2026 Greenwich London Borough Council election

2026 Greenwich Council election

←  2022 7 May 2026 2030 →
All 55 seats on Greenwich London Borough Council 28 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party Third party   Leader Anthony Okereke Matt Hartley Tamasin Rhymes Party Labour Conservative Green Leader's seat Woolwich Common Mottingham, Coldharbour and New Eltham Shooters Hill Last election 52 seats, 57.9% 3 seats, 23.1% 0 seats, 12.0% Seats before 49 4 1
Council control before election Labour Subsequent council control TBD

The 2026 Greenwich London Borough Council election will take place on 7 May 2026, as part of the 2026 United Kingdom local elections. All 55 members of Greenwich London Borough Council will be elected. The election will take place alongside local elections in the other London boroughs. ^{[1] [2]}

Background

History

Result of the 2022 election

The thirty-two London boroughs were established in 1965 by the London Government Act 1963. They are the principal authorities in Greater London and have responsibilities including education, housing, planning, highways, social services, libraries, recreation, waste, environmental health and revenue collection. Some of the powers are shared with the Greater London Authority, which also manages passenger transport, police and fire. ^[3]

Since its formation, Greenwich has been continuously under Labour control except for the period from 1968 to 1971 when it was under Conservative control. In the most recent election in 2022, Labour won 52 seats with 57.9% of the vote and the Conservatives won 3 seats with 23.1% of the vote. The Green Party received 12.0% of the vote and the Liberal Democrats received 6.1% of the vote, but neither party won any seats. The incumbent leader of the council is the Labour councillor Anthony Okereke, who has held that position since May 2022. ^[4]

Council term

See also: 2022 Greenwich London Borough Council election § By-elections

Labour lost three council seats during the council term since the 2022 election: losing the October 2024 Shooters Hill by-election to the Conservatives, councillor Majella Anning leaving the party in March 2025 to sit as an independent, ^[5] and losing the June 2025 Shooters Hill by-election to the Green Party. ^[6]

Electoral process

Greenwich, as is the case all other London borough councils, elects all of its councillors at once every four years, with the previous election having taken place in 2022. The election takes place by multi-member first-past-the-post voting, with each ward being represented by two or three councillors. Electors will have as many votes as there are councillors to be elected in their ward, with the top two or three being elected.

All registered electors (British, Irish, Commonwealth and European Union citizens) living in London aged 18 or over are entitled to vote in the election. People who live at two addresses in different councils, such as university students with different term-time and holiday addresses, are entitled to be registered for and vote in elections in both local authorities. ^[7] Voting in-person at polling stations takes place from 7:00 to 22:00 on election day, and voters are able to apply for postal votes or proxy votes in advance of the election. ^[7]

Previous council composition

After 2022 election			Before 2026 election			After 2026 election
Party		Seats	Party		Seats	Party		Seats
	Labour	52		Labour	49
	Conservative	3		Conservative	4
				Green	1
				Independent	1

References

1. Coughlan, Joe (30 April 2025). "London local elections, why they aren't in 2025 and when the next ones will be". My London. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
2. "Local authority, combined authority, and county combined authority election cycles in England". GOV.UK. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
3. "The essential guide to London local government | London Councils". Londoncouncils.gov.uk. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
4. "Cllr Anthony Okereke". Local Government Association. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
5. Chamberlain, Darryl (27 March 2025). "Greenwich Labour councillor quits party over government's benefit cuts". Greenwich Wire.
6. Chamberlain, Darryl (27 June 2025). "Green Party's Tamasin Rhymes wins Shooters Hill by-election". Greenwich Wire.
7. "How the elections work | London Councils". www.londoncouncils.gov.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2021.