2026 Suffolk County Council election

2026 Suffolk County Council election

The 2026 Suffolk County Council election is a local government election for Suffolk County Council in England, United Kingdom. It will take place on 7 May 2026 as part of the 2026 local elections.

Overview

2026 Suffolk County Council election

The 2026 election for new councillors for Suffolk County Council will take place on 7 May 2026 as part of the 2026 local elections in the United Kingdom.

This election will be first taken after the implementation of a review by Local Government Boundary Commission for England which will reduce the number of councillors from 75 to 70. All 70 councillors are elected from 69 electoral divisions, which return either one or two county councillors each, by first-past-the-post voting.

Beccles and Kessingland is the only two-member ward, with all other wards being one-member. Voters who live in the two-member division are entitled to cast a maximum of two votes, while those living in the divisions only electing one councillor are only entitled to cast one vote.

The election was postponed from 2025 due to the 2024–present structural changes to local government in England.

The government announced plans to further delay the election to 2027, following support from the Conservative administration, but reversed the decision following a legal challenge.

Previous composition

2021 election

Party	Seats
	Conservative	55
	Green	9
	Labour	5
	Liberal Democrats	4
	Independent	1
	West Suffolk Independents	1
Total	75

Composition of council seats before election

Party	Seats
	Conservative
	Labour
	Liberal Democrats
	Green
	Independent
	West Suffolk Independents
	Reform UK
Vacant
Total	75

Changes between elections

In between the 2021 election and the 2026 election, the following council seats changed hands:

<table><thead><tr><th>Division</th><th>Date</th><th>Previous party</th><th>New party</th><th>Cause</th><th>Resulting council composition</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Con</td><td>Grn</td><td>Lab</td><td>LD</td><td>Ind</td><td>WSI</td><td>Ref</td></tr><tr><td>2021 Suffolk County Council election</td><td>55</td><td>9</td><td>5</td><td>4</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Felixstowe Coastal</td><td>4 May 2023</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td><td>Liberal Democrats</td><td>Sitting councillor died. Liberal Democrats won by-election.</td><td>54</td><td>9</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Whitehouse & Whitton</td><td>6 February 2024</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td><td>Independent</td><td>Councillor quit party to sit as an independent member.</td><td>53</td><td>9</td><td>5</td><td>5</td><td>2</td><td>1</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Pakefield</td><td>4 July 2024</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td><td>Labour</td><td>Won by-election.</td><td>52</td><td>9</td><td>6</td><td>5</td><td>2</td><td>1</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Belstead Brook</td><td>6 September 2024</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td><td>Reform UK</td><td>Councillor defected to Reform UK.</td><td>51</td><td>9</td><td>6</td><td>5</td><td>2</td><td>1</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>Eastgate & Moreton Hall</td><td>21 April 2025</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td><td>Independent</td><td>Councillor quit party to sit as an independent member.</td><td>51</td><td>9</td><td>6</td><td>5</td><td>2</td><td>1</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>Whitehouse & Whitton</td><td></td><td>Independent</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td>Councillor rejoined party.</td></tr><tr><td>Tower</td><td>3 July 2025</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td><td>Reform UK</td><td>Won by-election.</td><td>50</td><td>9</td><td>6</td><td>5</td><td>2</td><td>1</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td>Tower</td><td>18 September 2025</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td><td>Independent</td><td>Councillor quit party to sit as an independent member.</td><td>48</td><td>9</td><td>6</td><td>5</td><td>3</td><td>1</td><td>3</td></tr><tr><td>Sudbury East and Waldingfield</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td><td>Reform UK</td><td>Councillor defected.</td></tr><tr><td>Whitehouse & Whitton</td><td>30 September 2025</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td><td>Independent</td><td>Councillor quit party to sit as an independent member.</td><td>47</td><td>9</td><td>6</td><td>5</td><td>4</td><td>1</td><td>3</td></tr><tr><td>Haverhill Cangle</td><td>7 October 2025</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td><td>Reform UK</td><td>Councillor defected.</td><td>46</td><td>9</td><td>6</td><td>5</td><td>4</td><td>1</td><td>4</td></tr><tr><td>Pakefield</td><td>23 October 2025</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td><td>Reform UK</td><td>Councillor died.</td><td>45</td><td>9</td><td>6</td><td>5</td><td>4</td><td>1</td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td>Martlesham</td><td>14 January 2026</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td><td>Reform UK</td><td>Councillor defected.</td><td>44</td><td>9</td><td>6</td><td>5</td><td>4</td><td>1</td><td>6</td></tr></tbody></table>

Summary

Election result

2026 Suffolk County Council election
Party	Candidates	Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	Conservative
	Green
	Labour
	Reform UK
	Liberal Democrats
	Independent
	WSI

Incumbents by local authority

Babergh

<table><thead><tr><th>Ward</th><th>Incumbent councillor</th><th>Party</th><th>Re-standing</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Belstead Brook</td><td>Christopher Hudson</td><td></td><td>Reform UK</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Cosford</td><td>Robert Lindsay</td><td></td><td>Green</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Great Cornard</td><td>Peter Beer</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Hadleigh</td><td>Mick Fraser</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Melford</td><td>Richard Kemp</td><td></td><td>Independent</td><td>No</td></tr><tr><td>Peninsula</td><td>Simon Harley</td><td></td><td>Green</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Samford</td><td>Georgia Hall</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Stour Valley</td><td>James Finch</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Sudbury</td><td>Jessie Carter</td><td></td><td>Green</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Sudbury East & Waldingfield</td><td>Philip Faircloth-Mutton</td><td></td><td>Reform UK</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

East Suffolk

<table><thead><tr><th>Division</th><th>Incumbent councillor</th><th>Party</th><th>Re-standing</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Aldeburgh & Leiston</td><td>TJ Haworth-Cuff</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Beccles</td><td>Caroline Topping</td><td></td><td>Green</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Beccles</td><td>Ash Lever</td><td></td><td>Green</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Blything</td><td>Richard Smith</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td>No</td></tr><tr><td>Bungay</td><td>Judy Cloke</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Carlford</td><td>Elaine Bryce</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Felixstowe Coastal</td><td>Seamus Bennett</td><td></td><td>Liberal Democrats</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Felixstowe Coastal</td><td>Steve Wiles</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Felixstowe North & Trimley</td><td>Stuart Bird</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Framlingham</td><td>Stephen Burroughes</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Gunton</td><td>Ryan Harvey</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Gunton</td><td>James Reader</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Halesworth</td><td>Annette Dunning</td><td></td><td>Green</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Kesgrave & Rushmere St Andrew</td><td>Stuart Lawson</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Kesgrave & Rushmere St Andrew</td><td>Debbie McCallum</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Kessingland & Southwold</td><td>Michael Ladd</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Lowestoft South</td><td>Jenny Ceresa</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Lowestoft South</td><td>Jamie Starling</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Martlesham</td><td>Patti Mulcahy</td><td></td><td>Reform UK</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Oulton</td><td>Keith Robinson</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Oulton</td><td>Edward Back</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Pakefield</td><td>Peter Byatt</td><td></td><td>Labour</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Pakefield</td><td>June Mummery</td><td></td><td>Reform UK</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Wickham</td><td>Alexander Nicoll</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Wilford</td><td>Andrew Reid</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Woodbridge</td><td>Ruth Leach</td><td></td><td>Liberal Democrats</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

Ipswich

<table><thead><tr><th>Ward</th><th>Incumbent councillor</th><th>Party</th><th>Re-standing</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Bixley</td><td>Paul West</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Bridge</td><td>Rob Bridgeman</td><td></td><td>Labour</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Chantry</td><td>Nadia Cenci</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Chantry</td><td>Nathan Wilson</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Gainsborough</td><td>Liz Harsant</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Priory Heath</td><td>Lucy Smith</td><td></td><td>Labour</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Rushmere</td><td>Sandy Martin</td><td></td><td>Labour Co-op</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>St Helen's</td><td>Elizabeth Farrow</td><td></td><td>Labour</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>St John's</td><td>Adele Cook</td><td></td><td>Labour Co-op</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>St Margaret's & Westgate</td><td>Inga Lockington</td><td></td><td>Liberal Democrats</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>St Margaret's & Westgate</td><td>Debbie Richards</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Whitehouse & Whitton</td><td>Sam Murray</td><td></td><td>Independent</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Whitehouse & Whitton</td><td>David Goldsmith</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

Mid Suffolk

<table><thead><tr><th>Ward</th><th>Incumbent councillor</th><th>Party</th><th>Re-standing</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Bosmere</td><td>Kay Oakes</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Gipping Valley</td><td>Chris Chambers</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Hartismere</td><td>Jessica Fleming</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Hoxne & Eye</td><td>Henry Lloyd</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Stowmarket North & Stowupland</td><td>Keith Welham</td><td></td><td>Green</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Stowmarket South</td><td>Keith Scarff</td><td></td><td>Liberal Democrats</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Thedwastre North</td><td>Andy Mellan</td><td></td><td>Green</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Thedwastre South</td><td>Penny Otton</td><td></td><td>Liberal Democrats</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Thredling</td><td>Matthew Hicks</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Upper Gipping</td><td>Andrew Stringer</td><td></td><td>Green</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

West Suffolk

<table><thead><tr><th>Ward</th><th>Incumbent councillor</th><th>Party</th><th>Re-standing</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Blackbourn</td><td>Joanna Spicer</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td>No</td></tr><tr><td>Brandon</td><td>Victor Lukaniuk</td><td></td><td>WSI</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Clare</td><td>Bobby Bennett</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Eastgate & Moreton Hall</td><td>Peter Thompson</td><td></td><td>Independent</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Exning & Newmarket</td><td>Rachel Hood</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Hardwick</td><td>Richard Rout</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Haverhill Cangle</td><td>Joe Mason</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Haverhill Cangle</td><td>Heike Sowa</td><td></td><td>Reform UK</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Haverhill East & Kedlington</td><td>David Roach</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Mildenhall</td><td>Lance Stanbury</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Newmarket & Red Lodge</td><td>Andy Drummond</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Row Heath</td><td>Colin Noble</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Thingoe North</td><td>Beccy Hopfensperger</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Thingoe South</td><td>Karen Soons</td><td></td><td>Conservative</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Tower</td><td>David Nettleton</td><td></td><td>Independent</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Tower</td><td>Martin Robinson</td><td></td><td>Reform UK</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>