Political make-up of local councils in the United Kingdom
Last updated
This article needs to be updated. The reason given is: Recent local elections have significantly shifted the political landscape. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(May 2025)
English local authorities have a choice of executive arrangements out of a mayor and cabinet executive, a leader and cabinet executive, a committee system or alternative arrangements approved by the Secretary of State.[1] Councils in England[1] and Northern Ireland[8] run on four year cycles, while councils in Scotland[9] and, from 2022, in Wales[10] run on five year cycles. An English local authority's councillors may be elected all at once, by halves or by thirds.[1] Because of this disparate system, various local elections take place every year, but changes in party representation arise frequently regardless due to resignations, deaths, by-elections, co-options and changes of affiliation.
This article needs to be updated. The reason given is: Recent local elections have significantly shifted the political landscape. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(May 2025)
The table differentiates between councils fully controlled by one party and others where a certain party leads a coalition that governs the council. All parties apart from the Conservatives (CON), Labour (LAB), Liberal Democrats (LDM) and Reform UK (RFM); as well as independents, are grouped in the category: OTHER.
Map showing party control of county, unitary and metropolitan councils as of 21 August 2025. Darker colours show councils ran by a single party, pastel colours show councils ran by multiple parties in coalition, with the colour shown being the largest single party or group in the coalition. Red councils are ran by Labour, blue by the Conservatives, orange by the Liberal Democrats, purple by Reform UK, green by the Greens, grey by independents and burgundy by Aspire (Tower Hamlets).
The largest party in each borough council. Red denotes the Labour Party; blue denotes the Conservatives; yellow denotes the Liberal Democrats; and grey denotes independent candidates.
All 32 Scottish Councils had all their seats up for election by Single Transferable Vote in May 2022. Elections are on a five-year cycle and are next due in May 2027. Only two mainland councils are controlled by majority administrations: West Dumbartonshire and Dundee, which are controlled by Scottish Labour and the Scottish National Party, respectively. The three island councils (Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles) are each controlled by local independents.
Political control may be held by minority governments (min), coalitions (co), joint leadership arrangements (j.l.) or partnership working arrangements (p.w.).[22]
Elections were most recently held for 11 councils in Northern Ireland in May 2023. They are held every four years, with the next elections due in May 2027. All seats are filled at once by Single Transferable vote within district electoral areas of 5 to 7 wards.
The councils have ceremonial mayors elected by council members. Uniquely in the UK, vacancies are filled by co-option by whichever party won the seat at the previous election.
↑ The Green Party of England and Wales do not contest Scottish elections, however, the Scottish Greens, a separate party listed below, hold 36 seats.
↑ The Green Party of England and Wales do not contest Northern Irish elections, however, the Green Party Northern Ireland, a separate party listed below, hold 5 seats.
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