2026 Portsmouth City Council election
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7 May 2026
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14 out of 42 seats to Portsmouth City Council 22 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 2026 Portsmouth City 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 14 of 42 members of Portsmouth City Council.[2]
In 2024, the council remained under no overall control.[3]
Council composition
| After 2024 election | Before 2026 election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Seats | Party | Seats | ||
| Liberal Democrats | 19 | Liberal Democrats | 18 | ||
| Labour | 8 | Labour | 9 | ||
| Reform UK | 0 | Reform UK | 10 | ||
| Conservative | 4 | Conservative | 4 | ||
| PIP | 9 | PIP | 0 | ||
| Independent | 2 | Independent | 1 | ||
Changes 2024–2026:
- September 2024: Raj Ghosh (Labour) suspended from party[4]
- May 2025: Raj Ghosh (Independent) and Judith Smyth (Independent)[b] readmitted to Labour[6]
- July 2025: Raymond Dent (Portsmouth Independent) and George Madgwick (Portsmouth Independent) join Reform[7]
- September 2025: Brian Madgwick (Portsmouth Independent) resigns – by-election held October 2025[8]
- October 2025:
- November 2025: Jason Fazackarley joins Reform from the Liberal Democrates[11]
- Feb 2026 Cllr Leo Tindall and Emily Strudwick join Reform from the Portsmouth Independent Party
Incumbents
| Ward | Incumbent councillor | Party | Re-standing | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baffins | Abdul Kadir | Liberal Democrats | ||
| Central Southsea | George Fielding | Labour | ||
| Charles Dickens | Yinka Adeniran | Labour | ||
| Copnor | Benedict Swann | Conservative | ||
| Cosham | Asghar Shah | Labour | ||
| Drayton & Farlington | Simon Bosher | Conservative | ||
| Eastney & Craneswater | Matthew Winnington | Liberal Democrats | ||
| Fratton | Tom Coles | Labour | ||
| Hilsea | Russell Simpson[c] | Reform | ||
| Milton | Steve Pitt | Liberal Democrats | ||
| Nelson | Jason Fazackarley[d] | Reform | ||
| Paulsgrove | Joe Standen[e] | Reform | ||
| St Jude | Judith Smyth | Labour | ||
| St Thomas | Mark Jeffery | Liberal Democrats | ||
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