swindon councillors defect". Swindon Advertiser. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  10. ^ "Fourth Swindon borough councillor defects from Labour to Greens". BBC News. 26 November 2025. Retrieved 31 December 2025.