Photo: Robert Eva · CC BY-SA 2.0Labour holds a majority on Luton Borough Council
Luton is run by Luton Borough Council. Labour has a majority on Luton Borough Council. Luton is split between 4 parliamentary constituencies.
£2,445
Band D, a year, the middle band every council sets its tax from.
Where it goes →How Luton’s politics has changed since 2021
A majority on Luton Borough Council
Labour holds a majority on Luton Borough Council: 27 of its 45 seats as elected. The Liberal Democrats hold 14, the Conservatives 3 and Reform UK 1. Who’s in charge ↓
Council tax
A Band D bill in Luton is £2,440 for 2026–27; Luton Borough Council keeps 83% of it. The council area’s Band D has risen 58% 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 holds the seats
Seats by party as elected. A party needs 23 of Luton’s 45 seats to run the council alone.
- Labour27
- Liberal Democrat14
- Conservative3
- Reform UK1
Latest election: May 2023.
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.
The councils that run Luton
One council runs every main service here.
The parish council for the part of Luton inside Dunstable parish.
3% of Luton’s residents · Band D precept £266
Every main council service: schools, social care, roads, bins, planning, housing and libraries.
96% of Luton’s residents
Website ↗Every main council service: schools, social care, roads, bins, planning, housing and libraries.
Who runs Luton: same source as Who runs Luton, above.
Website ↗Who to ask
From GOV.UK’s “Understand how your council works”: here one council runs every main service.
96% of Luton’s residents live outside any parish, with no parish council.
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.
From the parish to Westminster
Every elected tier that speaks for Luton, from the most recent elections.
- 1Town or parishParish tierDunstable parish council
- 2Council wards21 wards · 47 councillorsLabour 27 · Liberal Democrat 16 · Conservative 3 · Independent 2 · Reform UK 1 · all 49
- 3Police and crime commissionerBedfordshire Police · elected May 2024John Tizard
- 4House of CommonsSplit between 4 constituencies
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.
47 councillors for 21 wards
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.
- Basid MahmoodLabour · May 2023
- Khtija Ghaus MalikLabour · May 2023
- Tom ShawLabour · May 2023
- Rumi ChowdhuryLabour · May 2023
- Javed Iqbal HussainLabour · May 2023
- Rehana MalikLabour · May 2023
- No election on record since May 2021
- Robert James RocheLabour · May 2023
- Amy Jane Alexandra NichollsLabour · May 2023
- Babatunde AjisolaLabour · May 2023
- Saima HussainLabour · May 2023
- Ghulam AbbasLabour · May 2023
- Shahanara NaserLabour · May 2023
- Stuart John MillerConservative · May 2023
- John David BakerConservative · May 2023
- Aziz AmbiaConservative · May 2023
- Matt FryLiberal Democrat · September 2025 · by-election
- Richard UnderwoodLiberal Democrat · May 2023
- David Hesketh WynnLiberal Democrat · May 2023
- Nigel John MarshallLiberal Democrat · May 2023
- Anwar MalikLiberal Democrat · September 2024 · by-election
- David George FranksLiberal Democrat · May 2023
- Jeff PettsLiberal Democrat · May 2023
- Amjid AliLiberal Democrat · May 2023
- Zanib RajaLabour · May 2023
- Tahmina SaleemLabour · May 2023
- James John TaylorLabour · May 2023
- Umme AliLabour · May 2023
- Maria Freda LovellLabour · May 2023
- Francis SteerLabour · May 2023
- Gillian Frances FryLiberal Democrat · May 2023
- Zahoor AhmedLiberal Democrat · May 2023
The other 9 wards
- Mohammed FarooqLabour · May 2023
- Alia KhanLabour · May 2023
- Fatima BegumLabour · May 2023
- Mohammed Yaqub HanifLabour · May 2023
- Steve StevensLiberal Democrat · May 2023
- Charmaine IslesLabour · May 2023
- Hazel Marie SimmonsLabour · May 2023
- Yarun BegumLabour · May 2023
- James Aaron FletcherReform UK · April 2026 · by-election
- Adrees LatifLiberal Democrat · September 2024 · by-election
- Jacqui BurnettLabour · May 2023
- Aslam KhanLabour · May 2023
- Steve Barry MooreLiberal Democrat · May 2023
- Clive Richard MeadLiberal Democrat · May 2023
- Kenson GurneyIndependent · May 2023
- John GurneyIndependent · May 2023
- Terry David KeensLiberal Democrat · May 2023
- Lee Mark BridgenLiberal Democrat · May 2023
Show as a table
| Ward | Seats | Elected | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChallneyLuton · all in Luton · 16,183 residents3 seats · May 2023 | 3 | Basid MahmoodKhtija Ghaus MalikTom Shaw | May 2023 |
| Beech HillLuton · all in Luton · 15,254 residents3 seats · May 2023 | 3 | Rumi ChowdhuryJaved Iqbal HussainRehana Malik | May 2023 |
| FarleyLuton · all in Luton · 14,782 residents | – | No election on record since May 2021 | |
| NorthwellLuton · all in Luton · 13,708 residents3 seats · May 2023 | 3 | Robert James RocheAmy Jane Alexandra NichollsBabatunde Ajisola | May 2023 |
| SaintsLuton · all in Luton · 13,292 residents3 seats · May 2023 | 3 | Saima HussainGhulam AbbasShahanara Naser | May 2023 |
| BraminghamLuton · all in Luton · 13,248 residents3 seats · May 2023 | 3 | Stuart John MillerJohn David BakerAziz Ambia | May 2023 |
| StopsleyLuton · all in Luton · 12,545 residents3 seats · September 2025, May 2023 | 3 | Matt Fryby-electionRichard UnderwoodDavid Hesketh WynnNigel John Marshall | September 2025, May 2023 |
| BarnfieldLuton · all in Luton · 12,350 residents3 seats · September 2024, May 2023 | 3 | Anwar Malikby-electionDavid George FranksJeff PettsAmjid Ali | September 2024, May 2023 |
| BiscotLuton · all in Luton · 10,713 residents2 seats · May 2023 | 2 | Zanib RajaTahmina Saleem | May 2023 |
| High TownLuton · all in Luton · 10,503 residents2 seats · May 2023 | 2 | James John TaylorUmme Ali | May 2023 |
| LeagraveLuton · all in Luton · 10,203 residents2 seats · May 2023 | 2 | Maria Freda LovellFrancis Steer | May 2023 |
| Round GreenLuton · all in Luton · 10,075 residents2 seats · May 2023 | 2 | Gillian Frances FryZahoor Ahmed | May 2023 |
The other 9 wards
| Ward | Seats | Elected | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| DallowLuton · all in Luton · 9,893 residents2 seats · May 2023 | 2 | Mohammed FarooqAlia Khan | May 2023 |
| CentralLuton · all in Luton · 9,883 residents2 seats · May 2023 | 2 | Fatima BegumMohammed Yaqub Hanif | May 2023 |
| SouthLuton · all in Luton · 9,649 residents2 seats · May 2023 | 2 | Steve StevensCharmaine Isles | May 2023 |
| LewseyLuton · all in Luton · 9,566 residents2 seats · May 2023 | 2 | Hazel Marie SimmonsYarun Begum | May 2023 |
| WigmoreLuton · all in Luton · 9,498 residents2 seats · April 2026, September 2024 | 2 | James Aaron Fletcherby-electionAdrees Latifby-election | April 2026, September 2024 |
| PoetsLuton · all in Luton · 8,551 residents2 seats · May 2023 | 2 | Jacqui BurnettAslam Khan | May 2023 |
| Sundon ParkLuton · all in Luton · 8,452 residents2 seats · May 2023 | 2 | Steve Barry MooreClive Richard Mead | May 2023 |
| Dunstable EastCentral Bedfordshire · mostly in Luton · 6,983 residents2 seats · May 2023 | 2 | Kenson GurneyJohn Gurney | May 2023 |
| VauxhallLuton · all in Luton · 6,913 residents2 seats · May 2023 | 2 | Terry David KeensLee Mark Bridgen | May 2023 |
Councillors can resign, change party or sit as independents between elections; a by-election winner replaces someone not named here. Luton Borough 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).
Luton council election, May 2023
Results in the wards that make up Luton, as declared. Percentages are of votes cast for candidates in each ward; where a ward elects several councillors, each voter has that many votes.
21 wards voted. Every seat in the town’s wards was up.
No election is scheduled yet for Luton’s wards in Democracy Club’s list. Councils publish a notice of election about five weeks before polling day.
Who can I vote for? ↗6,514 votes for candidates · 3 seats, so 3 votes each
8,855 votes for candidates · 3 seats, so 3 votes each
Votes not recorded
Every ward’s result (18 more)
6,217 votes for candidates · 3 seats, so 3 votes each
8,216 votes for candidates · 3 seats, so 3 votes each
8,311 votes for candidates · 3 seats, so 3 votes each
8,282 votes for candidates · 3 seats, so 3 votes each
8,953 votes for candidates · 3 seats, so 3 votes each
4,178 votes for candidates · 2 seats, so 2 votes each
2,552 votes for candidates · 2 seats, so 2 votes each
3,243 votes for candidates · 2 seats, so 2 votes each
3,472 votes for candidates · 2 seats, so 2 votes each
3,271 votes for candidates · 2 seats, so 2 votes each
1,578 votes for candidates · 2 seats, so 2 votes each
2,546 votes for candidates · 2 seats, so 2 votes each
2,334 votes for candidates · 2 seats, so 2 votes each
4,281 votes for candidates · 2 seats, so 2 votes each
3,226 votes for candidates · 2 seats, so 2 votes each
3,324 votes for candidates · 2 seats, so 2 votes each
3,823 votes for candidates · 2 seats, so 2 votes each
2,572 votes for candidates · 2 seats, so 2 votes each
Candidates and results: Democracy Club (CC BY 4.0), from councils’ declared results; polling dates from Democracy Club’s EveryElection.
Luton is split between 4 constituencies
The constituencies’ MP and the 4 July 2024 general election, the whole constituency’s result.
38,745 votes for candidates · majority 7,510
Labour, MP since 12 December 2019.
turnout in July 2024: 38,745 votes from 74,866 registered voters. England: 60%.
Majority 7,510 of 38,745 votes (19.4%): wider than in 65% of England’s 543 constituencies.
| Constituency | MP | Share of town |
|---|---|---|
| Mid Bedfordshire | Blake Stephenson | 1% |
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.
Luton’s Band D council tax is £2,440 a year
Where a Band D bill goes, what it has cost over the years, and what the councils plan to spend per resident.
Luton Borough Council keeps £2,019.62 of a Band D bill (83%); the rest goes to the Bedfordshire police and crime commissioner and the Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Authority.
Across the whole town the average Band D is £2,445 (parishes differ; weighted by residents).
Band D since 1993
Luton’s Band D bill has risen 58% in ten years, from £1,546.34 in 2016–17, against England’s average (56%). It was £511.88 in 1993–94.
Your bill by band
A Band D home in the unparished part of Luton, 2026–27, before discounts. The Valuation Office Agency’s band search gives any home’s band.
Bedfordshire’s councils
Average Band D in each council area, 2026–27, parish precepts included. Bars start at £2,300.
Council budgets per resident, 2026–27
Show as a table, with Bedfordshire
| Luton | Luton’s councils | Bedfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult social care | £411 | £474 | £487 |
| Children’s social care | £324 | £261 | £290 |
| Roads and transport | £46 | £48 | £41 |
| Housing (not council homes’ rents) | £85 | £60 | £61 |
| Bins, street cleaning, environment | £116 | £105 | £119 |
| Libraries, leisure, culture | £30 | £27 | £44 |
| Planning and development | £16 | £20 | £26 |
| Public health | £91 | £64 | £78 |
| Running the council | £83 | £47 | £59 |
| Other | £27 | £16 | £19 |
| Total, schools apart | £1,228 | £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.
Having a say in how Luton is run
It takes about five minutes online; the deadline is 12 working days before a poll.
gov.uk ↗Type a postcode to write to each of its councillors and its MP.
WriteToThem ↗GOV.UK sends the report to the council that looks after the road.
gov.uk ↗Council and committee meetings are open to the public, with agendas and minutes online.
m.luton.gov.uk ↗Anyone can comment while an application is open for consultation.
m.luton.gov.uk ↗The rules, nomination papers and guidance for council candidates.
Electoral Commission ↗Questions about how Luton is run
Does Luton have a town council?
Parts of it do: Dunstable parish council.
Who is the MP for Luton?
Luton is split between 4 constituencies: Luton North (Sarah Owen, Labour), Luton South and South Bedfordshire (Rachel Hopkins, Labour), Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard (Alex Mayer, Labour) and Mid Bedfordshire (Blake Stephenson, Conservative). Parliament’s Find your MP service matches a postcode to its MP.
How many councillors does Luton have?
47 ward councillors represent Luton’s 21 wards.
When are the next elections in Luton?
No election is scheduled yet in Democracy Club’s list for Luton’s wards. The next UK general election must be held by August 2029.
How much is council tax in Luton?
Band D council tax in Luton is £2,445 for 2026–27. Your bill depends on your home’s band, from A (6/9 of Band D) to H (18/9).
Who controls Luton Borough Council?
Labour has a majority: 27 of 45 seats as elected. The council’s website lists who leads it now.
Who won the 2023 council election in Luton?
In Luton’s wards on 4 May 2023, Labour 27 · Liberal Democrat 15 · Conservative 3 · Independent 2 of the 47 seats up. Labour had the largest share of votes, 49.2%.
Is Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard a marginal seat?
Alex Mayer (Labour) won it by 667 votes in July 2024, 1.4% of votes cast: the 27th-narrowest result of 543 in England.
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.