The 2025 Northumberland County Council election took place on 1 May 2025 to elect members to Northumberland County Council in Northumberland, England. 69 members were elected on the same day as other local elections across England. In the election the council remained under no overall control. Alongside Buckinghamshire, this was one of the only two councils where the Conservatives were elected as the largest party.
Background At the 2021 election, the Conservatives won control of the council. They subsequently lost their majority later in 2021 following a by-election, but continued to run the council as a minority administration between 2021 and 2025. New division boundaries were drawn up to come into effect for the 2025 election, increasing the number of councillors from 67 to 69.
Previous council composition After 2021 election Before 2025 election Party Seats Party Seats 34 33 21 18 3 4 2 2 7 10
Changes November 2021: Cath Homer (Conservative) resigns – by-election held December 2021 December 2021: Suzanne Fairless-Aitken (Liberal Democrats) gains by-election from Conservatives January 2022: Paul Scott (Conservative) dies – by-election held March 2022 February 2022: Holly Waddell (Labour) suspended from party March 2022: Eve Chicken (Conservative) wins by-election May 2023: Holly Waddell (sitting as an independent since her Labour expulsion) joins the Independent Group June 2023: Mary Murphy (Labour) leaves party to sit as an independent June 2024: Christine Dunbar (Conservative) resigns – by-election held August 2024 August 2024: Alan Smith (Conservative) wins by-election October 2024: Liz Simpson (Labour) leaves party to sit as an independent
Summary Prior to the election the council was under no overall control, being run by a Conservative minority administration led by Glen Sanderson. The election saw the Conservatives lose seats, but they remained the largest party, having 26 seats after the election. Reform UK had no seats on the council prior to the election; it won 23 seats, overtaking Labour to become the second largest party on the council. Reform UK chose Mark Peart to be its group leader after the election. At the subsequent annual council meeting on 21 May 2025, both Sanderson and Peart were proposed to be the new leader of the council. Sanderson was chosen by 34 votes to 22, with the Independent Group, Liberal Democrats and Green Party all voting in favour of Sanderson, whilst Labour abstained. The council therefore continued to be run by a Conservative minority administration, with all positions on the council's cabinet being given to Conservatives.
Election result
Division results Alnwick Castle
Alnwick Hotspur
Amble
Amble West with Warkworth
Ashington Central
Bamburgh
Bebside & Kitty Brewster
Bedlington Central
Bedlington East
Bedlington West
Bellingham
Berwick East
Berwick North
Berwick West with Ord
Bothal
Choppington & Hepscott
College with North Seaton
Corbridge
Cowpen
Cramlington East & Double Row
Cramlington Eastfield
Cramlington North
Cramlington North West
Cramlington South East
Cramlington South West
Cramlington Village
Croft
Druridge Bay
Haltwhistle
Hartley
Haydon
Haydon & Hadrian
Hexham East
Hexham North
Hexham West
Hirst
Holywell
Humshaugh
Isabella
Longhirst
Longhorsley
Longhoughton
Lynemouth
Morpeth Kirkhill
Morpeth North
Morpeth Stobhill
Newbiggin-by-the-Sea
Newsham
Norham & Islandshires
Pegswood
Plessey
Ponteland East & Stannington
Ponteland North
Ponteland South with Heddon
Ponteland West
Prudhoe North & Wylam
Prudhoe South
Prudhoe West & Mickley
Rothbury
Seaton with Spital
Seghill with Seaton Delaval
Shilbottle
Sleekburn
South Blyth
South Tynedale
Stakeford
Stocksfield & Bywell
Wensleydale
Wooler
Changes 2025–2029 21 May 2025: Steven Bridgett (elected as an independent, Rothbury) declines to join the Independent Group, alleging a "deal" between the Independent, Green and Liberal Democrat groups and the Conservatives; sits non-aligned 19 September 2025: John Allen (Reform UK, Hirst) has the whip suspended pending investigation, after online comments were attributed to him about shooting the Prime Minister 29 September 2025: Nicole Brooke (Reform UK, Berwick North) and Patrick Lambert (Reform UK, Norham and Islandshires) have the whip suspended pending investigation for breaching Reform group rules 9 October 2025: Scott Lee (elected as an independent, Cramlington East & Double Row) joins the Conservative Party October 2025: Brooke and Lambert are expelled from Reform UK; Lambert denies wrongdoing and appeals 22 October 2025: Allen is expelled from Reform UK "for bringing the party into disrepute"; sits non-aligned 24 October 2025: Brooke and Lambert join the Independent Group 29 July 2026: Arty Hume (Reform UK, Amble) dies in office; a by-election is pending
By-elections
Cramlington South West
The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Reform UK councillor Shaun Knowles in February 2026, who cited a kidney cancer diagnosis and a family bereavement; he had previously faced criticism over poor attendance.
Amble
The by-election was triggered by the death of Reform UK councillor Arty Hume, aged 71, on 29 July 2026.
Hirst
The by-election was triggered after Independent councillor John Allen was disqualified for failing to attend a council meeting for six months. Allen was originally elected for Reform UK, though was suspended from that party following allegations of death threats directed towards former Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
References
See also Northumberland County Council elections