Political make-up of local councils in the United Kingdom

This article documents the strengths of political parties in the 317 local authorities of England,^[1] 32 local authorities of Scotland,^[2] 22 principal councils of Wales^[3] and 11 local councils of Northern Ireland.^[4]

England's 317 local authorities are made up of: 32 London borough councils, 21 county councils and 164 district councils (two tiers of local government which share responsibility for the same physical area), 36 metropolitan district councils, 62 unitary authorities, and 2 sui generis authorities, the City of London Corporation and Council of the Isles of Scilly.^[1]

This article does not cover the Greater London Authority or the 10 combined authorities of England (and their respective mayors).^[1] It also doesn't cover the 35 police and crime commissioners or the four police, fire and crime commissioners in England and Wales.^[5] And it also doesn't include the thousands of parish/local councils of England,^[6] community councils of Scotland^[7] and community councils of Wales.^[3]

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.

Summary

Total number of councillors by political party

Last full update: 6 May 2023^{[11][12][13][14][15][16]}

Party		Total[a]	[b]	[c]	[d]	[e]
	Labour	6,361 / 18,646	5,609	526	282
	Conservative	5,534 / 19,228	5,395	111	213	0
	Liberal Democrats	2,987 / 18,646	2,804	68	87
	Green (E&W)	744 / 17,546	757	9
	SNP	427 / 1,227			453
	Plaid Cymru	205 / 1,231		200
	Sinn Féin	144 / 462				144
	DUP	122 / 462				122
	Alliance	67 / 462				67
	Ashfield Independents	57 / 135	57
	Ulster Unionist	54 / 462				54
	SDLP	39 / 462				39
	Scottish Greens	36 / 1,227			36
	Canvey Island Independents	34 / 116	34
	Aspire	24 / 45	24
	Havering Residents Association	23 / 55	23
	Mebyon Kernow	12 / 111	12
	Reform UK	10 / 18,646	10	0	0
	TUV	10 / 462				10
	Green (NI)	5 / 462				5
	Liberal	5 / 18,646	5	0	0
	Chislehurst Matters	3 / 3	3
	Yorkshire	3 / 1,139	3
	Merton Park Residents Association	2 / 57	2
	People Before Profit	2 / 462				2
	SDP	2 / 18,646	2	0	0
Other parties and independents		2,316 / 19,228	1638	318	188	58
Vacancies		55	45	4	3	3
Total		19,228	16,249	1,236	1,226	462

Political control of local government in England

The table below shows who has political control of each of the 21 non-metropolitan county councils (NMC), the 62 unitary authorities (UA), the 36 metropolitan districts (MD), the 32 London boroughs (LB) as well as the 2 sui generis entities: the City of London (CL) and the Isles of Scilly (IS). In total, 153 local government councils.

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) and Liberal Democrats (LDM); as well as independents, are grouped in the category: OTHER.

England: London borough councils

Last full update: 22 June 2022

England: metropolitan district councils

Last full update: 22 June 2022

England: two-tier county and district councils

County councils

Last full update: 14 May 2023

District councils

Last full update: 11 June 2022

England: unitary authorities

Last full update: 14 May 2023

England: sui generis councils

Last full update: 22 June 2022

Scotland

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: Dundee and West Dumbartonshire, who 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.).^[21]

Last update 6 May 2022.^[22][23]

Wales

All 22 Welsh unitary authorities had all of their seats up for election in May 2022, and the next elections are expected in May 2027.

Last update 9 June 2022.