This article documents the strengths of political parties in the 317 local authorities of England, 32 local authorities of Scotland, 22 principal councils of Wales and 11 local councils of Northern Ireland.
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.
This article does not cover the Greater London Authority or the 15 combined authorities of England (and their respective mayors). It also does not cover the 35 police and crime commissioners or four police, fire and crime commissioners in England and Wales. And it also does not include the thousands of parish/local councils of England, community councils of Scotland and community councils of Wales.
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. Councils in England and Northern Ireland run on four year cycles, while councils in Scotland and, from 2022, Wales run on five year cycles. An English local authority's councillors may be elected all at once, by halves or thirds. 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.
Summary Total number of councillors by political party Last full update: 5 March 2026 PartyTotalEnglandWalesScotlandNorthern IrelandLabour3,891482258Conservative3,5811021720Liberal Democrats3,2066788Reform UK2,3222223Green (E&W)1,30014SNP413Plaid Cymru201Sinn Féin144DUP120Alliance66Ulster Unionist52SDLP36Restore Britain38000Aspire33Ashfield Independents32Scottish Greens32Canvey Island Independents14Your Party803Havering Residents Association11Great Yarmouth First10TUV10Liberal700Green (NI)5Advance UK800Mebyon Kernow3Chislehurst Matters3SDP3Merton Park Residents Association2People Before Profit2PUP1Other parties and independents1,89434023625Vacancies4233540 Total19,10716,1691,2341,226462
Political control of local government in England
The table below shows which party has political control of each of the 21 non-metropolitan county councils (CC), the 62 unitary authorities (UA), the 36 metropolitan boroughs (MB), the 32 London boroughs (LB), the 164 district councils (DC) and the 2 sui generis entities: the City of London (CL) and the Isles of Scilly (IS). In total, 314 local government councils.
The table differentiates between councils governed by a single party and others where a party leads a coalition that governs the council. Councils not controlled by the Conservatives (CON), Labour (LAB), Liberal Democrats (LDM), Reform UK (RFM) or Greens (GRN) are grouped in the category: OTHER.
Last full update: 21 August 2025 (Partially updated 9 May 2026) PartyCCUA + ISMBLB + CLDCTotal no. of councils% of all councilsLAB –2721144210132.0LAB-led coalition -31 –841.2LAB-3022145010533.2CON3938315417.1CON-led coalition –1 – –451.6CON71036355918.7LDM41223315216.5LDM-led coalition16 – –17247.6LDM51823487624.1RFM143 9 1 -278.5RFM-led coalition - - - - - - -RFM9311-278.5GRN -3 - 53113.5GRN-led coalition -0 - -88 2.5GRN-3-511196.0OTHER control –2 –29134.1OTHER-led coalition - - – -11113.5OTHER-2–220247.6 Total21643633164316100.0
England: unitary authorities
Last full update: 29 July 2026 Unitary authorityControlCouncillorsCycle Total CON LAB LDM RFM GRN OtherVacantLeader and cabinetLDM 59263839 1AllURL OCDUK BedfordMayor and cabinetCON 4614121343AllURL OCDUK Blackburn with DarwenLeader and cabinetLAB51520917ThirdsURL OCDUK BlackpoolLeader and cabinetLAB 42112641AllURL OCDUK Bournemouth, Christchurch and PooleLDM/IND (coalition)7698283523AllURL OCDUK Bracknell ForestLAB (minority) 411020731AllURL OCDUK Brighton & HoveLAB 54533115AllURL OCDUK Bristol Committee systemGRN (minority) 707199341AllURL OCDUK BuckinghamshireLeader and cabinetCON 97503262214AllURL OCDUK Central BedfordshireIND (minority) 6320482128AllURL OCDUK Cheshire EastCommittee systemLAB/IND (coalition) 823228111191AllURL OCDUK Cheshire West and ChesterLeader and cabinetLAB (minority) 7020351338AllURL OCDUK CornwallLeader and cabinetLDM/IND (coalition) 877426203271AllURL OCDUK CumberlandLeader and cabinetLAB 468254351All OCDUK Darlington Leader and cabinetLAB/LD (coalition) 5013232165AllURL OCDUK DerbyLAB (minority) 511424364AllURL OCDUKDorsetLeader and cabinetLD/GRN (coalition) 823024244AllURL OCDUK DurhamLeader and cabinetRFM 981515562191AllURL OCDUK East Riding of YorkshireCON (minority) 67244213312AllURL OCDUK(shadow council, assuming full control April 2027)LDM 721040589 AllURL OCDUK HaltonLeader and cabinetLAB 54303165ThirdsURL OCDUK Hartlepool Committee systemRFM (minority) 3614157ThirdsURL OCDUK HerefordshireCON (minority) 5320112812AllURL OCDUK Isle of WightLeader and cabinetRFM (minority) 3921419211AllURL OCDUK Kingston upon HullLDM (minority)571626105ThirdsURL OCDUK LeicesterMayor and cabinetLABLAB 5415303421AllURL OCDUK LutonLAB 483221418AllURL OCDUK MedwayLAB 59183137AllURL OCDUK MiddlesbroughMayor and cabinetLABLAB 464241215AllURL OCDUK Milton KeynesLDM 5712182091ThirdsURL OCDUK North East LincolnshireREF (minority) 4210113144ThirdsURL OCDUK North LincolnshireCON 4327151AllURL OCDUK North NorthamptonshireLeader and cabinetRFM 6611413985AllURL OCDUK North SomersetLD/LAB/GRN/IND (coalition) 50121092881AllURL OCDUK North YorkshireCON (minority) 904110135516AllURL OCDUK Northumberland Leader and cabinetCON (minority) 6728831929AllURL OCDUK Nottingham Leader and cabinetLAB 55431101AllURL OCDUK PeterboroughLAB (minority) 601410857161ThirdsURL OCDUK PlymouthLAB 573301635ThirdsURL OCDUK PortsmouthLDM (minority) 423323121ThirdsURL OCDUK ReadingLAB 48529311ThirdsURL OCDUK Redcar & Cleveland Leader and cabinetLAB (minority) 591320101151AllURL OCDUK Rutland Leader and cabinetLDM (minority) 2772108AllURL OCDUK ShropshireLeader and cabinetLDM 7474401544AllURL OCDUK SloughCON/LD (coalition) 4219111011AllURL OCDUK SomersetLDM 110315623441AllURL OCDUK South GloucestershireLD/LAB (coalition) 6123141914AllURL OCDUK SouthamptonLAB (minority) 51624885ThirdsURL OCDUK Southend-on-SeaLAB/GRN/LD (coalition) 51111731145ThirdsURL OCDUK Stockton-on-Tees Leader and cabinetLAB (minority) 5626228AllURL OCDUK Stoke-on-TrentLAB 4482754AllURL OCDUK SwindonCON (minority) 5723191142ThirdsURL OCDUK Telford and WrekinLAB 5483763AllURL OCDUK ThurrockRFM 492443ThirdsURL OCDUK TorbayCON (minority) 3617154AllURL OCDUK WarringtonLeader and cabinetLAB 58240115AllURL OCDUK West BerkshireLDM 431112821AllURL OCDUK West NorthamptonshireLeader and cabinetRFM 761787395AllURL OCDUK(shadow council, assuming full control April 2027)LDM 90205695 AllURL OCDUK Westmorland and FurnessLeader and cabinetLDM 6591535114AllURL OCDUK WiltshireLeader and cabinetLDM (minority) 9838143106AllURL OCDUK Windsor and MaidenheadLDM 41721112AllURL OCDUK WokinghamLDM 54195291ThirdsURL OCDUK YorkLAB 47324191AllURL OCDUK
Metropolitan district councils
Last full update: 11 May 2026 Metropolitan district councilControlCouncillorsCycle Total LAB CON LDM GRN RFM OtherVacant BarnsleyLeader and cabinetRFM 63118422ThirdsURL OCDUK BirminghamLeader and cabinetNOC1011716121922132AllURL OCDUK BoltonLeader and cabinetLAB (minority) 602011531011ThirdsURL OCDUK BradfordLeader and cabinetNOC 9017181929133ThirdsURL OCDUK BuryLeader and cabinetLAB 513036111ThirdsURL OCDUK CalderdaleLeader and cabinetRFM 518027343ThirdsURL OCDUK CoventryLeader and cabinetNOC 54246420ThirdsURL OCDUK DoncasterMayor and cabinetLABRFM 55126343AllURL OCDUK DudleyLeader and cabinetCON (minority) 7215274233ThirdsURL OCDUK GatesheadLeader and cabinetRFM 661213338ThirdsURL OCDUK KirkleesLeader and cabinetNOC 6995122914ThirdsURL OCDUK KnowsleyLeader and cabinetLAB 45243846ThirdsURL OCDUK LeedsLeader and cabinetNOC 9957146111010ThirdsURL OCDUK LiverpoolLeader and cabinetLABLAB 855713411AllURL OCDUK ManchesterLeader and cabinetLAB 966342171ThirdsURL OCDUKLeader and cabinetNOC 7822524243ThirdsURL OCDUK North TynesideMayor and cabinetLABLAB 603882111ThirdsURL OCDUK OldhamLeader and cabinetLAB (minority)6018461616ThirdsURL OCDUK RochdaleLeader and cabinetLAB 603173154ThirdsURL OCDUK RotherhamLeader and cabinetLAB 59311331110AllURL OCDUK SalfordMayor and cabinetLAB 60346131421ThirdsURL OCDUK SandwellLeader and cabinetRFM 72282411ThirdsURL OCDUK SeftonLeader and cabinetLAB 663617355ThirdsURL OCDUK SheffieldCommittee systemNOC 84252220134ThirdsURL OCDUK SolihullLeader and cabinetNOC 51246417ThirdsURL OCDUK South TynesideLeader and cabinetRFM 54110412ThirdsURL OCDUK St HelensLeader and cabinetRFM 482133462AllURL OCDUK StockportLeader and cabinetLDM 6314133429ThirdsURL OCDUK SunderlandLeader and cabinetRFM 75512571ThirdsURL OCDUK TamesideLeader and cabinetNOC 57255198Thirds OCDUK TraffordLeader and cabinetLAB 633512772ThirdsURL OCDUK WakefieldLeader and cabinetRFM 63112158ThirdsURL OCDUK WalsallLeader and cabinetRFM 60110409ThirdsURL OCDUK WiganLeader and cabinetLAB 7542258ThirdsURL OCDUK WirralCommittee systemLAB (minority) 66271461432AllURL OCDUK WolverhamptonLeader and cabinetLAB 603510132ThirdsURL OCDUK
London borough councils
Last full update: 11 May 2026
London borough councilsControlCouncillorsCycle Total LAB CON LDM GRN RFM OtherVacant Barking and DagenhamLeader and cabinetLAB 513849AllURL OCDUK BarnetLeader and cabinetNOC 6331311AllURL OCDUK BexleyLeader and cabinetCON459297AllURL OCDUK BrentLeader and cabinetNOC 572611119AllURL OCDUK BromleyLeader and cabinetCON 58835668AllURL OCDUK CamdenLeader and cabinetLAB 55303101011AllURL OCDUK CroydonMayor and cabinetCONNOC 7030282721AllURL OCDUK EalingLeader and cabinetLAB 704651351AllURL OCDUK EnfieldLeader and cabinetNOC 6327315AllURL OCDUK GreenwichLeader and cabinetLAB 55356131AllURL OCDUK HackneyMayor and cabinetGRNGRN 579642AllURL OCDUK Hammersmith and FulhamLeader and cabinetLAB 5038121AllURL OCDUK HaringeyLeader and cabinetNOC 5721828AllURL OCDUK HarrowLeader and cabinetCON 5512421AllURL OCDUK HaveringLeader and cabinetRFM 5523914AllURL OCDUK HillingdonLeader and cabinetCON 531630142AllURL OCDUK HounslowLeader and cabinetLAB 6232171381AllURL OCDUK IslingtonLeader and cabinetLAB 513219AllURL OCDUK Kensington and ChelseaLeader and cabinetCON 5013343AllURL OCDUK Kingston upon ThamesCommitteeLDM 482442AllURL OCDUK LambethLeader and cabinetNOC 63268281AllURL OCDUK LewishamMayor and cabinetGRNGRN 5414391AllURL OCDUK MertonLeader and cabinetLAB 57324192AllURL OCDUK NewhamMayor and cabinetLABNOC 66261624AllURL OCDUK RedbridgeLeader and cabinetLAB 63435519AllURL OCDUKLeader and cabinetLDM 5454AllURL OCDUK SouthwarkLeader and cabinetNOC 63291222AllURL OCDUK SuttonCommittee systemLDM 5415121AllURL OCDUK Tower HamletsMayor and cabinetAspireAspire 455111533AllURL OCDUK Waltham ForestLeader and cabinetGRN 60151431AllURL OCDUK WandsworthLeader and cabinetNOC 5828291AllURL OCDUK WestminsterLeader and cabinetCON 542232AllURL OCDUK
England: sui generis councils
Last full update: 16 July 2025 Sui generis councilControlCouncillorsCycle TotalLABOther VacantCity of London CorporationIND1257118AllURLIsles of ScillyIND1616AllURL OCDUK
England: two-tier county and district councils County councils
Last full update: 11 May 2026