Photo: Robin Drayton · CC BY-SA 2.0The Liberal Democrats hold a majority on Winchester City Council
Winchester is run by Winchester City Council and Hampshire County Council. The Liberal Democrats have a majority on Winchester City Council. No party holds a majority on Hampshire County Council. Its MP is Dr Danny Chambers (Liberal Democrat), member for Winchester.
£2,279
Band D, a year, the middle band every council sets its tax from.
Where it goes →How Winchester’s politics has changed since 2021
A majority on Winchester City Council
The Liberal Democrats hold a majority on Winchester City Council: 36 of its 45 seats as elected. The Greens hold 4, the Conservatives 4 and independents 1. Who’s in charge ↓
Hampshire changed hands in 2026
Hampshire County Council, which runs schools, social care and roads, went from a Conservative majority (54 of 78 seats in 2021) to no overall control at the May 2026 election: the Conservatives won 27 of 78 seats. Hampshire ↓
The 2026 vote
Across Winchester’s wards, the Liberal Democrats took 47.6%, the Conservatives took 20.3% and the Greens took 18.8% of votes in May 2026. In 2024, the Liberal Democrats had 49.9%. How Winchester has voted ↓
Council tax
A Band D bill in Winchester is £2,268 for 2026–27; Winchester City Council keeps 9% of it. The council area’s Band D has risen 57% in ten years, in line with 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 on Winchester’s councils
Seats by party as elected. A party needs 23 of Winchester’s 45 or 40 of Hampshire’s 78 seats to run the council alone.
- Liberal Democrat36
- Conservative4
- Green4
- Independent1
Latest election: May 2026.
- Conservative27−27
- Liberal Democrat26+8
- Reform UK20+20
- Community Campaign (Hart)1+1
- Green1no change
- Independent1no change
- Labour1−2
- Whitehill & Bordon Community Party1no change
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.
Two tiers of council, and a parish tier
Winchester has two tiers of council: the county runs the big services, the district the local ones.
The parish council for the part of Winchester inside Littleton and Harestock parish.
5% of Winchester’s residents · Band D precept £90
The parish council for the part of Winchester inside Badger Farm parish.
Who runs Winchester: same source as Who runs Winchester, above.
The parish council for the part of Winchester inside Olivers Battery parish.
Who runs Winchester: same source as Who runs Winchester, above.
Bins and recycling, planning, housing, environmental health, leisure, and collecting council tax.
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.
85% of Winchester’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 Winchester, from the most recent elections.
- 1Town or parish3 parish councilsLittleton and Harestock parish councilBadger Farm parish councilOlivers Battery parish council
- 2Winchester City Council6 wards · 14 councillorsLiberal Democrat 13 · Conservative 1 · all 14
- 3Hampshire County Council3 divisions · 3 councillorsMartin TodPaula Wendy FergusonJames Edward Batho
- 4Police and crime commissionerHampshire Constabulary · elected May 2024Donna Jones
- 5House of CommonsWinchester
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.
14 councillors for 6 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.
- Lucille ThompsonLiberal Democrat · May 2026
- Kathleen Mary BeckerLiberal Democrat · May 2026
- John Tippett-CooperLiberal Democrat · May 2024
- Nathan EveLiberal Democrat · May 2023
- James Edward BathoLiberal Democrat · May 2026
- Kelsie LearneyLiberal Democrat · May 2024
- Jonny MorrisLiberal Democrat · May 2023
- Mark Paul ReachLiberal Democrat · May 2026
- Richard MurphyLiberal Democrat · July 2024 · by-election
- Jamie ScottLiberal Democrat · May 2024
- Charlie WiseLiberal Democrat · May 2023
- Brian Leslie LamingLiberal Democrat · May 2026
- Jan WarwickConservative · May 2024
- Adrian Devindran BrophyLiberal Democrat · May 2023
Show as a table, with Hampshire County Council’s 3 divisions (3 councillors)
| Ward | Seats | Elected | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Paulall in Winchester · 9,992 residents1 seat · May 2026 | 1 | Lucille Thompson | May 2026 |
| St Bartholomewall in Winchester · 9,298 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | Kathleen Mary BeckerJohn Tippett-CooperNathan Eve | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
| St Barnabasall in Winchester · 9,106 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | James Edward BathoKelsie LearneyJonny Morris | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
| St Michaelall in Winchester · 8,996 residents2 seats · May 2026, July 2024 | 2 | Mark Paul ReachRichard Murphyby-election | May 2026, July 2024 |
| St Lukeall in Winchester · 6,205 residents2 seats · May 2024, May 2023 | 2 | Jamie ScottCharlie Wise | May 2024, May 2023 |
| Badger Farm and Oliver's Battery49% in Winchester · 4,053 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | Brian Leslie LamingJan WarwickAdrian Devindran Brophy | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
Hampshire County Council: county divisions
| Division | Seats | Elected | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winchester Westgate EDall in Winchester · 24,609 residents1 seat · May 2026 | 1 | Martin Tod | May 2026 |
| Winchester Eastgate EDall in Winchester · 18,988 residents1 seat · May 2026 | 1 | Paula Wendy Ferguson | May 2026 |
| Winchester Downlands ED21% in Winchester · 4,889 residents1 seat · May 2026 | 1 | James Edward Batho | May 2026 |
Councillors can resign, change party or sit as independents between elections; a by-election winner replaces someone not named here. Winchester 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).
The Liberal Democrats have led every council vote since 2021
Share of all votes cast for candidates in Winchester’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 | 8.6% | 7.5% | 9.2% | 15.4% | 18.8% |
| Labour | 6.3% | 5.8% | 6.9% | 6.6% | 2% |
| Liberal Democrat | 44.3% | 54.8% | 55.8% | 49.9% | 47.6% |
| Conservative | 39.1% | 31.8% | 27.6% | 28.1% | 20.3% |
| Reform UK | 0% | 0% | 0.5% | 0% | 11.3% |
In 2026, the Liberal Democrats won 5 of the 5 seats up in Winchester’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.
Winchester council election, May 2026
Results in the wards that make up Winchester, as declared. Percentages are of votes cast for candidates in each ward; where a ward elects several councillors, each voter has that many votes.
5 wards voted. Winchester elects a third of its councillors at a time, so a third of the seats were up.
No election is scheduled yet for Winchester’s wards in Democracy Club’s list. Councils publish a notice of election about five weeks before polling day.
Who can I vote for? ↗3,345 votes for candidates
3,024 votes for candidates
3,725 votes for candidates
Every ward’s result (2 more)
3,267 votes for candidates
3,831 votes for candidates
Candidates and results: Democracy Club (CC BY 4.0), from councils’ declared results; polling dates from Democracy Club’s EveryElection.
Winchester is in Winchester constituency
The constituency’s MP and the 4 July 2024 general election, the whole constituency’s result (it reaches beyond Winchester).
57,076 votes for candidates · majority 13,821
Liberal Democrat, MP since 4 July 2024.
turnout in July 2024: 57,076 votes from 78,289 registered voters. England: 60%.
Majority 13,821 of 57,076 votes (24.2%): wider than in 76% of England’s 543 constituencies.
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.
Winchester’s Band D council tax is £2,268 a year
Where a Band D bill goes, what it has cost over the years, and what the councils plan to spend per resident.
Winchester City Council keeps £194.10 of a Band D bill (9%); the rest goes to Hampshire County Council, the Hampshire police and crime commissioner and the Hampshire and IOW Fire and Rescue Authority.
Across the whole town the average Band D is £2,279 (parishes differ; weighted by residents).
Band D since 1993
Winchester’s Band D bill has risen 57% in ten years, from £1,504.81 in 2016–17, in line with England’s average (56%). It was £457.88 in 1993–94.
Your bill by band
A Band D home in the unparished part of Winchester, 2026–27, before discounts. The Valuation Office Agency’s band search gives any home’s band.
Hampshire’s councils
Average Band D in each council area, 2026–27, parish precepts included; the 11 nearest of 13. Bars start at £2,100.
Council budgets per resident, 2026–27
Show as a table, with Hampshire
| Winchester + Hampshire | Winchester’s councils | Hampshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult social care | £486 | £478 | £487 |
| Children’s social care | £258 | £272 | £290 |
| Roads and transport | £37 | £49 | £41 |
| Housing (not council homes’ rents) | £25 | £37 | £61 |
| Bins, street cleaning, environment | £129 | £121 | £119 |
| Libraries, leisure, culture | £31 | £38 | £44 |
| Planning and development | £31 | £32 | £26 |
| Public health | £50 | £62 | £78 |
| Running the council | £89 | £58 | £59 |
| Other | £-2 | £1 | £19 |
| Total, schools apart | £1,133 | £1,146 | £1,234 |
Net budgeted service spending, MHCLG Revenue Account budget 2026–27, per resident (ONS mid-2025 estimates). Both tiers added: Winchester per its residents plus Hampshire per the county’s. Schools are left out: academies are paid for directly by government, so council school budgets depend on how many schools have converted. Hampshire 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 Winchester 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.
winchester.gov.uk ↗Anyone can comment while an application is open for consultation.
winchester.gov.uk ↗The rules, nomination papers and guidance for council candidates.
Electoral Commission ↗Questions about how Winchester is run
Which council runs Winchester?
The county council runs schools, social care and roads; the district runs bins, planning and housing.
Does Winchester have a town council?
Parts of it do: Littleton and Harestock parish council, Badger Farm parish council and Olivers Battery parish council.
Who is the MP for Winchester?
Dr Danny Chambers (Liberal Democrat) is the MP for Winchester, which covers Winchester.
How many councillors does Winchester have?
14 ward councillors represent Winchester’s 6 wards, and 3 county councillors its county divisions.
When are the next elections in Winchester?
No election is scheduled yet in Democracy Club’s list for Winchester’s wards. The next UK general election must be held by August 2029.
How much is council tax in Winchester?
Band D council tax in Winchester is £2,279 for 2026–27. Your bill depends on your home’s band, from A (6/9 of Band D) to H (18/9).
Who controls Winchester City Council?
The Liberal Democrats have a majority: 36 of 45 seats as elected. The council’s website lists who leads it now.
Who controls Hampshire County Council?
No party has a majority. As elected, Conservative 27 · Liberal Democrat 26 · Reform UK 20 · Green 1 · Labour 1 · Independent 1 · Community Campaign (Hart) 1 · Whitehill & Bordon Community Party 1 of 78 seats; a majority needs 40.
Who won the 2026 council election in Winchester?
In Winchester’s wards on 7 May 2026, Liberal Democrat 5 of the 5 seats up. The Liberal Democrats had the largest share of votes, 47.6%.
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.