The 2026 Knowsley Council election took place on Thursday 7 May 2026 to elect members of Knowsley Council in Merseyside, England. They took place alongside other local elections in the United Kingdom. There were 16 of the 45 seats on the council up for election, being the usual third of the council plus a by-election.

Labour retained control of the council, but with a significantly reduced majority.

Summary Background Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council was created in 1974. Like much of Merseyside, Labour have always performed well in local elections, forming majority administrations for the entirety of the council's existence. The party have always held over 60% of the seats; this includes a period between 2012 and 2016 when every seat was held by Labour.

The Conservatives formed the principal opposition from 1974 to 1994, when they were overtaken by independents. From 1996 to 2012, the Liberal Democrats formed the main opposition. 2021 saw the Green Party overtake the Liberal Democrats, and they have formed the principal opposition since.

The seats up for election this year were last contested in 2022. That election saw Labour take 10 seats (down two), the Greens take 2 (up 1), independents take 2 (up 1), and the Liberal Democrats take 1 (steady).

Electoral process The council elects its councillors in thirds, with a third being up for election in three years out of every four, with no election in the fourth year. One seat in each of the borough's fifteen wards was up for election in 2026, being the class of councillors last elected in 2022, with an additional seat contested in Roby ward following the resignation of a sitting councillor. The election was held using first-past-the-post voting, with electors able to vote for one candidate in each of the fourteen single-member wards, or up to two candidates in Roby.

All registered electors (British, Irish, Commonwealth and European Union citizens) living in Knowsley aged 18 or over were entitled to vote in the election. People who live at two addresses in different councils, such as university students with different term-time and holiday addresses, are entitled to be registered for and vote in elections in both local authorities. Voting in-person at polling stations took place from 07:00 to 22:00 on election day, and voters were able to apply for postal votes or proxy votes in advance of the election.

Election result

Council composition After 2024 election Before 2026 election After 2026 election Party Seats Party Seats Party Seats 31 30 24 7 7 8 3 3 3 4 4 6 - - 4 Vacant N/A Vacant 1 Vacant N/A

Incumbents

Ward Incumbent councillorParty Re-standing Cherryfield David Lonergan Labour No Halewood North Terry Powell Labour Yes Halewood South Joanne Harvey Independent Yes Northwood Harry Bell Labour No Page Moss Robert Austin Labour Yes Prescot North Frances Wynn Liberal Democrats Yes Prescot South Kai Taylor Green Yes Roby Kevin Bannon Labour Yes Shevington Tommy Rowe Labour Yes St Gabriels Cath Golding Green Yes St Michaels Tony Ely Labour No Stockbridge Dennis Baum Labour Yes Swanside Colin Dever Labour Yes Whiston & Cronton Denise Allen Labour Yes Whitefield Brian Johns Independent Yes

Ward results Councillors that were standing for re-election are marked with an asterisk (*). Cherryfield

Halewood North

Halewood South

Northwood

Page Moss

Prescot North

Prescot South

Roby

The additional Roby vacancy arose after Green councillor Paul Woodruff resigned on 17 March 2026, citing the deaths of both his parents and treatment for a serious health condition.

Shevington

St Gabriels

St Michaels

Stockbridge

Swanside

Whiston & Cronton

Whitefield

References