The 2026 City of Wolverhampton Council election took place on Thursday 7 May 2026, alongside other local elections in the United Kingdom. There were 21 of the 60 seats on City of Wolverhampton Council in the West Midlands up for election, being the usual third of the council and a by-election.
The council remained under Labour control, but their majority was significantly reduced. Reform UK overtook the Conservatives to become the second largest party on the council.
Council composition After 2024 election Before 2026 election After 2026 election Party Seats Party Seats Party Seats 47 44 35 0 2 13 12 11 10 1 2 2VacantN/AVacant1VacantN/A Changes 2024–2026: June 2024: Claire Darke (Labour) leaves party to sit as an independent August 2024: Susan Roberts (Labour) dies – by-election held October 2024 October 2024: Anita Stanley (Reform) gains by-election from Labour July 2025: Greg Brackenridge (Labour) suspended from party October 2025: Celia Hibbert (Independent, elected as Labour) joins Reform March 2026: Greg Brackenridge (Independent) resigns – seat left vacant until 2026 election Wendy Dalton (Conservative) leaves party to sit as an independent
Summary
Background Wolverhampton was created in 1974 as a metropolitan borough, gaining city status in 2000. Since its creation, the council has either been controlled by Labour or under no overall control. No party held a majority between 1987 and 1988, between 1992 and 1994, and between 2008 and 2011. Labour have held a majority for the previous 15 years, increasing their majority by 1 in 2024 through gaining a seat from the Conservatives.
The 2023 election took place on a new set of ward boundaries.The Wolverhampton (Electoral Changes) Order 2022 As such, these elections will be for the councillors elected with the second-highest number of votes. Labour will be defending 16 seats and the Conservatives will be defending 4.
Election result
Incumbents
Ward Incumbent councillorParty Re-standing Bilston North Anita Stanley Reform Yes Bilston South Gillian Wildman Labour Yes Blakenhall Tersaim Singh Labour Yes Bushbury North Andrew McNeil Conservative Yes Bushbury South & Low Hill Paul Brookfield Labour Yes East Park Louise Miles Labour Yes Ettingshall North Jeszemma Howl Labour Yes Ettingshall South & Spring Vale Jasbinder Dehar Labour Yes Fallings Park Chris Burden Labour Yes Graiseley John Reynolds Labour No Heath Town Milkinderpal Jaspal Labour No Merry Hill Carol Hyatt Labour Yes Oxley Jane Francis Labour Yes Park Craig Collingswood Labour Yes Penn Stephanie Haynes Conservative Yes St Peters Qaiser Azeem Labour Yes Tattenhall Regis Sohail Khan Conservative Yes Tattenhall Wightwick Jonathan Crofts Conservative Yes Wednesfield North Rita Potter Labour No Wednesfield South Ciaran Brackenridge Labour No
Ward results
An asterisk (*) denotes an incumbent councillor seeking re-election.
Bilston North
Bilston South
Blakenhall
Bushbury North
Bushbury South & Low Hill
East Park
Ettingshall North
Ettingshall South & Spring Vale
Fallings Park
Graiseley
Heath Town
Merry Hill
Oxley
Park
Penn
St Peters
Tettenhall Regis
Tettenhall Wightwick
Wednesfield North
Wednesfield South Wednesfield South elected two councillors due to the resignation of Greg Brackenridge.
References