2026 Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council election
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7 May 2026
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19 out of 38 seats to Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council 20 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 2026 Nuneaton and Bedworth 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 19 of 38 members of Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council in Warwickshire, England.[2]
Due to ongoing local government reorganisation, this will be the final election to Nuneaton & Bedworth 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.
Background
In 2024, the Conservative Party lost control of the council to the Labour Party.[3]
Due to ongoing local government reorganisation, the Local Government Secretary, Steve Reed, wrote to all local authorities due to have elections in 2026, asking if they would like to delay their elections to 2027.[4] The council's Labour group supported delaying the election, while the opposition parties were against the plans. Watkins said, "it was felt that holding [the election] for a local authority that is shortly to be abolished is not a prudent use of resources".[5]
Following this, an extraordinary general meeting of the council was called, and a motion of no confidence in the council leader was moved by Conservative leader Kris Wilson (Whitestone). The motion passed with the support of the Conservative, Green, and Liberal Democrat councillors, and Watkins was removed from the position. Labour councillor Steve Hey (Attleborough) was subsequently selected to replace Watkins as leader. He was confirmed in this role after receiving support from the Labour and Green groups.[5]
Council composition
| After 2024 election | Before 2026 election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Seats | Party | Seats | ||
| Labour | 20 | Labour | 18 | ||
| Conservative | 16 | Conservative | 17 | ||
| Green | 2 | Green | 2 | ||
| Liberal Democrats | 0 | Liberal Democrats | 1 | ||
Changes 2024–2026:
- December 2024: Will Markham (Labour) joins Conservatives[6]
- August 2025: Rob Roze (Labour) leaves party to sit as an independent[7]
- September 2025: Rob Roze (Independent) joins Liberal Democrats[8]
Election result
| 2026 Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council election | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | This election | Full council | This election | |||||||
| Seats | Net | Seats % | Other | Total | Total % | Votes | Votes % | +/− | ||
| Labour | 9 | |||||||||
| Conservative | 9 | |||||||||
| Green | 1 | |||||||||
| Liberal Democrats | 0 | |||||||||
| Reform | 0 | |||||||||
