2026 Bury Council election

2026 Bury Council election
7 May 2026 (2026-05-07)
17 out of 51 seats to Bury Council
26 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Eamonn O'Brien Mike Smith None
Party Labour Radcliffe First Reform
Leader's seat St Mary's Radcliffe West
Last election 32 seats, 45.4% 8 seats, 7.8% 0 seats, 1.0%
Seats before 32[1] 7 3
Seats won 8 2 5
Seats after 31 7 6
Seat change Steady Increase 3
Popular vote 16,012 3,711 18,135
Percentage 26.8% 6.2% 30.4%
Swing Decrease 18.6pp Decrease 1.6pp Increase 29.4pp
  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
 
Leader Shahbaz Arif Russell Bernstein
Party Conservative Together for Bury Independent
Leader's seat Bury West Pilkington Park
Last election 10 seats, 25.9% Did not exist 1 seats, 0.4%
Seats before 5 3 1
Seats won 0 0 1
Seats after 3 2 1
Seat change Decrease 2 Decrease 1 Steady
Popular vote 8,094 595 1,889
Percentage 13.6% 1.0% 3.2%
Swing Decrease 12.3pp N/A Increase 2.8pp
  Seventh party
 
Party Workers Party
Last election 0 seats, 2.9%
Seats before 0
Seats won 1
Seats after 1
Seat change Increase 1
Popular vote 1,511
Percentage 2.5%
Swing Decrease 0.4pp
Winner of each seat at the 2026 Bury Council election (excluding the delayed poll in Moorside).
Leader before election

Eamonn O'Brien
Labour

 Leader after election

TBD
Labour

The 2026 Bury Council election took place on Thursday 7 May 2026, alongside other local elections in the United Kingdom. One third of the 51 members of Bury Council in Greater Manchester were elected. The election in Moorside had been postponed following the death of the Reform UK candidate.[2]

Council composition

After 2024 election Before 2026 election
Party Seats Party Seats
Labour 32 Labour 32
Radcliffe First 8 Radcliffe First 7
Conservative 10 Conservative 5
Together for Bury N/A Together for Bury 3
Reform 0 Reform 3
Independent 1 Independent 1

Changes 2024–2026:

  • June 2025: Russell Bernstein (Conservative, Pilkington Park), Jo Lancaster (Conservative, Radcliffe North & Ainsworth), Luis McBriar (Conservative, Tottington), and Dene Vernon (Conservative, Bury West) leave party to sit as independents[3]
  • October 2025: Jack Rydeheard (Conservative) joins Reform[4]
  • December 2025: Together for Bury formed – Russell Bernstein (Independent), Jo Lancaster (Independent), Luis McBriar (Independent), and Dene Vernon (Independent) join party[5]
  • February 2026:
    • Luis James McBriar (Together for Bury) resigns – by-election held April 2026[6]
    • Glyn Marsden (Radcliffe First) joins Reform[7]
  • April 2026: George Martin (Reform) gains by-election from Conservatives[8]

Summary

Background

Bury Metropolitan Borough Council was created in 1974. The Conservatives controlled the council until 1986, when Labour formed their first majority on the council.[9] Following a period of no overall control beginning in 2006, the Conservatives formed a majority in 2008, but this was lost at the next election.[10] Labour retook majority control in 2011 and have formed majority administrations since. Labour expanded their majority in 2024 by gaining one seat from the Conservatives.[11]

Following the 2024 election, the Conservative group faced internal difficulties. Conservative group leader Russell Bernstein was deselected and faced disciplinary measures by the party.[3] Bernstein and three other councillors left the party to form Together for Bury, which was registered in December 2025.[5]

A new set of ward boundaries was used for the 2022 election. This election will be for the councillors elected with the highest number of votes in each of the seventeen three-member wards.[12] Labour are defending nine seats, the Conservatives are defending four, Radcliffe First are defending three, and independents are defending one.

Election result

2026 Bury Metropolitan Borough Council election
Party This election Full council This election
Candidates Seats Net Seats % Other Total Total % Votes Votes % +/−
  Labour {{{candidates}}} 8 Decrease 1 47.1 23 31 60.8 17,320 27.5 Decrease 17.9
  Radcliffe First {{{candidates}}} 2 Steady 11.8 5 7 13.7 3,711 5.9 Decrease 1.9
  Reform {{{candidates}}} 5 Increase 3 29.4 1 6 11.8 19,165 30.4 Increase 29.4
  Conservative {{{candidates}}} 0 Decrease 2 0.0 3 3 5.9 8,203 13.0 Decrease 12.9
  Together for Bury {{{candidates}}} 0 Decrease 1 0.0 2 2 3.9 595 0.9 N/A
  Independent {{{candidates}}} 1 Steady 5.9 0 1 2.0 1,889 3.0 Increase 2.6
  Workers Party {{{candidates}}} 1 Increase 1 5.9 0 1 2.0 2,120 3.4 Increase 0.5
  Green {{{candidates}}} 0 Steady 0.0 0 0 0.0 8,204 13.0 Increase 10.3
  Bury Independents {{{candidates}}} 0 Steady 0.0 0 0 0.0 1,506 2.4 Decrease 6.0
  English Democrat {{{candidates}}} 0 Steady 0.0 0 0 0.0 145 0.2 Decrease 0.4
  Liberal Democrats {{{candidates}}} 0 Steady 0.0 0 0 0.0 119 0.2 Decrease 3.6
  Communist {{{candidates}}} 0 Steady 0.0 0 0 0.0 33 0.1 N/A

Incumbents

Ward Incumbent councillor Party Re-standing
Besses Noel Bayley Labour Yes
Bury East Ayesha Arif Labour Yes
Bury West Jackie Harris Conservative Yes
Elton Jack Rydeheard[a] Reform Yes
Holyrood Elliot Moss Labour No
Moorside Sandra Walmsley Labour Yes
North Manor Roger Brown Conservative Yes
Pilkington Park Russell Bernstein[b] Together for Bury Yes
Radcliffe East Carol Birchmore Radcliffe First Yes
Radcliffe North & Ainsworth Donald Berry Radcliffe First Yes
Radcliffe West Glyn Marsden[c] Reform Yes
Ramsbottom Clare Cummins Labour No
Redvales Nikki Frith Labour Yes
Sedgley Richard Gold Labour Yes
St Mary's Eamonn O'Brien Labour Yes
Tottington Yvonne Wright Independent Yes
Unsworth Joan Grimshaw Labour No

Ward results

Besses

Besses
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Noel Bayley* 1,130 34.9 −28.2
Reform Elizabeth Clark 1,028 31.8 N/A
Green Tom Gray 567 17.5 N/A
Conservative Pat Grant 246 7.6 −4.0
Bury Independents Martyn West 213 6.6 −9.5
English Democrat Stephen Morris 50 1.5 −6.7
Majority 102 3.1 −43.9
Rejected ballots 8 0.2 N/A
Turnout 3,234 40.0 +11.0
Registered electors ~8,085
Labour hold

Bury East

Bury East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ayesha Arif 1,051 33.8 −3.6
Reform Nick Haslam 916 29.5 +18.2
Green Maisie Cunningham 509 16.4 N/A
Workers Party Bilal Zahoor 439 14.1 −1.7
Conservative Hasan Rahman 193 6.2 −6.4
Majority 135 4.3 −14.9
Rejected ballots 15 0.5 N/A
Turnout 3,108 35.0 +6.0
Registered electors ~8,880
Labour hold Swing Decrease10.9

Bury West

Bury West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform David Hill 1,449 34.7 N/A
Conservative Jackie Harris* 1,306 31.3 −16.4
Labour Helen Varnom 685 16.4 −21.3
Green Elle Riley 530 12.7 N/A
Together for Bury Carol Bernstein 204 4.9 N/A
Majority 143 3.4 N/A
Rejected ballots 12 0.3 N/A
Turnout 4,174 50.0 +10.0
Registered electors ~8,348
Reform gain from Conservative

Elton

Elton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Jack Rydeheard* 1,619 40.7 N/A
Labour James Ferguson 1,103 27.8 −17.7
Green Gary Kirkley 485 12.2 N/A
Conservative Mazhar Aslam 469 11.8 −29.5
Bury Independents Michael Hankey 298 7.5 −5.1
Majority 516 12.9 N/A
Rejected ballots 22 0.6 N/A
Turnout 3,974 45.0 +6.0
Registered electors ~8,831
Reform hold

Holyrood

Holyrood
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Adnan Chaudhry 1,485 36.8 −8.1
Reform David Silbiger 1,090 27.0 N/A
Green Peter Curati 1,011 25.1 +17.8
Conservative Ray Grant 353 8.8 +4.1
English Democrat Valerie Morris 95 2.4 −1.4
Majority 395 9.8 +3.5
Rejected ballots 0 0.0 N/A
Turnout 4,034 48.0 +5.0
Registered electors ~8,404
Labour hold

Moorside

The election for this ward was cancelled on 15 April 2026 following the death of Reform candidate Victor Hagan. A new election was held on 18 June 2026.[13]

Moorside[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Sandra Walmsley* 1,308 39.4 −4.0
Reform Alan Derby 1,030 31.1 N/A
Workers Party Aamer Yasin 609 18.4 N/A
Green Conor William Craig Priestley 200 6.0 N/A
Conservative Jihyun Park 108 3.3 −21.2
Bury Independents Jill Budgen 61 1.8 −29.2
Rejected ballots 12
Turnout 3,328 39 −7
Labour hold

North Manor

North Manor
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Julie Southworth 1,563 35.4 −10.1
Reform Mike Hankins 1,308 29.6 N/A
Conservative Roger Brown 1,182 26.7 −17.8
Green Charlie Allen 370 8.4 +1.9
Majority 257 5.8 +4.8
Rejected ballots 14 0.3 N/A
Turnout 4,425 55.0 +5.0
Registered electors ~8,045
Labour gain from Conservative

Pilkington Park

Pilkington Park
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Shadman Zaman 1,345 34.3 +26.9
Labour John Mallon 987 25.2 −28.3
Conservative Peter Freeman 703 18.0 −13.3
Green John Fitzpatrick 525 13.4 N/A
Together for Bury Russell Bernstein 342 8.7 N/A
Communist Dan Ross 14 0.4 N/A
Majority 358 9.1 N/A
Rejected ballots 14 0.4 N/A
Turnout 3,916 53.0 +12.0
Registered electors ~7,389
Reform gain from Together for Bury Swing Increase27.6

Radcliffe East

Radcliffe East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Radcliffe First Carol Birchmore 1,293 45.8 −13.9
Reform Oscar Kelly 799 28.3 N/A
Labour Sally McGill 325 11.5 −21.0
Green Mark Carrigan 309 11.0 N/A
Conservative Azhar Mehboob 95 3.4 −3.9
Majority 494 17.5 −9.7
Rejected ballots 3 0.1 N/A
Turnout 2,821 35.0 +7.0
Registered electors ~8,060
Radcliffe First hold

Radcliffe North and Ainsworth

Radcliffe North & Ainsworth
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Paul Davies 1,371 35.8 N/A
Radcliffe First Donald Berry 1,360 35.5 −7.0
Labour Andrew McAnulty 424 11.1 −11.5
Conservative Phil Smith 363 9.4 −24.9
Green Lilly Beards 307 8.0 N/A
Communist Eddy Redmund 8 0.2 N/A
Majority 11 0.3 N/A
Rejected ballots 7 0.2 N/A
Turnout 3,833 42.0 +6.0
Reform gain from Radcliffe First

Radcliffe West

Radcliffe West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Radcliffe First Judi Sheppard 1,058 37.2 −18.9
Reform Glyn Marsden* 888 31.2 N/A
Labour Josh Harcup 436 15.3 −19.2
Green Reece Bowey 305 10.7 N/A
Conservative Keith Worthington 156 5.5 −3.1
Majority 170 6.0 −15.6
Rejected ballots 9 0.3 N/A
Turnout 2,843 35.0 +7.0
Registered electors ~8,122
Radcliffe First gain from Reform

Ramsbottom

Ramsbottom
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Charlotte Hunt 1,634 36.3 −24.5
Reform Zach Campbell-Robinson 1,318 29.3 N/A
Conservative Ann Schofield 600 13.3 −18.1
Green Alex Mays 507 11.3 N/A
Independent Jonathan Moss 323 7.2 N/A
Liberal Democrats Martyn Bristow 119 2.6 −4.0
Majority 316 7.0 −22.4
Rejected ballots 8 0.2 N/A
Turnout 4,501 50.0 +10.0
Labour hold

Redvales

Redvales
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Workers Party Shabaz Shamim 1,029 29.5 −1.3
Labour Nikki Frith 788 22.6 −14.4
Reform Tony Davies 771 22.1 N/A
Green Usma Khan 445 12.8 +0.7
Bury Independents Alice Sugden 232 6.6 +0.7
Conservative Geoff Baron 224 6.4 −6.7
Majority 241 6.9 N/A
Rejected ballots 14 0.4 N/A
Turnout 3,489 41.0 +6.0
Registered electors ~8,510
Workers Party gain from Labour Swing Increase6.6

Sedgley

Sedgley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Richard Gold 1,139 33.1 −30.9
Conservative Avi Schwartz 844 24.5 −0.3
Reform Dacey Prentice 796 23.1 N/A
Green Rachel Webster 666 19.3 N/A
Majority 295 8.6 −30.6
Rejected ballots 14 0.4 N/A
Turnout 3,445 40.0 +8.0
Registered electors ~8,613
Labour hold Swing Decrease15.3

St Mary's

St Marys
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Eamonn O’Brien 1,884 45.6 −21.2
Reform Luke Broadfoot 998 24.1 N/A
Green Max Sampson 838 20.3 +4.9
Conservative Ann Buckley 415 10.0 −6.1
Majority 886 21.5 −29.2
Rejected ballots 23 0.6 N/A
Turnout 4,135 48.0 +11.0
Registered electors ~8,615
Labour hold

Tottington

Tottington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Yvonne Wright* 1,566 40.8 N/A
Reform Liz Cronshaw 1,099 28.7 N/A
Conservative Andrew Luxton 528 13.8 −31.7
Labour Drew Bell 360 9.4 −19.6
Green Chloe King 232 6.1 N/A
Together for Bury Greg Keeley 49 1.3 N/A
Majority 467 12.1 N/A
Rejected ballots 0 0.0 N/A
Turnout 3,834 50.0 +11.0
Registered electors ~7,668
Independent hold

Unsworth

Unsworth
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Jerome Roith 1,340 34.1 N/A
Labour Katherine Thorpe 1,018 25.9 −25.3
Bury Independents Steve Middleton 702 17.9 −4.7
Conservative Samantha Davies 418 10.6 −9.9
Green Max Pickup 398 10.1 N/A
Workers Party Mehwish Nasir 43 1.1 −4.2
Communist Chris Malkin 11 0.3 N/A
Majority 322 8.2 N/A
Rejected ballots 6 0.2 N/A
Turnout 3,930 47.0 +7.0
Registered electors ~8,362
Reform gain from Labour

Notes

  1. ↑ Originally elected as a Conservative, but defected to Reform in October 2025.
  2. ↑ Originally elected as a Conservative, but subsequently left the party to sit as an Independent in June 2025. In December 2025, he co-founded a new party, Together for Bury.
  3. ↑ Originally elected as Radcliffe First, but later defected to Reform.

References

  1. ↑ "Bury Council Composition: Latest". opencouncildata.co.uk. Open Council Data UK. Archived from the original on 8 February 2026. Retrieved 8 February 2026.
  2. ↑ Hall, Charlotte (15 April 2026). "Bury Council Local Election cancelled in one ward after Reform candidate dies". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 19 April 2026.
  3. 1 2 Gee, Chris (1 July 2025). "Bury Council's opposition leader and 3 other councillors quit Conservatives". Bury Times. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  4. ↑ Murphy, David; Gee, Chris (7 October 2025). "Cllr Jack Rydeheard defects to Reform UK, becoming Bury's first Reform councillor". Roch Valley Radio. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  5. 1 2 Valentine, Lisa (21 December 2025). "New political party gets the green light from officials". Bury Times. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  6. ↑ Clark, Adam (26 February 2026). "Tottington voters to choose new councillor in April by election". Roch Valley Radio. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
  7. ↑ Watson, Ruby (25 February 2026). "Bury councillor announces defection to Reform UK". Bury Times. Retrieved 7 May 2026.
  8. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Tottington Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 7 May 2026.
  9. ↑ "BBC News - Election 2011 - England council elections - Bury". BBC News. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  10. ↑ "Bury Metropolitan Borough Council Election Results 1973-2012" (PDF). Elections Centre. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  11. ↑ Oldman, Isabel (3 May 2024). "Bury's ruling party celebrates 'strong position' after local elections results". Bury Times. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  12. ↑ The Bury (Electoral Changes) Order 2022
  13. ↑ "Bury Council Announcement". Retrieved 1 June 2026.
  14. ↑ "Moorside election 2026". Retrieved 27 June 2026.
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