The 2026 Bury Council election took place on Thursday 7 May 2026, alongside other local elections in the United Kingdom. One third of the 51 members of Bury Council in Greater Manchester were elected. The election in Moorside ward was postponed to 18 June, following the death of the original Reform UK candidate.
Labour retained its overall majority on the council.
Council composition After 2024 election Before 2026 election Party Seats Party Seats 32 32 8 7 10 5 Together for Bury N/A Together for Bury 3 0 3 1 1 Changes 2024–2026: June 2025: Russell Bernstein (Conservative, Pilkington Park), Jo Lancaster (Conservative, Radcliffe North & Ainsworth), Luis McBriar (Conservative, Tottington), and Dene Vernon (Conservative, Bury West) leave party to sit as independents October 2025: Jack Rydeheard (Conservative) joins Reform December 2025: Together for Bury formed – Russell Bernstein (Independent), Jo Lancaster (Independent), Luis McBriar (Independent), and Dene Vernon (Independent) join party February 2026: Luis James McBriar (Together for Bury) resigns – by-election held April 2026 Glyn Marsden (Radcliffe First) joins Reform April 2026: George Martin (Reform) gains by-election from Conservatives
Summary
Background Bury Metropolitan Borough Council was created in 1974. The Conservatives controlled the council until 1986, when Labour formed their first majority on the council. Following a period of no overall control beginning in 2006, the Conservatives formed a majority in 2008, but this was lost at the next election. Labour retook majority control in 2011 and have formed majority administrations since. Labour expanded their majority in 2024 by gaining one seat from the Conservatives.
Following the 2024 election, the Conservative group faced internal difficulties. Conservative group leader Russell Bernstein was deselected and faced disciplinary measures by the party. Bernstein and three other councillors left the party to form Together for Bury, which was registered in December 2025.
A new set of ward boundaries was used for the 2022 election. This election will be for the councillors elected with the highest number of votes in each of the seventeen three-member wards.The Bury (Electoral Changes) Order 2022 Labour are defending nine seats, the Conservatives are defending four, Radcliffe First are defending three, and independents are defending one.
Election result
Incumbents
Ward Incumbent councillorParty Re-standing Besses Noel Bayley Labour Yes Bury East Ayesha Arif Labour Yes Bury West Jackie Harris Conservative Yes Elton Jack Rydeheard Reform Yes Holyrood Elliot Moss Labour No Moorside Sandra Walmsley Labour Yes North Manor Roger Brown Conservative Yes Pilkington Park Russell Bernstein Together for Bury Yes Radcliffe East Carol Birchmore Radcliffe First Yes Radcliffe North & Ainsworth Donald Berry Radcliffe First Yes Radcliffe West Glyn Marsden Reform Yes Ramsbottom Clare Cummins Labour No Redvales Nikki Frith Labour Yes Sedgley Richard Gold Labour Yes St Mary's Eamonn O'Brien Labour Yes Tottington Yvonne Wright Independent Yes Unsworth Joan Grimshaw Labour No
Ward results Besses
Bury East
Bury West
Elton
Holyrood
Moorside The election for this ward was cancelled on 15 April 2026 following the death of Reform candidate Victor Hagan. A new election was held on 18 June 2026.
North Manor
Pilkington Park
Radcliffe East
Radcliffe North and Ainsworth
Radcliffe West
Ramsbottom
Redvales
Sedgley
St Mary's
Tottington
Unsworth
Notes
References