Photo: Christine Johnstone · CC BY-SA 2.0Labour holds a majority on Halton Borough Council
Runcorn is run by Halton Borough Council. Labour has a majority on Halton Borough Council. Its MP is Sarah Pochin (Reform UK), member for Runcorn and Helsby.
£2,364
Band D, a year, the middle band every council sets its tax from.
Where it goes →How Runcorn’s politics has changed since 2021
A majority on Halton Borough Council
Labour holds a majority on Halton Borough Council: 35 of its 54 seats as elected (it held 50 before the May 2026 election). Reform UK holds 16, the Liberal Democrats 3. Who’s in charge ↓
The 2026 vote
Across Runcorn’s wards, Reform UK took 40.1%, Labour took 26.2% and the Greens took 16.1% of votes in May 2026. In 2024, Reform UK had 1.8%. How Runcorn has voted ↓
Council tax
A Band D bill in Runcorn is £2,358 for 2026–27; Halton Borough Council keeps 82% of it. The council area’s Band D has risen 59% 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 28 of Halton’s 54 seats to run the council alone.
- Labour35−15
- Reform UK16+16
- Liberal Democrat3no change
- Conservative0−1
Change against the council before the 7 May 2026 election.
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 Runcorn
One council runs every main service here.
The parish council for the part of Runcorn inside Sandymoor parish.
4% of Runcorn’s residents · Band D precept £29
Every main council service: schools, social care, roads, bins, planning, housing and libraries.
Website ↗Transport, skills and regeneration across several council areas.
Who to ask
From GOV.UK’s “Understand how your council works”: here one council runs every main service.
94% of Runcorn’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 Runcorn, from the most recent elections.
- 1Town or parishParish tierSandymoor parish council
- 2Halton Borough Council9 wards · 27 councillorsLabour 15 · Reform UK 9 · Liberal Democrat 3 · all 27
- 3Police and crime commissionerCheshire Constabulary · elected May 2024Dan Price
- 4House of CommonsRuncorn and Helsby
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.
27 councillors for 9 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.
- Gary OatesReform UK · May 2026
- Katy Elizabeth McDonoughLabour · May 2024
- John Bernard AbbottLabour · May 2023
- Siân Fiona Alexandra DavidsonReform UK · May 2026
- Victoria BeggLabour · May 2024
- Rosie LeckLabour · May 2023
- Sarah DaviesReform UK · May 2026
- Stef NelsonLabour · May 2024
- Carol Patricia Plumpton-WalshLabour · May 2023
- Gareth Charles StocktonLiberal Democrat · May 2026
- Margaret Anna RatcliffeLiberal Democrat · May 2024
- Chris RoweLiberal Democrat · May 2023
- Peter DavidsonReform UK · May 2026
- Colin William HughesLabour · May 2024
- Tom StretchLabour · May 2023
- William Trevor DaviesReform UK · May 2026
- Irene BramwellLabour · May 2024
- Peter Lloyd JonesLabour · May 2023
- John Paul DaviesReform UK · May 2026
- Sharon Anne ThorntonLabour · May 2024
- Chris LoftusLabour · May 2023
- Jack Bernard RaftreeReform UK · May 2026
- Kath LoftusLabour · May 2024
- Dave ThompsonLabour · May 2023
- John David ScottReform UK · May 2026
- Dylan Anthony EatonReform UK · May 2026
- Neil ConnollyLabour · May 2024
Show as a table
| Ward | Seats | Elected | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grangeall in Runcorn · 8,080 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | Gary OatesKaty Elizabeth McDonoughJohn Bernard Abbott | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
| Mersey & Westonall in Runcorn · 7,866 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | Siân Fiona Alexandra DavidsonVictoria BeggRosie Leck | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
| Bridgewaterall in Runcorn · 7,681 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | Sarah DaviesStef NelsonCarol Patricia Plumpton-Walsh | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
| Beechwood & Heathall in Runcorn · 7,556 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | Gareth Charles StocktonMargaret Anna RatcliffeChris Rowe | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
| Norton South & Preston Brookall in Runcorn · 7,147 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | Peter DavidsonColin William HughesTom Stretch | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
| Norton Northmostly in Runcorn · 7,102 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | William Trevor DaviesIrene BramwellPeter Lloyd Jones | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
| Halton Castleall in Runcorn · 6,763 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | John Paul DaviesSharon Anne ThorntonChris Loftus | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
| Halton Leaall in Runcorn · 6,688 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | Jack Bernard RaftreeKath LoftusDave Thompson | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
| Daresbury, Moore & Sandymoormostly in Runcorn · 2,758 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024 | 3 | John David ScottDylan Anthony EatonNeil Connolly | May 2026, May 2024 |
Councillors can resign, change party or sit as independents between elections; a by-election winner replaces someone not named here. Halton 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).
Labour led each vote to 2024; Reform UK led in 2026
Share of all votes cast for candidates in Runcorn’s wards at each scheduled council election since 2021. A gap is a year with no election here.
Seats won at each election
Show as a table
| Party | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green | 5.3% | 8.1% | 9.3% | 9.2% | 16.1% |
| Labour | 54.1% | 56.1% | 57.1% | 59.8% | 26.2% |
| Liberal Democrat | 21.2% | 17.5% | 17.1% | 18.6% | 10.2% |
| Conservative | 17.1% | 14% | 14.6% | 7.1% | 4.1% |
| Reform UK | 0% | 0% | 0% | 1.8% | 40.1% |
In 2026, Reform UK won 9 and the Liberal Democrats won 1 of the 10 seats up in Runcorn’s wards.
Results: Democracy Club (CC BY 4.0). Where a ward elects several councillors at once, each voter has that many votes; all of them count here.
Halton council election, May 2026
Results in the wards that make up Runcorn, as declared. Percentages are of votes cast for candidates in each ward; where a ward elects several councillors, each voter has that many votes.
9 wards voted. Halton elects a third of its councillors at a time, so a third of the seats were up.
No election is scheduled yet for Runcorn’s wards in Democracy Club’s list. Councils publish a notice of election about five weeks before polling day.
Who can I vote for? ↗1,717 votes for candidates
2,085 votes for candidates
1,939 votes for candidates
Every ward’s result (6 more)
2,689 votes for candidates
1,486 votes for candidates
2,120 votes for candidates
1,490 votes for candidates
1,532 votes for candidates
3,963 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.
Runcorn is in Runcorn and Helsby constituency
The constituency’s MP and the 4 July 2024 general election, the whole constituency’s result (it reaches beyond Runcorn).
42,235 votes for candidates · majority 14,696
Reform UK, MP since 1 May 2025.
turnout in July 2024: 42,235 votes from 70,801 registered voters. England: 60%.
Majority 14,696 of 42,235 votes (34.8%): wider than in 91% of England’s 543 constituencies.
32,655 votes for candidates
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.
Runcorn’s Band D council tax is £2,358 a year
Where a Band D bill goes, what it has cost over the years, and what the councils plan to spend per resident.
Halton Borough Council keeps £1,938.81 of a Band D bill (82%); the rest goes to the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, the Cheshire police and crime commissioner and the Cheshire Fire and Rescue Authority.
Across the whole town the average Band D is £2,364 (parishes differ; weighted by residents).
Band D since 1993
Halton’s Band D bill has risen 59% in ten years, from £1,486.60 in 2016–17, against England’s average (56%). It was £645.75 in 1993–94.
Your bill by band
A Band D home in the unparished part of Halton, 2026–27, before discounts. The Valuation Office Agency’s band search gives any home’s band.
Cheshire’s councils
Average Band D in each council area, 2026–27, parish precepts included. Bars start at £2,200.
Council budgets per resident, 2026–27
Show as a table, with Cheshire
| Halton | Runcorn’s councils | Cheshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult social care | £678 | £579 | £487 |
| Children’s social care | £563 | £302 | £290 |
| Roads and transport | £163 | £69 | £41 |
| Housing (not council homes’ rents) | £26 | £35 | £61 |
| Bins, street cleaning, environment | £103 | £101 | £119 |
| Libraries, leisure, culture | £96 | £55 | £44 |
| Planning and development | £18 | £27 | £26 |
| Public health | £114 | £64 | £78 |
| Running the council | £58 | £47 | £59 |
| Other | £40 | £6 | £19 |
| Total, schools apart | £1,858 | £1,284 | £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. Cheshire 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 Runcorn 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.
www3.halton.gov.uk ↗Anyone can comment while an application is open for consultation.
www3.halton.gov.uk ↗The rules, nomination papers and guidance for council candidates.
Electoral Commission ↗Questions about how Runcorn is run
Does Runcorn have a town council?
Parts of it do: Sandymoor parish council.
Who is the MP for Runcorn?
Sarah Pochin (Reform UK) is the MP for Runcorn and Helsby, which covers Runcorn.
How many councillors does Runcorn have?
27 ward councillors represent Runcorn’s 9 wards.
When are the next elections in Runcorn?
No election is scheduled yet in Democracy Club’s list for Runcorn’s wards. The next UK general election must be held by August 2029.
How much is council tax in Runcorn?
Band D council tax in Runcorn is £2,364 for 2026–27. Your bill depends on your home’s band, from A (6/9 of Band D) to H (18/9).
Who controls Halton Borough Council?
Labour has a majority: 35 of 54 seats as elected. The council’s website lists who leads it now.
Who won the 2026 council election in Runcorn?
In Runcorn’s wards on 7 May 2026, Reform UK 9 · Liberal Democrat 1 of the 10 seats up. Reform UK had the largest share of votes, 40.1%.
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.