The 2026 Waltham Forest London Borough Council election took place on 7 May 2026. All 60 members of Waltham Forest London Borough Council were elected. The elections took place alongside local elections in the other London boroughs and elections to local authorities across the United Kingdom.

Prior to the election, the council was under Labour majority control. At the election, the Green Party, which had not held any seats on the council immediately before the election, won 31 of the council's 60 seats, giving Waltham Forest Green Party a majority. The Greens subsequently appointed Paul Perkins and Eva Tabbasam as co-leaders of the group and set out a leadership model for them to each take turns as leader of the council in alternate years, starting with Perkins. He was accordingly formally appointed as the leader of the council at the subsequent annual council meeting on 21 May 2026.

Background The thirty-two London boroughs were established in 1965 by the London Government Act 1963. They are the principal authorities in Greater London and have responsibilities including education, housing, planning, highways, social services, libraries, recreation, waste, environmental health and revenue collection. Some of the powers are shared with the Greater London Authority, which also manages passenger transport, police and fire.

Since its formation, Waltham Forest has generally been under Labour control or no overall control with one period of Conservative control from 1968 to 1971. Labour won an overall majority from no overall control in the 2010 election, with 36 seats and 38.9% of the vote across the borough; with the Conservatives winning eighteen seats and the Liberal Democrats winning the remaining six. The Liberal Democrats lost all their seats in the 2014 election, with Labour winning 44 and the Conservatives winning 16. In 2018, Labour increased its majority with 46 seats to the Conservatives' 14. In the most recent election in 2022, Labour again extended its majority by winning 47 seats with 59.2% of the vote across the borough while the Conservatives won 13 seats with 22.2% of the vote. The Green Party received 7.5% of the vote and the Liberal Democrats received 7.4% of the vote but neither won any seats.

Previous council composition

After 2022 election Before 2026 election After 2026 election Party Seats Party Seats Party Seats 0 0 31 47 44 15 13 10 14 0 3 0 0 3 0 Changes 2022–2026: May 2022: Anna Mbachu re-elected as a Labour candidate, but sits as an independent after being expelled in April 2022 September 2023: Alistair Strathern (Labour) resigns – by-election held October 2023 October 2023: Shumon Ali-Rahman (Labour) wins by-election January 2025: Tom Connor (Labour) suspended from party September 2025: Justin Halabi (Conservative) joins Reform January 2026: Marion Fitzgerald (Conservative) and Tim James (Conservative) join Reform Rhiannon Eglin (Labour) leaves party to sit as an independent

Results summary

Results by ward

Cann Hall

Cathall

Chapel End

Chingford Green

Endlebury

Forest

Grove Green

Hale End & Highams Park South

Hatch Lane & Highams Park North

High Street

Higham Hill

Hoe Street

Larkswood

Sarah Chaney, Deborah Hollingsworth and Jennifer Larbie are affiliated with the Chingford and Woodford Green Community Independents, associated with Faiza Shaheen.

Lea Bridge

Leyton

Leytonstone

Markhouse

St James

Upper Walthamstow

Valley

Simon Deville, Saqeeb Howlader and Matt Romo are affiliated with the Chingford and Woodford Green Community Independents, associated with Faiza Shaheen.

William Morris

Wood Street

Notes

References