Political make-up of local councils in the United Kingdom

This article documents the strengths of political parties in the 317 local authorities of England,^[1] 32 local authorities of Scotland,^[2] 22 principal councils of Wales^[3] and 11 local councils of Northern Ireland.^[4]

England's 317 local authorities are made up of: 32 London borough councils, 21 county councils and 164 district councils (two tiers of local government which share responsibility for the same physical area), 36 metropolitan district councils, 62 unitary authorities, and 2 sui generis authorities, the City of London Corporation and Council of the Isles of Scilly.^[1]

This article does not cover the Greater London Authority or the 15 combined authorities of England (and their respective mayors).^[1] It also doesn't cover the 35 police and crime commissioners or the four police, fire and crime commissioners in England and Wales.^[5] And it also doesn't include the thousands of parish/local councils of England,^[6] community councils of Scotland^[7] and community councils of Wales.^[3]

English local authorities have a choice of executive arrangements out of a mayor and cabinet executive, a leader and cabinet executive, a committee system or alternative arrangements approved by the Secretary of State.^[1] Councils in England^[1] and Northern Ireland^[8] run on four year cycles, while councils in Scotland^[9] and, from 2022, in Wales^[10] run on five year cycles. An English local authority's councillors may be elected all at once, by halves or by thirds.^[1] Because of this disparate system, various local elections take place every year, but changes in party representation arise frequently regardless due to resignations, deaths, by-elections, co-options and changes of affiliation.

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Party		Total^[a]	England^[b]	Wales^[c]	Scotland^[d]	Northern Ireland^[e]
	Labour	6,323 / 18,740	5,610	526	282
	Conservative	5,035 / 19,228	4,824	111	213	0
	Liberal Democrats	3,009 / 18,740	2,909	68	87
	Green (E&W)	850 / 17,546	757	9	^[f]	^[g]
	Reform UK	811 / 18,740	802	4	5
	SNP	417 / 1,227			453
	Plaid Cymru	201 / 1,231		200
	Sinn Féin	144 / 462				144
	DUP	121 / 462				121
	Alliance	67 / 462				67
	Ulster Unionist	54 / 462				54
	Ashfield Independents	42 / 101	42
	SDLP	37 / 462				37
	Scottish Greens	36 / 1,227			36
	Canvey Island Independents	34 / 116	34
	Aspire	24 / 45	24
	Havering Residents Association	23 / 55	23
	TUV	10 / 462				10
	Mebyon Kernow	5 / 87	5
	Green (NI)	5 / 462				5
	Liberal	5 / 18,646	5	0	0
	Chislehurst Matters	3 / 3	3
	Yorkshire	3 / 1,139	3
	Merton Park Residents Association	2 / 57	2
	People Before Profit	2 / 462				2
	SDP	2 / 18,646	2	0	0
	PUP	1 / 462				1
Other parties and independents		2,317 / 19,228	1649	328	188	21
Vacancies		55	45	4	3	0
Total		19,228	16,249	1,236	1,226	462

Party		NMC	UA + IS	MD	LB + CL	Total no. of councils	% of all councils
	CON control	20	25	4	6	56	36.8
	CON-led coalition	–	1	–	–	1	0.7
	CON	20	27	4	6	57	37.5
	LAB control	–	15	30	21	65	42.8
	LAB-led coalition	1	2	1	–	4	2.6
	LAB	1	16	31	21	69	45.4
	LDM control	1	3	1	3	8	5.3
	LDM-led coalition	1	4	–	–	5	3.3
	LDM	2	7	1	3	13	8.6
	OTHER control	–	4	–	2	6	3.9
	OTHER-led coalition	1	4	–	1	6	3.9
	OTHER	1	8	–	3	12	7.9
	LAB + GRN tie	–	1	–	–	1	0.7
Total		24	59	36	33	152	100.0

London borough councils	Control			Councillors							Cycle	Ref.
London borough councils	Control			Total	LAB	CON	LDM	GRN	Other	Vacant	Cycle	Ref.
Barking and Dagenham	Leader and cabinet	LAB		51	50				1		All	URL OCDUK
Barnet	Leader and cabinet	LAB		63	40	20			3		All	URL OCDUK
Bexley	Leader and cabinet	CON		45	12	32			1		All	URL OCDUK
Brent	Leader and cabinet	LAB		57	49	5	3				All	URL OCDUK
Bromley	Leader and cabinet	CON		58	12	34	5		7		All	URL OCDUK
Camden	Leader and cabinet	LAB		55	46	2	5	1			All	URL OCDUK
Croydon	Mayor and cabinet	CON	NOC	71	34	33	1	2			All	URL OCDUK
Ealing	Leader and cabinet	LAB		70	59	5	6				All	URL Archived 30 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine OCDUK
Enfield	Leader and cabinet	LAB		63	37	25			1		All	URL OCDUK
Greenwich	Leader and cabinet	LAB		55	52	3					All	URL OCDUK
Hackney	Mayor and cabinet	LAB	LAB	57	48	6		3			All	URL OCDUK
Hammersmith and Fulham	Leader and cabinet	LAB		50	39	10			1		All	URL OCDUK
Haringey	Leader and cabinet	LAB		57	45		7	1	4		All	URL OCDUK
Harrow	Leader and cabinet	CON		55	23	31			1		All	URL OCDUK
Havering	Leader and cabinet	IND+LAB		55	9	16			30		All	URL OCDUK
Hillingdon	Leader and cabinet	CON		53	22	30			1		All	URL OCDUK
Hounslow	Leader and cabinet	LAB		62	50	9			2		All	URL OCDUK
Islington	Leader and cabinet	LAB		51	46			3	2		All	URL OCDUK
Kensington and Chelsea	Leader and cabinet	CON		50	8	36	2	1	3		All	URL OCDUK
Kingston upon Thames	Committee	LDM		48		2	42		4		All	URL OCDUK
Lambeth	Leader and cabinet	LAB		63	58		3	2			All	URL OCDUK
Lewisham	Mayor and cabinet	LAB	LAB	54	54						All	URL OCDUK
Merton	Leader and cabinet	LAB		57	30	7	17		3		All	URL OCDUK
Newham	Mayor and cabinet	LAB	LAB	66	61			2	4		All	URL OCDUK
Redbridge	Leader and cabinet	LAB		63	56	5			2		All	URL OCDUK
Richmond upon Thames	Leader and cabinet	LDM		54			49	5			All	URL OCDUK
Southwark	Leader and cabinet	LAB		63	52		11				All	URL OCDUK
Sutton	Committee system^[18]	LDM		54	2	21	29		3		All	URL OCDUK
Tower Hamlets	Mayor and cabinet	IND	IND	45	18	1		1	26		All	URL OCDUK
Waltham Forest	Leader and cabinet	LAB		60	46	13			1		All	URL OCDUK
Wandsworth	Leader and cabinet	LAB		58	34	23			1		All	URL OCDUK
Westminster	Leader and cabinet	LAB		54	28	26					All	URL OCDUK

Metropolitan district council	Control			Councillors							Cycle	Ref.
Metropolitan district council	Control			Total	LAB	CON	LDM	GRN	Other	Vacant	Cycle	Ref.
Barnsley	Leader and cabinet	LAB		63	48	1	11		3		Thirds	URL OCDUK
Birmingham	Leader and cabinet	LAB		101	65	22	12	2			All	URL OCDUK
Bolton	Leader and cabinet	LAB (minority)		60	26	15	6	1	12		Thirds	URL OCDUK
Bradford	Leader and cabinet	LAB		90	49	13	5	10	13		Thirds	URL OCDUK
Bury	Leader and cabinet	LAB		51	32	10			9		Thirds	URL OCDUK
Calderdale	Leader and cabinet	LAB		51	29	11	6	3	2		Thirds	URL OCDUK
Coventry	Leader and cabinet	LAB		54	39	12		2			Thirds	URL OCDUK
Doncaster	Mayor and cabinet	LAB	LAB	55	41	11			3		All	URL OCDUK
Dudley	Leader and cabinet	NOC		72	34	34	3		1		Thirds	URL OCDUK
Gateshead	Leader and cabinet	LAB		66	48		18				Thirds	URL OCDUK
Kirklees	Leader and cabinet	NOC		69	31	15	10	4	9		Thirds	URL OCDUK
Knowsley	Leader and cabinet	LAB		45	31		3	7	4		Thirds	URL OCDUK
Leeds	Leader and cabinet	LAB		99	61	15	6	5	12		Thirds	URL OCDUK
Liverpool	Leader and cabinet	LAB	LAB	85	61		15	3	6		All	URL OCDUK
Manchester	Leader and cabinet	LAB		96	87		4	3	2		Thirds	URL OCDUK
Newcastle upon Tyne	Leader and cabinet	LAB		78	45	1	23	2	7		Thirds	URL OCDUK
North Tyneside	Mayor and cabinet	LAB	LAB	60	51	8			1		Thirds	URL OCDUK
Oldham	Leader and cabinet	NOC		60	27	8	9		16		Thirds	URL OCDUK
Rochdale	Leader and cabinet	LAB		60	44	9	3		4		Thirds	URL OCDUK
Rotherham	Leader and cabinet	LAB		59	33	13	3		10		All	URL OCDUK
Salford	Mayor and cabinet	LAB		60	50	7	2		1		Thirds	URL OCDUK
Sandwell	Leader and cabinet	LAB		72	64	5			3		Thirds	URL OCDUK
Sefton	Leader and cabinet	LAB		66	49	4	9	1	2		Thirds	URL OCDUK
Sheffield	Committee system	NOC		84	35		27	14	8		Thirds	URL OCDUK
Solihull	Leader and cabinet	CON		51	1	30	8	10	2		Thirds	URL OCDUK
South Tyneside	Leader and cabinet	LAB		54	28			11	15		Thirds	URL OCDUK
St Helens	Leader and cabinet	LAB		48	29	2	4	6	7		All	URL OCDUK
Stockport	Leader and cabinet	LDM (minority)		63	22		31	3	7		Thirds	URL OCDUK
Sunderland	Leader and cabinet	LAB		75	53	10	12				Thirds	URL OCDUK
Tameside	Leader and cabinet	LAB		57	48	7		2			Thirds	URL OCDUK
Trafford	Leader and cabinet	LAB		63	43	8	6	6			Thirds	URL OCDUK
Wakefield	Leader and cabinet	LAB		63	56	3	3		1		Thirds	URL OCDUK
Walsall	Leader and cabinet	CON		60	14	37			9		Thirds	URL OCDUK
Wigan	Leader and cabinet	LAB		75	64	1			10		Thirds	URL OCDUK
Wirral	Committee system	LAB (minority)		66	29	17	6	14			All	URL OCDUK
Wolverhampton	Leader and cabinet	LAB		60	47	12			1		Thirds	URL OCDUK

County council	Control		Councillors								Cycle	Ref.
County council	Control		Total	CON	LDM	LAB	REF	GRN	Other	Vacant	Cycle	Ref.
Cambridgeshire	Committee	LDM	61	10	31	5	10	3	2		All	URL OCDUK
Derbyshire	Leader and cabinet	REF	64	12	3	3	42	2	2		All	URL OCDUK
Devon	Leader and cabinet	NOC	60	7	27		18	6	2		All	URL OCDUK
East Sussex	Leader and cabinet	CON (minority)	50	24	12	5		5	4		All	URL OCDUK
Essex	Leader and cabinet	CON	75	51	8	6	1	1	8		All	URL OCDUK
Gloucestershire	Leader and cabinet	NOC	55	6	27	1	11	9	1		All	URL OCDUK
Hampshire	Leader and cabinet	CON	78	51	19	3		1	4		All	URL OCDUK
Hertfordshire	Leader and cabinet	LDM (minority)	78	22	32	4	14	5	1		All	URL OCDUK
Kent	Leader and cabinet	REF	81	5	12	2	57	5			All	URL OCDUK
Lancashire	Leader and cabinet	REF	84	8	5	5	53	4	9		All	URL OCDUK
Leicestershire	Leader and cabinet	REF (minority)	55	15	11	2	25	1	1		All	URL OCDUK
Lincolnshire	Leader and cabinet	REF	70	14	5	3	44		4		All	URL OCDUK
Norfolk	Leader and cabinet	CON	84	54	11	10		4	5		All	URL OCDUK
Nottinghamshire	Leader and cabinet	REF	66	17		4	40		3	2	All	URL OCDUK
Oxfordshire	Leader and cabinet	LDM	69	10	36	12	1	7	3		All	URL OCDUK
Staffordshire	Leader and cabinet	REF	62	10		1	49	1	1		All	URL OCDUK
Suffolk	Leader and cabinet	CON	75	52	5	6		9	3		All	URL OCDUK
Surrey	Leader and cabinet	CON	81	44	16	2		2	17		All	URL OCDUK
Warwickshire	Leader and cabinet	REF (minority)	57	9	14	3	23	7	1		All	URL OCDUK
West Sussex	Leader and cabinet	CON	70	44	11	9	3	4	1		All	URL OCDUK
Worcestershire	Leader and cabinet	NOC	57	12	6	2	27	8	2		All	URL OCDUK

Political make-up of local councils in the United Kingdom

Summary

Total number of councillors by political party

Political control of local government in England

England: London borough councils

England: metropolitan district councils

England: two-tier county and district councils

County councils

District councils

England: unitary authorities

England: sui generis councils

Scotland

Wales

Northern Ireland

See also

References

Notes

External links

Wikiwand - on

Council	Control		Web	Total	LAB	PC	CON	LD	GP	Other
Blaenau Gwent	LAB	maj	URL	33	21					12^{[w 1]}
Bridgend	LAB	maj	URL	51	27	2	1			21^{[w 2]}
Caerphilly	LAB	maj	URL	69	45	18				6^{[w 3]}
Cardiff	LAB	maj	URL	79	55		11	10		3^{[w 4]}
Carmarthenshire	PC	maj	URL	75	23	38				14^{[w 5]}
Ceredigion	PC	maj	URL	38	1	20		7		10^{[w 6]}
Conwy	NOC	IND+LAB+PC	URL	55	11	7	10	4	1	22^{[w 7]}
Denbighshire	NOC	LAB+PC	URL	48	19	8	6	1	2	12^{[w 1]}
Flintshire	NOC	LAB min	URL	67	31		2	4		30^{[w 8]}
Gwynedd	PC	maj	URL	69	1	44		1		23^{[w 9]}
Isle of Anglesey	PC	maj	URL	35	3	21		1		10^{[w 10]}
Merthyr Tydfil	IND	IND	URL	30	14					16^{[w 11]}
Monmouthshire	NOC	LAB min	URL	46	22		18		1	5^{[w 12]}
Neath Port Talbot	NOC	IND+PC	URL	58	25	12		2	1	18^{[w 13]}
Newport	LAB	maj	URL	51	35		7	1	1	7^{[w 14]}
Pembrokeshire	NOC	IND+LAB+PC+LD	URL	60	10	2	11	2		35^{[w 15]}
Powys	NOC	LD+LAB	URL	68	9	3	14	24	1	17^{[w 16]}
Rhondda Cynon Taf	LAB	maj	URL	75	59	8	2			6^{[w 3]}
Swansea	LAB	maj	URL	75	45		7	11	1	11^{[w 17]}
Torfaen	LAB	maj	URL	40	30					10^{[w 10]}
Vale of Glamorgan	NOC	LAB+IND	URL Archived 31 January 2023 at the Wayback Machine	54	25	8	13			8^{[w 18]}
Wrexham	NOC	IND+CON	URL	56	14	9	9	1		23^{[w 9]}