2026 Southampton City Council election

2026 Southampton City Council election

The 2026 Southampton City Council election will be held on 7 May 2026, alongside the other local elections across the United Kingdom being held on the same day, to elect 18 of 51 members of Southampton City Council. In addition to the regular 17 seats up for election, there will be an additional by-election in Shirley ward due to the resignation of the incumbent councillor.

Due to ongoing local government reorganisation, this will be the final election to Southampton City Council before it is abolished and replaced by a successor unitary authority. Elections to the successor authority are due to take place in 2027.

Council composition

2026 Southampton City Council election

After 2024 election	Before 2026 election
Party	Seats	Party	Seats
	Labour	36		Labour	32
	Conservative	10		Conservative	9
	Liberal Democrats	4		Liberal Democrats	7
	Green	1		Green	2
	Reform	0		Reform	1

• August 2024: Satvir Kaur (Labour) resigns – by-election held October 2024 • October 2024: George Percival (Liberal Democrats) gains by-election from Labour • March 2025: Matt Renyard (Labour) joins Greens • June 2025: Matthew Bunday (Labour) joins Liberal Democrats • August 2025: Rebecca McCreanor (Labour) joins Liberal Democrats • January 2026: George Percival (Liberal Democrats) resigns – by-election held February 2026 • February 2026: • Sarah Powell-Vaughan (Conservatives) joins Reform • Chris Shank (Liberal Democrats) wins by-election

Summary

Background

In (/wiki/2024SouthamptonCityCouncilelection), Labour retained control of the council.

Election result

2026 Southampton City Council election
Party	This election	Full council	This election
Seats	Net	Seats %	Other	Total	Total %	Votes	Votes %	+/−
	Labour				22
	Conservative				6
	Liberal Democrats				4
	Green				1
	Reform				0
	Independent				0

Incumbents

2026 Southampton City Council election

<table><thead><tr><th>Ward</th><th>Incumbent councillor</th><th>Party</th><th>Re-standing</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Banister & Polygon</td><td>Steve Leggett</td><td></td><td>Labour</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Bargate</td><td>John Noon</td><td></td><td>Labour</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Bassett</td><td>Sam Chapman</td><td></td><td>Liberal Democrats</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Bevois</td><td>Mike Denness</td><td></td><td>Labour</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Bitterne Park</td><td>Phil Webb</td><td></td><td>Labour</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Coxford</td><td>Rebecca McCreanor</td><td></td><td>Liberal Democrats</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Freemantle</td><td>Pam Kenny</td><td></td><td>Labour</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Harefield</td><td>Valerie Laurent</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Millbrook</td><td>Jeremy Moulton</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Peartree</td><td>Alex Houghton</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Portswood</td><td>Marie Finn</td><td></td><td>Labour</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Redbridge</td><td>Lee Whitbread</td><td></td><td>Labour</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Shirley</td><td>Alexander Winning</td><td></td><td>Labour</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Shirley (by-election)</td><td>George Percival</td><td></td><td>Liberal Democrats</td><td>No</td></tr><tr><td>Sholing</td><td>Sarah Powell-Vaughan</td><td></td><td>Reform</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Swaythling</td><td>Matthew Bunday</td><td></td><td>Liberal Democrats</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Thornhill</td><td>Andy Frampton</td><td></td><td>Labour</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Woolston</td><td>Sue Blatchford</td><td></td><td>Labour</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>