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2026 Rushmoor Borough Council election

2026 local government election in Rushmoor From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 2026 Rushmoor Borough Council election took place on 7 May 2026 to elect councillors to Rushmoor Borough Council in Hampshire, England. The election was held on the same day as other local elections across England.[1]

Registered67,392
Turnout28,287
42.0%
Quick facts 14 out of 39 seats to Rushmoor Borough Council (including 1 by-election) 20 seats needed for a majority, Registered ...
2026 Rushmoor Borough Council election
← 2024
7 May 2026 (2026-05-07)
2027 →
14 out of 39 seats to Rushmoor Borough Council
(including 1 by-election)
20 seats needed for a majority
Registered67,392
Turnout28,287
42.0%
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Gareth Williams Gareth Lyon Kevin Betsworth
Party Labour Conservative Reform
Last election 21 seats, 48.1% 15 seats, 36.8% 0 seats, 3.6%
Seats before 17[a] 14 0
Seats won 3 4 6
Seats after 17 10 6
Seat change Steady Decrease 4 Increase 6
Popular vote 7,277 7,054 9,310
Percentage 24.5% 23.7% 31.3%
Swing Decrease 23.6% Decrease 13.1% Increase 27.7%
  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
 
Leader Craig Card
Party Liberal Democrats Independent Green
Last election 3 seats, 10.1% Did not stand Did not stand
Seats before 3 4 1
Seats won 1 0 0
Seats after 3 3 0
Seat change Steady Decrease 1 Decrease 1
Popular vote 2,196 256 3,520
Percentage 7.4% 0.9% 11.8%
Swing Decrease 2.7% N/A N/A
Winner of each seat at the 2026 Rushmoor Borough Council election.
Leader before election

Gareth Williams
Labour
No overall control[b]

 Leader after election

Gareth Williams
Labour
No overall control[c]

Close

Prior to the election, the council was under no overall control. The largest party was Labour, and they ran the council as a minority administration. The council remained under no overall control at this election. Labour's minority administration continued after the election.[2][3]

Rushmoor Borough Council is elected by thirds. One councillor in each of the borough’s 13 wards will be elected, with councillors serving four-year terms. The seats contested at this election were last contested in 2022.

Summary

Background

In the previous 2024 election, the Labour Party gained control of the council for the first time, winning a majority of seats from the Conservative Party.[4]

During the 2024–2026 council term, several councillors changed their party affiliation. Some Labour councillors resigned from the party in 2025, citing differences over local priorities and governance, forming the Rushmoor Independent Group. This led to the council falling into no overall control, with the Labour group holding power as a minority administration.[5]

Election result

More information Party, This election ...
2026 Rushmoor Borough Council election
Party This election Full council This election
Candidates Seats Net Seats % Other Total Total % Votes Votes % +/−
  Labour {{{candidates}}} 3 Steady 21.4 14 17 43.6 7,277 24.5 -23.6
  Conservative {{{candidates}}} 4 Decrease 4 28.6 6 10 25.6 7,054 23.7 -13.1
  Reform {{{candidates}}} 6 Increase 6 42.9 0 6 15.4 9,310 31.3 +27.7
  Liberal Democrats {{{candidates}}} 1 Steady 7.1 2 3 7.7 2,196 7.4 -2.7
  Independent {{{candidates}}} 0 Decrease 1 0.0 3 3 7.7 256 0.9 N/A
  Green {{{candidates}}} 0 Decrease 1 0.0 0 0 0.0 3,520 11.8 N/A
  British Democrats {{{candidates}}} 0 Steady 0.0 0 0 0.0 66 0.2 N/A
  TUSC {{{candidates}}} 0 Steady 0.0 0 0 0.0 36 0.1 -0.9
Close

Ward results

Incumbent councillors standing for re-election are marked with an asterisk. (*) [6][7]

Aldershot Park

More information Party, Candidate ...
Aldershot Park
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Sharon Harvey 678 38.4 N/A
Labour Delian Bratosin 556 31.5 −36.9
Conservative Peter Crerar 269 15.2 −9.2
Green Sam Morrell 240 13.6 N/A
TUSC Thomas Mortimer 24 1.4 −5.7
Majority 122 6.9 N/A
Turnout 1,767 35.7 +8.9
Registered electors 4,978
Reform gain from Green
Close

Cherrywood

More information Party, Candidate ...
Cherrywood
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Sally McGuinness 557 31.4 N/A
Labour Clive Grattan* 527 29.7 −31.8
Conservative Anil Thapa 474 26.7 −5.6
Green Daryl Higgs 215 12.1 N/A
Majority 30 1.7 N/A
Turnout 1,770 35.8 +4.8
Registered electors 4,973
Reform gain from Labour
Close

Cove & Southwood

More information Party, Candidate ...
Cove & Southwood
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Martin Tennant* 719 30.3 −19.2
Reform Martin Laney 671 28.3 N/A
Labour Becky Miles 481 20.3 −19.6
Green Andy Wilson 308 13.0 N/A
Liberal Democrats Jill Whyman 192 8.1 −2.5
Majority 48 2.0 −7.6
Turnout 2,377 43.0 +8.5
Registered electors 5,524
Conservative hold
Close

Empress

More information Party, Candidate ...
Empress
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Nicky Slater 728 31.0 −14.3
Conservative Abjeet Rudh 557 23.7 −11.3
Reform Rohin Shingadia 551 23.5 +15.9
Liberal Democrats Olive O'Dowd-Booth 284 12.1 +0.1
Green Ryan Salisbury 229 9.7 N/A
Majority 171 7.3 −3.0
Turnout 2,362 46.5 +5.0
Registered electors 5,079
Labour gain from Conservative Swing Decrease1.5
Close

Fernhill

More information Party, Candidate ...
Fernhill (2 seats due to by-election)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Robert Matthews 798 43.6 N/A
Reform Ian Simpson 723 39.5 N/A
Conservative Akmal Gani* 714 39.0 −6.8
Liberal Democrats Brian Blewett 338 18.5 +9.6
Labour Barry Jones 287 15.7 −29.6
Labour Madi Jabbi 278 15.2 −30.1
Green Angela Walters 270 14.8 N/A
Green Stephen Thayer 251 13.7 N/A
Turnout 2,054 40.5 +7.8
Registered electors 5,077
Reform gain from Conservative
Reform gain from Labour
Close

Knellwood

More information Party, Candidate ...
Knellwood
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mara Makunura* 918 31.8 −8.7
Reform Amanda O'Neill 759 26.3 N/A
Liberal Democrats Alan Hilliar 476 16.5 −5.1
Labour Tad Cragg 419 14.5 −19.5
Green Jules Crossley* 315 10.9 N/A
Majority 159 5.5 −1.0
Turnout 2,907 51.5 +12.6
Registered electors 5,642
Conservative hold
Close

Manor Park

More information Party, Candidate ...
Manor Park
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jib Belbase 891 34.9 −6.7
Reform Ken Tranter 623 24.4 +14.8
Labour Catherine Njenga 572 22.4 −24.0
Green Julia Rai 282 11.1 N/A
Liberal Democrats Mark Trotter 171 6.7 N/A
TUSC Keri Andrews 12 0.5 −1.8
Majority 263 10.3 N/A
Turnout 2,565 46.8 +6.7
Registered electors 5,485
Conservative hold Swing Decrease10.8
Close

North Town

More information Party, Candidate ...
North Town
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Sarah Spall* 903 45.8 −36.6
Reform Ken Weller 764 38.7 N/A
Green Jules Rai 305 15.5 N/A
Majority 139 7.0 −57.8
Turnout 2,001 39.1 +12.3
Registered electors 5,116
Labour hold
Close

Rowhill

More information Party, Candidate ...
Results
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Kevin Betsworth 768 33.7 +21.1
Labour Fouzia Khan 746 32.7 −19.2
Conservative Simon Birtwistle 401 17.6 −9.2
Green Nick Stamp 301 13.2 N/A
British Democrats Zack Culshaw 66 2.9 N/A
Majority 22 1.0 N/A
Turnout 2,302 46.3 +7.8
Registered electors 4,972
Reform gain from Conservative Swing Increase20.2
Close

St John's

More information Party, Candidate ...
St John's
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Dave Bell 719 32.7 N/A
Conservative Stuart Trussler* 656 29.9 −12.9
Labour Julia Warner 558 25.4 −23.1
Green Fred Morris 264 12.0 N/A
Majority 63 2.7 N/A
Turnout 2,204 44.1 +10.4
Registered electors 4,997
Reform gain from Conservative
Close

St Mark's

More information Party, Candidate ...
St Mark's
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Craig Card* 603 28.3 −14.2
Reform Joey Noyce 591 27.7 N/A
Conservative Edd Bartlett 405 19.0 −17.3
Green Zak Khan 296 13.9 N/A
Labour Alex Day 236 11.1 −10.1
Majority 12 0.6 −5.6
Turnout 2,160 38.9 +9.3
Registered electors 5,552
Liberal Democrats hold
Close

Wellington

More information Party, Candidate ...
Wellington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Uttar Gurung 551 33.3 −24.1
Reform Lisa Patterson 459 27.7 N/A
Conservative Bishal Gurung 389 23.5 −15.3
Independent Nadia Martin* 256 15.5 N/A
Majority 92 5.6 −13.0
Turnout 1,667 31.7 +4.5
Registered electors 5,264
Labour gain from Independent
Close

West Heath

More information Party, Candidate ...
West Heath
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ade Adeola* 661 31.2 −7.2
Reform Chris Harding 649 30.6 +19.8
Labour Jahangir Firoz 435 20.5 −20.3
Green Ed Neville 244 11.5 N/A
Liberal Democrats James Read 132 6.2 −3.8
Majority 12 0.6 N/A
Turnout 2,133 45.1 +9.1
Registered electors 4,733
Conservative hold Swing Decrease13.5
Close

By-elections

Wellington

More information Party, Candidate ...
Wellington by-election: 16 July 2026
Resignation of Usman Ahmad (Labour)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Fouzia Khan 408 42.1 +8.8
Conservative Prabesh KC 199 20.5 −3.0
Reform Rohin Shingadia 196 20.2 −7.5
Green Andy Wilson 118 12.2 N/A
Liberal Democrats Christopher Peart 49 5.1 N/A
Majority 209 21.5 +15.9
Turnout 970 18.0 −13.7
Registered electors ~5,389
Labour hold Swing Increase5.9
Close

Notes

  1. [a]
    Includes the vacant seat in Fernhill ward last held by Labour.
  2. [b]
    Labour minority.
  3. [c]
    Labour minority.

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