2026 Reading Borough Council election

Last updated

2026 Reading Borough Council election
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←  2024
7 May 2026 (2026-05-07)
2027 (TBD) →
16 out of 48 seats to Reading Borough Council
25 seats needed for a majority
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LeaderLiz TerryRob WhiteRaj Singh
Party Labour Green Conservative
Last election32 seats, 47.4%8 seats, 20.8%4 seats, 20.1%
Current seats32 [1] 83
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LeaderJames MooreClarence Mitchell
Party Liberal Democrats Reform Independent
Last election3 seats, 10.3%0 seats, 0.5%1 seat, 0.1%
Current seats311
Incumbent Leader

Liz Terry
Labour



The 2026 Reading Borough 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 16 of 48 members of Reading Borough Council. [2]

Contents

Due to ongoing local government reorganisation, this will be the final election to Reading Borough 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

After 2024 electionBefore 2026 election
PartySeatsPartySeats
Labour 32 Labour 32
Green 8 Green 8
Conservative 4 Conservative 3
Liberal Democrats 3 Liberal Democrats 3
Reform 0 Reform 1
Independent 1 Independent 1

Changes 2024–2026:

Summary

Background

In 2024, Labour retained control of the council. [4] [5]

Election result

2026 Reading Borough Council election [1]
PartyThis electionFull councilThis election
SeatsNetSeats %OtherTotalTotal %VotesVotes %+/−
  Labour 23
  Green 5
  Conservative 2
  Liberal Democrats 2
  Reform 0
  Independent 0

Incumbents

WardIncumbent councillorPartyRe-standing
AbbeyKaren Rowland Labour
BattleSarah Hacker Independent
CavershamJacopo Lanzoni Labour
Caversham HeightsIsobel Ballsdon Conservative
ChurchRuth McEwan Labour
ColeyEllie Emberson Labour
Emmer GreenClarence Mitchell [a] Reform
KatesgroveLouise Keane Green
KentwoodGlenn Dennis Labour
NorcotJo Lovelock Labour
ParkRob White Green
RedlandsKathryn McCann Green
SouthcoteDeborah Edwards Labour
ThamesAdele Barnett-Ward Labour
TilehurstMeri O'Connell Liberal Democrats
WhitleyRachel Eden Labour

Notes

  1. ↑ Originally elected as a Conservative, but defected to Reform in January 2026.

References

  1. 1 2 "Reading Council Composition: Latest". opencouncildata.co.uk. Open Council Data UK. Archived from the original on 7 February 2026. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  2. ↑ Team, RBC Digital. "Elections and voting". reading.gov.uk. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  3. ↑ Aldridge, James (24 January 2026). "Colleagues react as Conservative in Reading defects to become first Reform UK councillor". Reading Today Online. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
  4. ↑ "LISTED: All the results from Reading's Local Elections 2024". Reading Chronicle. 3 May 2024. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
  5. ↑ "Reading result - Local Elections 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 28 January 2026.
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