2026 Hyndburn Borough Council election

The 2026 Hyndburn Borough Council election will be 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 will be on the same day as other local elections across the country.

Source: Wikipedia

Article

2026 Hyndburn Borough Council election

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 year, the council was under Labour majority control.

Background

2026 Hyndburn Borough Council election

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. However, back in 2025 Labour council leader Munsif Dad claimed that the elections would be going ahead as planned.

Despite initially confirming that the elections would take place as planned, Labour council leader Munsif Dad later wrote to the government to request a delay to 2027, and the government announced its plans to delay the election. On 16 February 2026, the government abandoned its plans to delay the elections after a legal challenge and confirmed that they will take place as originally planned.

As a result of the Elections Act 2022 electors will be required to present photographic identification to polling staff in order to cast their vote. Postal voters will not be affected.

Council composition

2026 Hyndburn Borough Council election

<table><thead><tr><th>After 2024 election</th><th>Before 2026 election</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Party</td><td>Seats</td><td>Party</td><td>Seats</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Labour</td><td>22</td><td></td><td>Labour</td><td>21</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td>11</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td>12</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Green</td><td>1</td><td></td><td>Green</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Independent</td><td>1</td><td></td><td>Independent</td><td>1</td></tr></tbody></table>

• 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.

Incumbents

2026 Hyndburn Borough Council election

<table><thead><tr><th>Ward</th><th>Incumbent councillor</th><th>Party</th><th>Re-standing</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Clayton-le-Moors</td><td>Peter Edwards</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td>No</td></tr><tr><td>Huncoat</td><td>Danny Cassidy</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td>No</td></tr><tr><td>Immanuel</td><td>Josh Allen</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td>Yes</td></tr><tr><td>Milnshaw</td><td>Andrew Clegg</td><td></td><td>Labour</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Netherton</td><td>Jodi Clements</td><td></td><td>Labour</td><td>Yes</td></tr><tr><td>Overton</td><td>Scott Brerton</td><td></td><td>Labour</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Peel</td><td>Joyce Plummer</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Rishton</td><td>Bernard Dawson</td><td></td><td>Labour</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Spring Hill</td><td>Kimberley Whitehead</td><td></td><td>Labour</td><td>No</td></tr><tr><td>St Andrew's</td><td>Steven Smithson</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td>Yes</td></tr><tr><td>St Oswald's</td><td>Vacant</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

Candidates

Immanuel

<table><thead><tr><th>Party</th><th>Candidate</th><th>Votes</th><th>%</th><th>±%</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td></td><td>Independent</td><td>Josh Blayne Allen</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td>Steven Lee Smithson</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Reform UK</td><td>Anna Stanislawska</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>...</td><td>spoilt votes</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Majority</td><td></td><td></td><td>N/A</td></tr><tr><td>Turnout</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td>Swing</td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

Netherton

<table><thead><tr><th>Party</th><th>Candidate</th><th>Votes</th><th>%</th><th>±%</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td></td><td>Labour</td><td>Jodi Clements</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Reform UK</td><td>Collen Dickinson-Jones</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>...</td><td>spoilt votes</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Majority</td><td></td><td></td><td>N/A</td></tr><tr><td>Turnout</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td>Swing</td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

St Andrew's

<table><thead><tr><th>Party</th><th>Candidate</th><th>Votes</th><th>%</th><th>±%</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td>Peter Britcliffe</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Reform UK</td><td>Gaynor Hargreaves</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td>...</td><td>spoilt votes</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Majority</td><td></td><td></td><td>N/A</td></tr><tr><td>Turnout</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td>Swing</td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>