The 2026 Salford City Council election took place on Thursday 7 May 2026, alongside other local elections in the United Kingdom. One third of the 60 members of Salford City Council in Greater Manchester were elected.
Labour retained overall control of the council, but with a significantly reduced majority. Reform UK, which only had one seat on the council prior to the election, won 13 of the 20 seats contested at this election, making them the second largest party on the council.
Council composition After 2024 election Before 2026 election Party Seats Party Seats 50 45 7 7 2 2 N/A 1 1 2 0 1 Vacant N/A Vacant 2 Changes 2024–2026: September 2024: Sharmina August (Labour) resigns – by-election held October 2024 October 2024: Lisa Muir (Labour) wins by-election March 2025: John Warmisham (Labour) leaves party to sit as an independent May 2025: Bill Hinds (Labour) leaves party to sit as an independent November 2025: Roseanna Wain (Labour) resigns – seat left vacant until 2026 election December 2025: John Warmisham (Independent) joins Your Party February 2026: David Lancaster (Labour) dies – by-election held April 2026 March 2026: Lewis Nelson (Labour) resigns – by-election to be held after 2026 election April 2026: Michael Felse (Reform) gains by-election from Labour
Background Salford City Council was created in 1974. The city has always voted strongly for Labour. The party has governed in majority since the creation of the council, and has held at least 60% of the council's seats for the entirety of the 21st century. The Conservatives have formed the principal opposition since 2008; prior to this, the Liberal Democrats formed the principal opposition from 1996 to 2004, and held an equal number of seats as the Conservatives from 2004 to 2008.
The 2024 election saw Labour increase their majority despite losing a seat to the Liberal Democrats, by taking one seat from the Conservatives and one from an independent. The 20 seats up for election in 2026 were last contested in 2022. In that election, Labour won 15 seats (down 3), the Conservatives won 2 (up 1), the Liberal Democrats won 2 (up 1), and independents won 1 (up 1). The vacant seat in Blackfriars and Trinity was last held by Labour.
Summary
Election result
Incumbents
Ward Incumbent councillorParty Re-standing Barton & Winton John Mullen Labour Yes Blackfriars & Trinity Roseanna Wain Labour No Boothstown & Ellenbrook Les Turner Conservative No Broughton John Merry Labour Yes Cadishead & Lower Irlam Yolande Ghola Labour No Claremont Neil Reynolds Labour Yes Eccles Nathaniel Tetteh Labour Yes Higher Irlam & Peel Green Mishal Saeed Labour Yes Kersal & Broughton Park Andrew Walters Independent Yes Little Hulton Teresa Pepper Labour Yes Ordsall Brandan Keville Labour Yes Pendlebury & Clifton Chioma Mgbeokwere Labour Yes Pendleton & Charlestown John Warmisham Your Party Yes Quays Paul Hellbron Liberal Democrats Yes Swinton & Wardley Gina Reynolds Labour No Swinton Park Stuart Dickman Labour No Walkden North Jack Youd Labour Yes Walkden South Irfan Syed Labour Yes Weaste & Seedley Alexis Sharma Labour Yes Worsley & Westwood Park Adam Kealey Conservative No
Ward results
Barton and Winton
Blackfriars and Trinity
Boothstown and Ellenbrook
Broughton
Cadishead and Lower Irlam By-election due to the resignation of councillor Lewis Nelson.
Claremont
Eccles
Higher Irlam and Peel Green
Kersal and Broughton Park
Little Hulton
Ordsall
Pendlebury and Clifton
Pendleton and Charlestown
Quays
Swinton and Wardley
Swinton Park
Walkden North
Walkden South
Weaste and Seedley
Worsley and Westwood Park
References