Photo: Pete Cruse · CC BY-SA 2.0Labour holds a majority on Plymouth City Council
Plymouth is run by Plymouth City Council. Labour has a majority on Plymouth City Council. Plymouth is split between 3 parliamentary constituencies.
£2,444
Band D, a year, the middle band every council sets its tax from.
Where it goes →How Plymouth’s politics has changed since 2021
A majority on Plymouth City Council
Labour holds a majority on Plymouth City Council: 32 of its 57 seats as elected. Reform UK holds 14, independents 5, the Greens 3 and the Conservatives 3. Who’s in charge ↓
The 2026 vote
Across Plymouth’s wards, Reform UK took 37.2%, Labour took 21.9% and the Greens took 16.8% of votes in May 2026. In 2024, Reform UK had 9.8%. How Plymouth has voted ↓
Council tax
A Band D bill in Plymouth is £2,442 for 2026–27; Plymouth City Council keeps 83% of it. The council area’s Band D has risen 53% 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 29 of Plymouth’s 57 seats to run the council alone.
- Labour32
- Reform UK14
- Independent5
- Conservative3
- Green3
Latest election: May 2026.
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.
Two tiers of council, no parish tier
Plymouth has two tiers of council: the county runs the big services, the district the local ones.
Every main council service: schools, social care, roads, bins, planning, housing and libraries.
98% of Plymouth’s residents
Website ↗Bins and recycling, planning, housing, environmental health, leisure, and collecting council tax.
Who runs Plymouth: same source as Who runs Plymouth, above.
Website ↗Schools, social care, roads and transport, libraries and waste disposal.
Website ↗Who to ask
From GOV.UK’s “Understand how your council works”: in two-tier areas the district or borough runs local services and the county the big ones.
98% of Plymouth is unparished: there is no parish or town council, so the council runs local matters itself and no parish precept is added to the bill.
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 council to Westminster
Every elected tier that speaks for Plymouth, from the most recent elections.
- 1Council wards21 wards · 49 councillorsLabour 25 · Reform UK 14 · Independent 4 · Green 3 · Conservative 3 · all 49
- 2Police and crime commissionerDevon & Cornwall Police · elected May 2024Alison Hernandez
- 3House of CommonsSplit between 3 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.
49 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.
- Andy RoseReform UK · May 2026
- Lewis AllisonLabour and Co-operative · May 2024
- Alison Jane RaynsfordLabour and Co-operative · July 2023 · by-election
- Paul Victor RiellyReform UK · May 2026
- Ben David RoweReform UK · May 2026
- Kate TaylorLabour and Co-operative · May 2024
- Tudor EvansLabour and Co-operative · May 2023
- John MahonyConservative · May 2026
- Chris SharpeReform UK · May 2026
- Paul Charles McNamaraLabour and Co-operative · May 2024
- Pauline Pearl MurphyLabour · May 2023
- Byran John DriverGreen · May 2026
- Chris CuddiheeLabour · May 2024
- Sue DannLabour · May 2023
- Shaun HooperReform UK · May 2026
- Ray MortonLabour and Co-operative · May 2024
- Keith Michael MooreLabour · May 2023
- Jacqueline SansomReform UK · May 2026
- Jeremy GoslinLabour · May 2026
- Jaime BannermanLabour and Co-operative · May 2024
- Sarah AllenLabour and Co-operative · May 2023
- Tom Briars-DelveLabour · May 2026
- Sally Ann CresswellLabour · May 2024
- Jemima Mary LaingLabour and Co-operative · May 2023
- Andrew David CrumplinReform UK · May 2026
- Will NobleLabour and Co-operative · May 2024
- Lindsay GilmourLabour · May 2023
- Mark Anthony HadfieldReform UK · May 2026
- Josh McCartyLabour and Co-operative · May 2024
- Jon DingleLabour · May 2023
The other 9 wards
- Paul HaganReform UK · May 2026
- Chris WoodConservative · May 2024
- Tess BlightLabour and Co-operative · May 2023
- Nicola CookeReform UK · May 2026
- Alison Mary SimpsonLabour and Co-operative · May 2024
- Kevin J SprostonLabour · May 2023
- Vanessa Glynis TylerReform UK · May 2026
- Sally Ann NicholsonIndependent · May 2024
- Patrick NicholsonIndependent · May 2023
- Helen Mary KellyReform UK · May 2026
- Grace SticklandReform UK · May 2026
- Maria LawsonLabour and Co-operative · May 2024
- Stefan KrizanacLabour · July 2023 · by-election
- Saahi ArooriGreen · May 2026
- Andrea Victoria LoveridgeIndependent · May 2024
- Terri BeerIndependent · May 2023
- Angie SmithReform UK · May 2026
- Lauren McLayGreen · May 2024
- Nicky HopwoodConservative · May 2023
Show as a table
| Ward | Seats | Elected | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Peter and the WaterfrontPlymouth · all in Plymouth · 17,751 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, July 2023 | 3 | Andy RoseLewis AllisonAlison Jane Raynsfordby-election | May 2026, May 2024, July 2023 |
| DevonportPlymouth · all in Plymouth · 16,326 residents1 seat · May 2026 | 1 | Paul Victor Rielly | May 2026 |
| HamPlymouth · all in Plymouth · 14,381 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | Ben David RoweKate TaylorTudor Evans | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
| Plymstock RadfordPlymouth · all in Plymouth · 14,292 residents1 seat · May 2026 | 1 | John Mahony | May 2026 |
| Efford and LipsonPlymouth · all in Plymouth · 14,199 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | Chris SharpePaul Charles McNamaraPauline Pearl Murphy | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
| Sutton and Mount GouldPlymouth · all in Plymouth · 14,149 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | Byran John DriverChris CuddiheeSue Dann | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
| HonicknowlePlymouth · all in Plymouth · 13,925 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | Shaun HooperRay MortonKeith Michael Moore | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
| SouthwayPlymouth · all in Plymouth · 13,588 residents1 seat · May 2026 | 1 | Jacqueline Sansom | May 2026 |
| PeverellPlymouth · all in Plymouth · 13,473 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | Jeremy GoslinJaime BannermanSarah Allen | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
| StokePlymouth · all in Plymouth · 13,436 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | Tom Briars-DelveSally Ann CresswellJemima Mary Laing | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
| Moor ViewPlymouth · all in Plymouth · 13,381 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | Andrew David CrumplinWill NobleLindsay Gilmour | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
| St BudeauxPlymouth · all in Plymouth · 13,219 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | Mark Anthony HadfieldJosh McCartyJon Dingle | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
The other 9 wards
| Ward | Seats | Elected | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| EggbucklandPlymouth · all in Plymouth · 13,084 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | Paul HaganChris WoodTess Blight | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
| BudsheadPlymouth · all in Plymouth · 12,953 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | Nicola CookeAlison Mary SimpsonKevin J Sproston | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
| Plympton St MaryPlymouth · all in Plymouth · 12,580 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | Vanessa Glynis TylerSally Ann NicholsonPatrick Nicholson | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
| ComptonPlymouth · all in Plymouth · 12,286 residents1 seat · May 2026 | 1 | Helen Mary Kelly | May 2026 |
| Plymstock DunstonePlymouth · mostly in Plymouth · 11,591 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, July 2023 | 3 | Grace SticklandMaria LawsonStefan Krizanacby-election | May 2026, May 2024, July 2023 |
| DrakePlymouth · all in Plymouth · 11,048 residents1 seat · May 2026 | 1 | Saahi Aroori | May 2026 |
| Plympton ErlePlymouth · all in Plymouth · 8,751 residents2 seats · May 2024, May 2023 | 2 | Andrea Victoria LoveridgeTerri Beer | May 2024, May 2023 |
| Plympton ChaddlewoodPlymouth · all in Plymouth · 8,224 residents2 seats · May 2026, May 2024 | 2 | Angie SmithLauren McLay | May 2026, May 2024 |
| WoolwellSouth Hams · all in Plymouth · 2,993 residents1 seat · May 2023 | 1 | Nicky Hopwood | May 2023 |
Councillors can resign, change party or sit as independents between elections; a by-election winner replaces someone not named here. Plymouth City 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).
Who led each council vote, 2021–2026
Share of all votes cast for candidates in Plymouth’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 | 7.5% | 7.2% | 8.4% | 9.3% | 16.8% |
| Labour | 34% | 43.6% | 44.8% | 44.2% | 21.9% |
| Liberal Democrat | 3.1% | 4.2% | 5.8% | 5.6% | 5.2% |
| Independent | 3.3% | 5.4% | 12.4% | 5.7% | 3% |
| Conservative | 50.6% | 37.8% | 25.6% | 24.2% | 15.6% |
| Reform UK | 0% | 0% | 0.4% | 9.8% | 37.2% |
In 2026, Reform UK won 14, the Greens won 2, Labour won 2 and the Conservatives won 1 of the 19 seats up in Plymouth’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.
Plymouth council election, May 2026
Results in the wards that make up Plymouth, as declared. Percentages are of votes cast for candidates in each ward; where a ward elects several councillors, each voter has that many votes.
19 wards voted. Plymouth elects a third of its councillors at a time, so a third of the seats were up.
No election is scheduled yet for Plymouth’s wards in Democracy Club’s list. Councils publish a notice of election about five weeks before polling day.
Who can I vote for? ↗4,406 votes for candidates
3,751 votes for candidates
3,718 votes for candidates
Every ward’s result (16 more)
5,203 votes for candidates
3,835 votes for candidates
4,263 votes for candidates
3,533 votes for candidates
3,748 votes for candidates
5,139 votes for candidates
4,365 votes for candidates
4,102 votes for candidates
3,261 votes for candidates
4,155 votes for candidates
3,803 votes for candidates
4,418 votes for candidates
4,472 votes for candidates
4,859 votes for candidates
2,649 votes for candidates
2,497 votes for candidates
Candidates and results: Democracy Club (CC BY 4.0), from councils’ declared results; polling dates from Democracy Club’s EveryElection.
Plymouth is split between 3 constituencies
The constituencies’ MP and the 4 July 2024 general election, the whole constituency’s result.
Labour, MP since 8 June 2017
40% of Plymouth’s residents live in this constituency.
Turnout 56% (England 60%).
Majority 13,328 of 42,095 votes (31.7%): wider than in 87% of England’s 543 constituencies.
Labour, MP since 4 July 2024
37% of Plymouth’s residents live in this constituency.
Turnout 57% (England 60%).
Majority 5,604 of 42,856 votes (13.1%): the 253rd-narrowest of 543 in England.
Conservative, MP since 4 July 2024
22% of Plymouth’s residents live in this constituency.
Turnout 67% (England 60%).
Majority 2,112 of 52,242 votes (4%): the 79th-narrowest of 543 in England.
42,095 votes for candidates · majority 13,328
Labour, MP since 8 June 2017.
turnout in July 2024: 42,095 votes from 75,313 registered voters. England: 60%.
Majority 13,328 of 42,095 votes (31.7%): wider than in 87% of England’s 543 constituencies.
Plymouth Moor View
42,856 votes for candidates · majority 5,604
Labour, MP since 4 July 2024.
turnout in July 2024: 42,856 votes from 74,724 registered voters. England: 60%.
Majority 5,604 of 42,856 votes (13.1%): the 253rd-narrowest of 543 in England.
South West Devon
52,242 votes for candidates · majority 2,112
Conservative, MP since 4 July 2024.
turnout in July 2024: 52,242 votes from 77,600 registered voters. England: 60%.
Majority 2,112 of 52,242 votes (4%): the 79th-narrowest of 543 in England.
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.
Plymouth’s Band D council tax is £2,442 a year
Where a Band D bill goes, what it has cost over the years, and what the councils plan to spend per resident.
Plymouth City Council keeps £2,028.97 of a Band D bill (83%); the rest goes to the Devon & Cornwall police and crime commissioner and the Devon & Somerset Fire and Rescue Authority.
Across the whole town the average Band D is £2,444 (parishes differ; weighted by residents).
Band D since 1993
Plymouth’s Band D bill has risen 53% in ten years, from £1,599.81 in 2016–17, against England’s average (56%). It was £564.75 in 1993–94.
Your bill by band
A Band D home in the unparished part of Plymouth, 2026–27, before discounts. The Valuation Office Agency’s band search gives any home’s band.
Devon’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 Devon
| Plymouth | Plymouth’s councils | Devon | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult social care | £487 | £505 | £487 |
| Children’s social care | £365 | £309 | £290 |
| Roads and transport | £33 | £55 | £41 |
| Housing (not council homes’ rents) | £41 | £37 | £61 |
| Bins, street cleaning, environment | £89 | £128 | £119 |
| Libraries, leisure, culture | £63 | £47 | £44 |
| Planning and development | £-24 | £31 | £26 |
| Public health | £82 | £59 | £78 |
| Running the council | £67 | £67 | £59 |
| Other | £0 | £2 | £19 |
| Total, schools apart | £1,204 | £1,238 | £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. Devon 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 Plymouth 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.
plymouth.gov.uk ↗Anyone can comment while an application is open for consultation.
plymouth.gov.uk ↗The rules, nomination papers and guidance for council candidates.
Electoral Commission ↗Questions about how Plymouth is run
Does Plymouth have a town council?
No. Plymouth is unparished, so there is no town or parish council and no parish precept.
Who is the MP for Plymouth?
Plymouth is split between 3 constituencies: Plymouth Sutton and Devonport (Luke Pollard, Labour), Plymouth Moor View (Fred Thomas, Labour) and South West Devon (Rebecca Smith, Conservative). Parliament’s Find your MP service matches a postcode to its MP.
How many councillors does Plymouth have?
49 ward councillors represent Plymouth’s 21 wards.
When are the next elections in Plymouth?
No election is scheduled yet in Democracy Club’s list for Plymouth’s wards. The next UK general election must be held by August 2029.
How much is council tax in Plymouth?
Band D council tax in Plymouth is £2,444 for 2026–27. Your bill depends on your home’s band, from A (6/9 of Band D) to H (18/9).
Who controls Plymouth City Council?
Labour has a majority: 32 of 57 seats as elected. The council’s website lists who leads it now.
Who won the 2026 council election in Plymouth?
In Plymouth’s wards on 7 May 2026, Reform UK 14 · Green 2 · Labour 2 · Conservative 1 of the 19 seats up. Reform UK had the largest share of votes, 37.2%.
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.