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Town Hall & politics · Central Bedfordshire Council

No party holds a majority on Central Bedfordshire Council

Flitwick is run by Central Bedfordshire Council, with Flitwick parish council for local matters. No party holds a majority on Central Bedfordshire Council. Its MP is Blake Stephenson (Conservative), member for Mid Bedfordshire.

Council tax 2026–27

£2,563

Band D, a year, the middle band every council sets its tax from.

Where it goes →
Band D council tax
£2,563
2026–27, a year
Ward councillors
3
1 ward · Central Bedfordshire
MP
Blake Stephenson
Conservative · Mid Bedfordshire
Turnout, July 2024
66%
Mid Bedfordshire · England 60%
What stands out · In brief

How Flitwick’s politics has changed since 2021

No majority on Central Bedfordshire Council

Independents, the largest group, hold 27 of its 63 seats as elected, 5 short of the 32 needed. The Conservatives hold 20, the Liberal Democrats 10, Labour 4, the Greens 1 and Reform UK 1. Who’s in charge ↓

Council tax

A Band D bill in Flitwick is £2,563 for 2026–27; Central Bedfordshire Council keeps 75% of it. The council area’s Band D has risen 46% in ten years, against England’s 56%. Council money ↓

Written from the data on this page: Democracy Club results since May 2021, the UK Parliament Members API and MHCLG council tax.

Who’s in charge

No party has a majority

Seats by party as elected. A party needs 32 of Central Bedfordshire’s 63 seats to run the council alone.

Unitary council · 63 councillorsCentral Bedfordshire CouncilNo overall control
GreenLabourLabourLabourLabourLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratIndependentIndependentIndependentIndependentIndependentIndependentIndependentIndependentIndependentIndependentIndependentIndependentIndependentIndependentIndependentIndependentIndependentIndependentIndependentIndependentIndependentIndependentIndependentIndependentIndependentIndependentIndependentConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeReform UK63seats
  • Independent27
  • Conservative20
  • Liberal Democrat10
  • Labour4
  • Green1
  • Reform UK1

Latest election: May 2023.

GreenLabourLiberal DemocratIndependentConservativeReform UK

Seats are counted from election results: each ward’s most recent winners until its seats are filled. Councillors who have since changed party or resigned aren’t reflected, and which parties lead the council, and who is leader, comes from the council itself.

Results: Democracy Club (CC BY 4.0), elections since May 2021; seats per ward from its EveryElection.

Who runs Flitwick

The councils that run Flitwick

One council runs every main service here.

Town or parish councilFlitwick parish council

Local matters: allotments, play areas, halls, footpaths and benches; it is consulted on planning and adds a precept to the council tax bill. A town council is a parish council by another name.

100% of Flitwick’s residents · Band D precept £211

Unitary councilCentral Bedfordshire Council

Every main council service: schools, social care, roads, bins, planning, housing and libraries.

Website ↗

Who to ask

Bins and recyclingCentral Bedfordshire Council
Planning applicationsCentral Bedfordshire Council
Council housing and homelessnessCentral Bedfordshire Council
Council tax billsCentral Bedfordshire Council
Parks and leisure centresCentral Bedfordshire Council
Allotments, play areas, benchesFlitwick parish council
Potholes, roads and streetlightsCentral Bedfordshire Council
Schools and school placesCentral Bedfordshire Council
Adult and children’s social careCentral Bedfordshire Council
LibrariesCentral Bedfordshire Council
Tips and recycling centresCentral Bedfordshire Council
Police priorities and budgetBedfordshire Police police and crime commissioner
Fire safety visitsBedfordshire Fire and Rescue

From GOV.UK’s “Understand how your council works”: here one council runs every main service.

Councils from ONS lookups (wards and councils May 2026, parishes 2025), names and websites from GOV.UK’s local council finder; parish councils from MHCLG’s 2026–27 list of precepting parishes.

Who represents Flitwick

From the parish to Westminster

Every elected tier that speaks for Flitwick, from the most recent elections.

  1. 1
    Town or parishParish tier
    Flitwick parish council
  2. 2
    Central Bedfordshire Council1 ward · 3 councillors
    Gareth MackeyHeather Jane TownsendIan David Adams
  3. 3
    Police and crime commissionerBedfordshire Police · elected May 2024
    John Tizard
  4. 4
    House of CommonsMid Bedfordshire
LabourConservativeIndependent

Party colours are neutral on purpose: they tell parties apart and aren’t the parties’ own. Tap an MP’s name for their contact page on parliament.uk.

Councillors

3 councillors for 1 ward

Wards with at least 2% of the town’s residents, or half their own inside it. Each shows who won its most recent elections, newest first, until its seats are filled.

Flitwick
13,668 residents
  • Gareth MackeyIndependent · May 2023
  • Heather Jane TownsendIndependent · May 2023
  • Ian David AdamsConservative · May 2023
ConservativeIndependent
Show as a table
WardSeatsElectedWhen
Flitwickall in Flitwick · 13,668 residents3 seats · May 20233
Gareth MackeyHeather Jane TownsendIan David Adams
May 2023

Councillors can resign, change party or sit as independents between elections; a by-election winner replaces someone not named here. Central Bedfordshire Council’s website lists who sits now.

Results from Democracy Club’s candidates database (CC BY 4.0; elections since May 2021) and ward seats from its EveryElection, matched to ONS wards (May 2026) and county divisions (May 2025).

Local elections

Central Bedfordshire council election, May 2023

Results in the wards that make up Flitwick, as declared. Percentages are of votes cast for candidates in each ward; where a ward elects several councillors, each voter has that many votes.

Seats won in Flitwick’s wards3 seats · 4 May 2023
Independent2
Conservative1

1 ward voted. Every seat in the town’s wards was up.

Next elections

No election is scheduled yet for Flitwick’s wards in Democracy Club’s list. Councils publish a notice of election about five weeks before polling day.

Who can I vote for? ↗
Flitwick4 May 2023
Gareth Mackey ElectedIndependent21.8%
Heather Jane Townsend ElectedIndependent17.3%
Ian David Adams ElectedConservative11.1%
Neil Arthur BunyanConservative10.6%
Tim ParsonsConservative8.3%
Chris YatesLabour6.8%
Nick Peter LondonLabour4.8%
Klaus DudasLabour4.6%
Kai Casen RobertsGreen4.2%
Robert HarleyGreen2.8%
Leisa Alexandra MilneGreen2.4%
Andrea Kathleen KiddLiberal Democrat2.0%
Russ ShawReform UK1.9%
Alan Roger WhiteLiberal Democrat1.4%

10,296 votes for candidates · 3 seats, so 3 votes each

LabourConservativeLiberal DemocratReform UKGreenIndependent

Candidates and results: Democracy Club (CC BY 4.0), from councils’ declared results; polling dates from Democracy Club’s EveryElection.

Parliament

Flitwick is in Mid Bedfordshire constituency

The constituency’s MP and the 4 July 2024 general election, the whole constituency’s result (it reaches beyond Flitwick).

Mid Bedfordshire · general election4 July 2024
Blake Stephenson ElectedConservative34.1%
Maahwish MirzaLabour31.4%
Dave HollandReform UK17.3%
Stuart RobertsLiberal Democrat8.2%
Cade SibleyGreen5.2%
Gareth MackeyIndependent3.4%
Richard BrunningSocial Democratic Party0.3%

49,621 votes for candidates · majority 1,321

MP for Mid Bedfordshire

Blake Stephenson

Conservative, MP since 4 July 2024.

66%

turnout in July 2024: 49,621 votes from 75,457 registered voters. England: 60%.

Majority 1,321 of 49,621 votes (2.7%): the 51st-narrowest of 543 in England.

LabourConservativeLiberal DemocratReform UKGreenIndependentOther parties

MPs and results: UK Parliament Members API (Open Parliament Licence v3.0); constituencies from ONS (2024 boundaries). Percentages are of valid votes; turnout is votes cast over the electorate.

Council money

Flitwick’s Band D council tax is £2,563 a year

Where a Band D bill goes, what it has cost over the years, and what the councils plan to spend per resident.

COUNCIL TAXBand D · 2026–27 · a Band D home in Flitwick
Flitwick parish councilparish precept£210.68
Central Bedfordshire Councilcouncil£1,931.54
Bedfordshire police and crime commissionerpolice and crime£297.59
Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Authorityfire and rescue£122.72
A year£2,562.53
Bills by band run from 6/9 of Band D (Band A) to 18/9 (Band H). Discounts and support reduce many bills.

Central Bedfordshire Council keeps £1,931.54 of a Band D bill (75%); the rest goes to the Flitwick parish council, the Bedfordshire police and crime commissioner and the Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Authority.

Band D since 2009

£0£500£1K£1.5K£2K£2.5K£3K2010201520202025England, 1993–94: £567.95England, 1994–95: £580.11England, 1995–96: £609.00England, 1996–97: £646.00England, 1997–98: £688.00England, 1998–99: £747.00England, 1999–00: £798.00England, 2000–01: £847.00England, 2001–02: £901.33England, 2002–03: £975.56England, 2003–04: £1,101.75England, 2004–05: £1,166.56England, 2005–06: £1,213.81England, 2006–07: £1,267.91England, 2007–08: £1,321.32England, 2008–09: £1,373.08England, 2009–10: £1,413.84England, 2010–11: £1,439.22England, 2011–12: £1,439.33England, 2012–13: £1,444.13England, 2013–14: £1,455.60England, 2014–15: £1,467.98England, 2015–16: £1,483.58England, 2016–17: £1,529.56England, 2017–18: £1,590.55England, 2018–19: £1,671.46England, 2019–20: £1,749.88England, 2020–21: £1,817.67England, 2021–22: £1,898.48England, 2022–23: £1,965.71England, 2023–24: £2,065.05England, 2024–25: £2,170.99England, 2025–26: £2,280.21England, 2026–27: £2,391.52Central Bedfordshire, 2009–10: £1,595.64Central Bedfordshire, 2010–11: £1,641.49Central Bedfordshire, 2011–12: £1,641.18Central Bedfordshire, 2012–13: £1,646.58Central Bedfordshire, 2013–14: £1,652.21Central Bedfordshire, 2014–15: £1,659.64Central Bedfordshire, 2015–16: £1,665.95Central Bedfordshire, 2016–17: £1,725.44Central Bedfordshire, 2017–18: £1,795.33Central Bedfordshire, 2018–19: £1,876.22Central Bedfordshire, 2019–20: £1,921.20Central Bedfordshire, 2020–21: £1,996.19Central Bedfordshire, 2021–22: £2,093.05Central Bedfordshire, 2022–23: £2,142.09Central Bedfordshire, 2023–24: £2,169.76Central Bedfordshire, 2024–25: £2,275.55Central Bedfordshire, 2025–26: £2,394.14Central Bedfordshire, 2026–27: £2,516.16Central Bedfordshire £2,516England £2,392

Central Bedfordshire’s Band D bill has risen 46% in ten years, from £1,725.44 in 2016–17, against England’s average (56%). It was £1,595.64 in 2009–10.

Your bill by band

Band A 6/9£1,708
Band B 7/9£1,993
Band C 8/9£2,278
Band D 9/9£2,563
Band E 11/9£3,132
Band F 13/9£3,701
Band G 15/9£4,271
Band H 18/9£5,125

A Band D home in Flitwick, 2026–27, before discounts. The Valuation Office Agency’s band search gives any home’s band.

Bedfordshire’s councils

Luton£2,440
Bedford£2,472
Central Bedfordshire£2,516

Average Band D in each council area, 2026–27, parish precepts included. Bars start at £2,300.

Council budgets per resident, 2026–27

ServiceCentral Bedfordshirevs England
Adult social care£513+£26
Children’s social care£191−£99
Roads and transport£47+£6
Housing (not council homes’ rents)£24−£37
Bins, street cleaning, environment£101−£18
Libraries, leisure, culture£15−£29
Planning and development£30+£4
Public health£52−£26
Running the council£20−£39
Other£18−£1
Flitwick’s councils, per residentEngland, all councils
Show as a table, with Bedfordshire
Central BedfordshireFlitwick’s councilsBedfordshireEngland
Adult social care£513£474£487
Children’s social care£191£261£290
Roads and transport£47£48£41
Housing (not council homes’ rents)£24£60£61
Bins, street cleaning, environment£101£105£119
Libraries, leisure, culture£15£27£44
Planning and development£30£20£26
Public health£52£64£78
Running the council£20£47£59
Other£18£16£19
Total, schools apart£1,011£1,121£1,234

Net budgeted service spending, MHCLG Revenue Account budget 2026–27, per resident (ONS mid-2025 estimates). Schools are left out: academies are paid for directly by government, so council school budgets depend on how many schools have converted. Bedfordshire and England: all their councils together. Police, fire and transport authorities aren’t included.

Band D: MHCLG Band D council tax 2026–27 (each authority’s own figure, excluding parish precepts) and Council Tax statistics for town and parish councils 2026–27; since 1993–94, MHCLG’s area averages including parishes.

Get involved

Having a say in how Flitwick is run

Register to vote

It takes about five minutes online; the deadline is 12 working days before a poll.

gov.uk ↗
Contact your councillors or MP

Type a postcode to write to each of its councillors and its MP.

WriteToThem ↗
Report a pothole or a broken streetlight

GOV.UK sends the report to the council that looks after the road.

gov.uk ↗
Watch or speak at a council meeting

Council and committee meetings are open to the public, with agendas and minutes online.

centralbedfordshire.gov.uk ↗
Comment on a planning application

Anyone can comment while an application is open for consultation.

centralbedfordshire.gov.uk ↗
Stand for election

The rules, nomination papers and guidance for council candidates.

Electoral Commission ↗

Questions about how Flitwick is run

Which council runs Flitwick?

Flitwick is run by Central Bedfordshire Council.

Does Flitwick have a town council?

Yes: Flitwick has its own parish-tier council (Flitwick parish council; town councils are parish councils by another name), which adds £211 to a Band D bill in 2026–27.

Who is the MP for Flitwick?

Blake Stephenson (Conservative) is the MP for Mid Bedfordshire, which covers Flitwick.

How many councillors does Flitwick have?

3 ward councillors represent Flitwick’s 1 ward.

When are the next elections in Flitwick?

No election is scheduled yet in Democracy Club’s list for Flitwick’s wards. The next UK general election must be held by August 2029.

How much is council tax in Flitwick?

Band D council tax in Flitwick is £2,563 for 2026–27. Your bill depends on your home’s band, from A (6/9 of Band D) to H (18/9).

Who controls Central Bedfordshire Council?

No party has a majority. As elected, Independent 27 · Conservative 20 · Liberal Democrat 10 · Labour 4 · Green 1 · Reform UK 1 of 63 seats; a majority needs 32. The council’s website lists who leads it now.

Who won the 2023 council election in Flitwick?

In Flitwick’s wards on 4 May 2023, Independent 2 · Conservative 1 of the 3 seats up. Independents had the largest share of votes, 39.2%.

Sources: ONS ward, county division, parish, constituency lookups (Census 2021 output areas; Open Government Licence v3.0) · GOV.UK local council finder · Democracy Club candidates (CC BY 4.0) and EveryElection · UK Parliament Members API (Open Parliament Licence v3.0) · MHCLG Band D council tax, parish precepts and Revenue Account budgets 2026–27 (OGL v3.0) · ONS mid-2025 population estimates. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.