The 2026 Hyndburn Borough Council election was held on 7 May 2026, to elect 11 of the 35 members of Hyndburn Borough Council in Lancashire, England, being the usual approximate third of the council. This was on the same day as other local elections across the country.
Hyndburn requested the election to be cancelled, but the government abandoned its initial plans to cancel some 2026 elections following a legal challenge.
Prior to this election, the council was under Labour majority control. At the election, the council went under no overall control. Labour remained the largest party, but fell one seat short of a majority. They managed to form a minority administration, and the incumbent Labour leader of the council, Munsif Dad, was reappointed to the role at the annual council meeting on 28 May 2026.
Background Before the election Labour had 21 councillors, the Conservatives had 13 councillors and the Greens had 1. Eighteen or more seats are needed for overall control of the council. Labour were running the council as a majority administration.
The seats up for election in 2026 had last been contested in 2022. Due to plans outlined by the government in 2024 to abolish several borough councils in Lancashire in favour of new unitary authorities, it was not known if the 2026 election in Hyndburn would be required. In 2025, Labour council leader Munsif Dad had said that the elections would be going ahead as planned.
Munsif Dad later wrote to the government to request a delay to the election until 2027, and the government initially agreed to delay the election. On 16 February 2026, the government abandoned its plans to delay the elections after a legal challenge, and confirmed that the election would take place as originally planned.
Council composition After 2024 election Before 2026 election After 2026 election Party Seats Party Seats Party Seats 22 21 17 11 11 8 0 0 8 1 2 1 1 1 1
Following this election, Labour lost its majority control of the council, being left with only 17 seats, instead of the 18 or more needed for full control. The council was therefore left under no overall control. Labour held one seat, the Conservatives re-gained one seat, an Independent won one seat and Reform gained the remaining eight seats.
Changes 2024–2026 November 2024: Edward Blake (Labour) dies – by-election held February 2025 February 2025: David Heap (Conservative) gains by-election from Labour June 2025: Joyce Plummer (Independent) joins Conservatives February 2026: Marlene Haworth (Conservative) dies March 2026: Josh Allen (Conservative) resigns the from the Conservative party. April 2026: Andrew Clegg (Labour) defects to the Green Party.
Incumbents
Ward Incumbent councillorParty Re-standing Clayton-le-Moors Peter Edwards No Huncoat Danny Cassidy No Immanuel Josh Allen Yes Milnshaw Andrew Clegg Yes Netherton Jodi Clements Yes Overton Scott Brerton Yes Peel Joyce Plummer Yes Rishton Bernard Dawson Yes Spring Hill Kimberley Whitehead No St Andrew's Steven Smithson Yes St Oswald's Vacant N/A The results for when this set of seats was last contested are at 2022 Hyndburn Borough Council election.
NB: Five (of the 16) Council wards, where seats were NOT up for re-election in 2026, included the following wards - Altham, Baxenden and Church, plus Barnfield and Central in Accrington.
Election results
Ward results The results for each ward were as follows, with an asterisk (*) indicating a sitting councillor standing for re-election.
Clayton-le-Moors
Huncoat
Immanuel Steven Smithson was the incumbent councillor for St Andrews, but was standing in Immanuel against the former Conservative Josh Allen, who resigned from the party in March, whilst veteran Conservative Peter Britcliffe stood in St Andrews.
Milnshaw Andrew Clegg (formerly Labour) defected to the Green Party, in April.
Netherton
Overton
Peel
Rishton
Spring Hill Independent Sohail Asghar, was previously suspended from the Green Party back in February, after having given up the Green Party whip due to "an investigation" in December 2025.
St Andrew's
St Oswald's
References
External links Hyndburn Borough Council - Elections Hyndburn Borough Council - 2026 Notice of Election Hyndburn Borough Council - Statement of Persons Nominated Democracy Club Candidates - Hyndburn 2026 BBC - Campaigning steps up before Lancashire's elections BBC - Hyndburn Election Result - Local Elections 2026 LancsLive - Hyndburn in Borough Council elections 2026 results Hyndburn Borough Council - Elections Results 2026 Lancashire Telegraph - Reform UK reshapes Hyndburn Council as Labour loses control