2026 St Helens Borough Council election

2026 St Helens Borough Council election
7 May 2026 (2026-05-07)
All 48 seats to St Helens Borough Council
25 seats needed for a majority
Turnout51,751
38.5%[1][2]
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Victor Floyd[a] James Tasker[b][c] Geoff Pearl
Party Reform Independent Liberal Democrats
Last election Did not stand 7 seats, 15.9% 4 seats, 7.0%
Seats before 3 7[d] 3
Seats won 35 6 3
Seat change Increase 32 Decrease 1 Steady
Popular vote 54,047 14,570 7,223
Percentage 39.8% 10.7% 5.3%
Swing N/A Decrease 4.8% Decrease 4.6%
  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
 
Leader Anthony Burns
(defeated)		 Linda Mussell David van
der Burg
(retiring)
Party Labour Conservative Green
Last election 29 seats, 54.2% 2 seats, 10.6% 6 seats, 12.2%
Seats before 28[3] 2 5[e]
Seats won 3 1 0
Seat change Decrease 25 Decrease 1 Decrease 5
Popular vote 38,282 5,406 16,308
Percentage 28.2% 4.0% 12.0%
Swing Decrease 24.7% Decrease 6.7% Increase 1.2%
Winner of each seat at the 2026 St Helens Borough Council election. As of May 2026, Town Centre Ward election to be rearranged following death of candidate.
Leader before election

Anthony Burns
Labour

 Leader after election

George Woodward
Reform

The 2026 St Helens Borough Council election was held on 7 May 2026, alongside the other local elections across the United Kingdom being held on the same day.[4] All 48 members of St Helens Borough Council were elected.[5]

Summary

Background

In 2022, Labour retained control of the council.[6]

Election result

2026 St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council election
Party Candidates Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Reform 48 35 33 0 Increase 33 72.9 39.8 54,047 N/A
  Labour 47 3 0 26 Decrease 26 6.3 28.2 38,282 –24.7
  Liberal Democrats 6 3 0 0 Steady 6.3 5.3 7,223 –4.6
  Rainhill Independents 3 3 3 0 Increase 3 6.3 4.8 6,580 –24.7
  Newton-le-Willow Independents 4 3 3 0 Increase 3 6.3 3.9 5,251 –24.7
  Conservative 19 1 0 1 Decrease 1 2.1 4.0 5,406 –6.7
  Green 27 0 0 6 Decrease 6 0.0 12.0 16,308 +1.2
  Independent 8 0 0 7 Decrease 7 0.0 2.0 2,739 –13.5

Ward results

Billinge & Seneley Green

Billinge & Seneley Green (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Jennifer Gerrard 1,465 44.4 N/A
Reform John Porter 1,421 43.1 N/A
Reform Matthew Kent 1,370 41.5 N/A
Labour Steve Owen 958 29.0 –15.6
Independent Peter Peers* 947 28.7 –17.1
Independent Colin Betts* 816 24.7 –18.8
Labour Rod Bell 777 23.6 –15.6
Labour Phil Gwilliam 727 22.0 –9.5
Green Sarah Jennings 552 16.7 N/A
Green Stephen Gaskell 546 16.5 N/A
Conservative Denise Gibney 319 9.7 –11.1
Turnout ~3,299
Reform gain from Independent
Reform gain from Independent
Reform gain from Labour

Blackbrook

Blackbrook (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Nigel Brown 1,364 49.3 N/A
Reform Eileen Fleming 1,345 48.6 N/A
Reform Victor Floyd* 1,281 46.3 N/A
Labour Anthony Burns* 965 34.9 –24.1
Labour Paul McQuade* 886 32.0 –24.9
Labour Gareth Cross 792 28.6 –28.0
Green Lorraine Clarke 590 21.3 –10.9
Green Jack Davies 454 16.4 –15.5
Green Daniel Thomas 442 16.0 N/A
Conservative David Titmuss 176 6.4 –13.5
Turnout ~2,765
Reform gain from Labour
Reform gain from Labour
Reform hold

Bold & Lea Green

Bold & Lee Green (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform David Hawley* 1,456 48.5 N/A
Reform Mark Hitchen 1,434 47.8 N/A
Reform Samson Egbike 1,340 44.6 N/A
Green Sam Harding 744 24.8 –23.2
Green Fae Oakley 728 24.2 –22.5
Labour Angela McCauley 700 23.3 –19.8
Green Graeme Knapper 695 23.1 –21.4
Labour Alan Langley 677 22.5 –18.5
Labour Paul Pritchard 610 20.3 –18.7
Liberal Democrats John Lee 346 11.5 N/A
Conservative Barbara Woodcock 278 9.3 –3.8
Turnout ~3,003
Reform hold
Reform gain from Green
Reform gain from Green

Eccleston

Eccleston (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Michael Haw* 2,224 63.6 –10.5
Liberal Democrats Philip Cass 1,809 51.8 –19.8
Liberal Democrats Geoff Pearl* 1,756 50.3 –13.4
Reform David Lawrenson 979 28.0 N/A
Reform Billy Jones 943 27.0 N/A
Reform Steve Townsend 897 25.7 N/A
Labour Joy Akinkuade 566 16.2 –7.9
Green Sally Dodgson 536 15.3 N/A
Labour Joe Quinn 511 14.6 N/A
Conservative Elizabeth Appleton 262 7.5 –5.4
Turnout ~3,494
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats hold

Haydock

Haydock (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Stephen Mousdell 1,331 46.2 N/A
Reform Michael Chesworth 1,282 44.5 N/A
Reform Stephen Claybrook 1,240 43.0 N/A
Green Paul Hooton* 938 32.5 –26.6
Green Emma van der Burg* 771 26.8 –30.7
Green Oliver Eddleston 692 24.0 –30.0
Labour Caleb Burns 607 21.1 –12.1
Labour Rachel Harrison 577 20.0 –10.3
Labour Owen Farnworth 561 19.5 –10.6
Independent Andrea Blake 237 8.2 N/A
Independent Ian Sutton 229 7.9 N/A
Conservative Melanie Lee 181 6.3 –5.1
Turnout ~2,882
Reform gain from Green
Reform gain from Green
Reform gain from Green

Moss Bank

Moss Bank (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Gary Edgerton 1,664 54.2 N/A
Reform David Kent 1,638 53.3 N/A
Reform Jack Styles 1,613 52.5 N/A
Labour Jeanette Banks* 1,172 38.2 –25.2
Labour Tracy Dickinson* 1,126 36.7 –26.7
Labour Shana Begum 1,116 36.3 –27.1
Green Allan Kayll 605 19.7 N/A
Conservative Lisa Cunliffe 280 9.1 –12.0
Turnout ~3,071
Reform gain from Labour
Reform gain from Labour
Reform gain from Labour

Newton-le-Willows East

Newton-le-Willows East (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Keith Laird* 1,293 39.2 –24.2
Reform George Woodward 1,248 37.9 N/A
Labour Ian Mills 1,183 35.9 –24.6
Reform John Murphy 1,083 32.9 N/A
Newton-le-Willow Independents Tom Middleton-Leonard 1,055 32.0 N/A
Reform John Owen 1,019 30.9 N/A
Green Chris Kennedy 1,000 30.3 N/A
Labour Lisa Preston 993 30.1 –26.3
Liberal Democrats David Smith 698 21.2 +0.9
Conservative John Cunliffe 318 9.6 –11.5
Turnout ~3,297
Labour hold
Reform gain from Labour
Labour hold

Newton-le-Willows West

Newton-le-Willows West (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Newton-le-Willow Independents Terry Maguire* 1,622 53.6 –5.5
Newton-le-Willow Independents Karl Collier* 1,426 47.1 +1.1
Newton-le-Willow Independents Craig Smith 1,148 37.9 –2.9
Labour Dave Banks* 920 30.4 –11.7
Labour Peter Blood 900 29.7 –12.1
Labour Scott Smulders 809 26.7 –10.9
Reform Mark Bell 785 25.9 N/A
Reform Robert Hart 699 23.1 N/A
Reform Gillian Pierre-Louise Moore 673 22.2 N/A
Conservative Allan Dockerty 94 3.1 –5.3
Turnout ~3,025
Newton-le-Willow Independents hold
Newton-le-Willow Independents hold
Newton-le-Willow Independents gain from Labour

Parr

Parr (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Dan Axworthy 1,173 55.8 N/A
Reform Janet Rowlands 1,161 55.2 N/A
Reform Mal Webster 1,104 52.5 N/A
Labour Cath Brooks 713 33.9 –45.2
Labour Andy Bowden* 708 33.7 –39.2
Labour Bisi Osundeko* 593 28.2 –36.9
Green Lizzie O'Dell 364 17.3 N/A
Independent Teri George 204 9.7 N/A
Independent Jeff Williams 187 8.9 N/A
Conservative Mackenzie France 104 4.9 –17.0
Turnout ~2,104
Reform gain from Labour
Reform gain from Labour
Reform gain from Labour

Peasley Cross & Fingerpost

Peasley Cross & Fingerpost
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Sharon Roughley 392 48.5 N/A
Labour Damien O'Connor* 217 26.9 –33.1
Green Em Patterson 122 15.1 –4.3
Independent Andrew Low 48 5.9 N/A
Conservative Iris Brown 29 3.6 –16.4
Majority 175 21.6 N/A
Turnout 809
Reform gain from Labour

Rainford

Rainford (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Philip Corden 1,058 33.4 N/A
Conservative Linda Mussell* 1,025 32.3 –24.9
Conservative Charlotte Case 933 29.4 –27.3
Reform Anthony Devanny 898 28.3 N/A
Green Amber Johnson 758 23.9 N/A
Green Sean Davies 739 23.3 N/A
Labour Richard Jacques 495 15.6 –27.4
Labour Malcolm Simm 437 13.8 N/A
Turnout ~3,172
Reform gain from Conservative
Conservative hold

Rainhill

Rainhill (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Rainhill Independents James Tasker* 2,372 64.4 –0.3
Rainhill Independents Donna Greaves* 2,113 57.4 –1.6
Rainhill Independents James Dunn 2,095 56.9 –0.2
Reform Neil Conway 806 21.9 N/A
Reform Jo Woodhouse 788 21.4 N/A
Reform Mark Gilgannon 778 21.1 N/A
Labour Elaine Hodkinson 765 20.8 –11.8
Labour Tabinda Iftikhar 612 16.6 –14.5
Labour Masooma Zaki 569 15.5 –13.0
Conservative Henry Spriggs 149 4.0 –5.2
Turnout ~3,682
Rainhill Independents hold
Rainhill Independents hold
Rainhill Independents hold

St Helens Town Centre

The vote for St Helens Town Centre has been postponed until 25 June 2026, following the death of Andrew John Feeney, one of the Reform UK candidates.[7][8]

St Helens Town Centre (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Jeremy Peter Axworthy 460
Labour Michael Angelo Fisher 436
Reform Chris Page 419
Labour Michelle Elaine Sweeney 391
Green Chloe Graves 146
Green James Mellors 112
Independent Thomas Hughes 71
Conservative Christine Huskie 41
Turnout 20.3
Reform gain from Labour
Labour hold

Sutton North West

Sutton North West (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Anthony Johnson 909 51.5 N/A
Reform Mark Johnson 909 51.5 N/A
Labour Niall Campbell* 757 42.9 –11.3
Labour John Hodkinson* 733 41.6 –12.4
Conservative Anne Spanner 219 12.4 –14.5
Turnout ~1,764
Reform gain from Labour
Reform gain from Labour

Sutton South East

Sutton South East (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform John Pinnington* 895 52.8 N/A
Reform Brendan Moss 854 50.4 N/A
Labour Charlie Preston 755 44.5 +2.1
Labour John Riley 734 43.3 +3.0
Conservative Dawn Smith 152 9.0 –9.0
Turnout ~1,695
Reform hold
Reform gain from Labour

Thatto Heath

Thatto Heath (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Emma Beck 1,364 47.9 N/A
Reform Jack Benyon 1,329 46.7 N/A
Reform James Long 1,252 44.0 N/A
Labour Nova Charlton* 1,185 41.6 –22.0
Labour Robyn Hattersley* 1,105 38.8 –22.9
Labour Richard McCauley* 998 35.0 –26.1
Green Sue Bishop 651 22.9 –5.4
Liberal Democrats Alexandru-Emilian Adamovici 390 13.7 N/A
Conservative Elizabeth Black 271 9.5 –14.1
Turnout ~2,848
Reform gain from Labour
Reform gain from Labour
Reform gain from Labour

West Park

West Park (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Stephen Little 1,391 43.5 N/A
Reform Michael Gibson 1,381 43.2 N/A
Reform Mark King 1,370 42.9 N/A
Labour Patrick Alcantara 1,188 37.2 –35.2
Labour Julie Hand 1,123 35.1 –36.1
Labour Matthew Butterworth 1,102 35.4 –28.8
Green Tom Armstrong 630 19.7 N/A
Green Sarah Whelan 598 18.7 N/A
Green Anthony Aster 559 17.5 N/A
Conservative Richard Barton 249 7.8 –16.8
Turnout ~3,197
Reform gain from Labour
Reform gain from Labour
Reform gain from Labour

Windle

Windle (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Clayton Ede 1,287 39.9 N/A
Reform Anthony Keogh 1,262 39.1 N/A
Reform Alex Twist 1,237 38.3 N/A
Labour Lynn Clarke* 1,205 37.3 –22.1
Labour George McCulley 1,042 32.3 –19.9
Labour Robbie Young 993 30.7 –16.9
Green Andrew Donnelly 880 27.3 –12.2
Green Terence Price 731 22.6 N/A
Green Sue Rahman 725 22.5 N/A
Conservative Leighton Frawley 326 10.1 –19.8
Turnout ~3,229
Reform gain from Labour
Reform gain from Labour
Reform gain from Labour

By-elections

Haydock

A by-election was held in Haydock on 25 June 2026 after the resignation of Reform councillor Stephen Mousdell.[9]

Haydock by-election 25 June 2026
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Tony Devanny 717 33.0 −7.4
Independent Paul Robert Hooton 631 29.0 N/A
Labour Owen Farnworth 598 27.5 +9.1
Green Amber Carole Johnson 154 7.1 −21.4
Conservative Melanie Ann Marie Lee 39 1.8 −3.7
Independent Andrea Marie Blake 36 1.7 −5.5
Turnout 25.9
Reform hold

Billinge & Seneley Green

Billinge & Seneley Green by-election, 27th August 2026[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Colin Betts
Reform Karen Hatch
Independent Tom Middleton-Leonard
Labour Steve Owen
Green Sue Rahman
Conservative David Titmuss
Majority
Turnout
Swing

References

  1. ↑ Leader prior to election
  2. ↑ James Tasker was leader of The Independents group.
  3. ↑ Current leadership unclear
  4. ↑ Of the 7 Independents councillors before the election, 3 sat in The Independents group, 2 sat in the Newton-le-Willows Independents group, and 2 were non-aligned.
  5. ↑ Includes the vacant seat in Bold & Lee Green last held by a Green.
  1. ↑ "Local Election results 2026". news.sthelens.gov.uk.
  2. ↑ This figure does not include the postponed election in the St Helens Town Centre ward
  3. ↑ "St Helens Council Composition: Latest". opencouncildata.co.uk. Open Council Data UK. Archived from the original on 10 February 2026. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  4. ↑ "Elections and voting - St Helens Borough Council". St Helens Borough Council. Archived from the original on 7 November 2025. Retrieved 27 January 2026.
  5. ↑ "Details of elections taking place - and why there isn't any for St Helens Council". St Helens Star. 2 May 2024. Retrieved 27 January 2026.
  6. ↑ "St Helens result - Local Elections 2022". BBC News. Retrieved 27 January 2026.
  7. ↑ "Ward election postponed after candidate's death". BBC. 17 April 2026. Retrieved 21 June 2026.
  8. ↑ Haydock and St Helens Town Centre Ward Elections 25 June 2026
  9. ↑ "New Reform councillor who made adult films quits". BBC. 15 May 2026.
  10. ↑ https://www.sthelens.gov.uk/article/15209/Billinge-and-Seneley-Green-By-Election-Thursday-27-August-2026
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