Photo: Dave Croker · CC BY-SA 2.0No party holds a majority on Herefordshire Council
Hereford is run by Herefordshire Council, with Hereford parish council for local matters. No party holds a majority on Herefordshire Council. Most of Hereford is in Hereford and South Herefordshire (MP Jesse Norman, Conservative); 7% of residents are in North Herefordshire (MP Dr Ellie Chowns, Green).
£2,551
Band D, a year, the middle band every council sets its tax from.
Where it goes →How Hereford’s politics has changed since 2021
No majority on Herefordshire Council
The Conservatives, the largest group, hold 21 of its 53 seats as elected, 6 short of the 27 needed. The Liberal Democrats hold 12, the Greens 9, independents 8, It's Our County (Herefordshire) 2 and Labour 1. Who’s in charge ↓
Council tax
A Band D bill in Hereford is £2,556 for 2026–27; Herefordshire Council keeps 81% 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.
No party has a majority
Seats by party as elected. A party needs 27 of Herefordshire, County of’s 53 seats to run the council alone.
- Conservative21
- Liberal Democrat12
- Green9
- Independent8
- It's Our County (Herefordshire)2
- Labour1
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 Hereford
One council runs every main service here.
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.
87% of Hereford’s residents · Band D precept £75
The parish council for the part of Hereford inside Belmont Rural parish.
Who runs Hereford: same source as Who runs Hereford, above.
The parish council for the part of Hereford inside Holmer & Shelwick parish.
Who runs Hereford: same source as Who runs Hereford, above.
The parish council for the part of Hereford inside Lower Bullingham parish.
Who runs Hereford: same source as Who runs Hereford, above.
Every main council service: schools, social care, roads, bins, planning, housing and libraries.
Website ↗Who to ask
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.
From the parish to Westminster
Every elected tier that speaks for Hereford, from the most recent elections.
- 1Town or parish4 parish councilsHereford parish councilBelmont Rural parish councilHolmer & Shelwick parish councilLower Bullingham parish council
- 2Herefordshire Council17 wards · 17 councillorsLiberal Democrat 8 · Conservative 3 · Green 2 · Independent 2 · Labour 1 · It's Our County (Herefordshire) 1 · all 17
- 3Police and crime commissionerWest Mercia Police · elected May 2024John-Paul Campion
- 4House of CommonsSplit between 2 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.
17 councillors for 17 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.
- Kevin Paul TillettLiberal Democrat · May 2023
- Jacqui CarwardineLiberal Democrat · May 2023
- Aubrey Thomas OliverLiberal Democrat · May 2023
- Dan PowellLiberal Democrat · May 2023
- Frank CornthwaiteConservative · May 2023
- Diana ToynbeeGreen · May 2023
- Dave BoulterIt's Our County (Herefordshire) · May 2023
- Ben ProctorLiberal Democrat · May 2023
- Elizabeth Mary FoxtonIndependent · May 2023
- Adam SpencerLabour · May 2023
- Catherine Ruth GennardGreen · May 2023
- Rob OwensLiberal Democrat · May 2023
The other 5 wards
- Mark DykesLiberal Democrat · May 2023
- Robert Geofrey Charles WilliamsConservative · May 2023
- Jim KenyonIndependent · May 2023
- Polly AndrewsLiberal Democrat · May 2023
- David Eirian DaviesConservative · May 2023
Show as a table
| Ward | Seats | Elected | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hinton & Hundertonall in Hereford · 4,381 residents1 seat · May 2023 | 1 | Kevin Paul Tillett | May 2023 |
| Newton Farmmostly in Hereford · 4,266 residents1 seat · May 2023 | 1 | Jacqui Carwardine | May 2023 |
| Saxon Gateall in Hereford · 4,036 residents1 seat · May 2023 | 1 | Aubrey Thomas Oliver | May 2023 |
| Red Hillall in Hereford · 4,001 residents1 seat · May 2023 | 1 | Dan Powell | May 2023 |
| Holmermostly in Hereford · 3,975 residents1 seat · May 2023 | 1 | Frank Cornthwaite | May 2023 |
| Greyfriarsall in Hereford · 3,875 residents1 seat · May 2023 | 1 | Diana Toynbee | May 2023 |
| Whitecrossall in Hereford · 3,755 residents1 seat · May 2023 | 1 | Dave Boulter | May 2023 |
| Collegeall in Hereford · 3,733 residents1 seat · May 2023 | 1 | Ben Proctor | May 2023 |
| Eign Hillall in Hereford · 3,580 residents1 seat · May 2023 | 1 | Elizabeth Mary Foxton | May 2023 |
| Aylestone Hillall in Hereford · 3,473 residents1 seat · May 2023 | 1 | Adam Spencer | May 2023 |
| Centralall in Hereford · 3,416 residents1 seat · May 2023 | 1 | Catherine Ruth Gennard | May 2023 |
| Bobblestockall in Hereford · 3,389 residents1 seat · May 2023 | 1 | Rob Owens | May 2023 |
The other 5 wards
| Ward | Seats | Elected | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belmont Ruralmostly in Hereford · 3,327 residents1 seat · May 2023 | 1 | Mark Dykes | May 2023 |
| Kings Acreall in Hereford · 3,122 residents1 seat · May 2023 | 1 | Robert Geofrey Charles Williams | May 2023 |
| Tupsleyall in Hereford · 3,075 residents1 seat · May 2023 | 1 | Jim Kenyon | May 2023 |
| Widemarshmostly in Hereford · 2,986 residents1 seat · May 2023 | 1 | Polly Andrews | May 2023 |
| Dinedor Hill44% in Hereford · 1,562 residents1 seat · May 2023 | 1 | David Eirian Davies | May 2023 |
Councillors can resign, change party or sit as independents between elections; a by-election winner replaces someone not named here. Herefordshire 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).
Herefordshire council election, May 2023
Results in the wards that make up Hereford, as declared. Percentages are of votes cast for candidates in each ward; where a ward elects several councillors, each voter has that many votes.
17 wards voted. Every seat in the town’s wards was up.
No election is scheduled yet for Hereford’s wards in Democracy Club’s list. Councils publish a notice of election about five weeks before polling day.
Who can I vote for? ↗623 votes for candidates
620 votes for candidates
671 votes for candidates
Every ward’s result (14 more)
841 votes for candidates
1,096 votes for candidates
965 votes for candidates
712 votes for candidates
780 votes for candidates
1,146 votes for candidates
1,000 votes for candidates
891 votes for candidates
830 votes for candidates
881 votes for candidates
839 votes for candidates
1,158 votes for candidates
599 votes for candidates
1,031 votes for candidates
Candidates and results: Democracy Club (CC BY 4.0), from councils’ declared results; polling dates from Democracy Club’s EveryElection.
Hereford is split between 2 constituencies
The constituencies’ MP and the 4 July 2024 general election, the whole constituency’s result.
Conservative, MP since 6 May 2010
93% of Hereford’s residents live in this constituency.
Turnout 63% (England 60%).
Majority 1,279 of 45,572 votes (2.8%): the 55th-narrowest of 543 in England.
Green, MP since 4 July 2024
7% of Hereford’s residents live in this constituency.
Turnout 69% (England 60%).
Majority 5,894 of 50,362 votes (11.7%): the 224th-narrowest of 543 in England.
45,572 votes for candidates · majority 1,279
Conservative, MP since 6 May 2010.
turnout in July 2024: 45,572 votes from 72,203 registered voters. England: 60%.
Majority 1,279 of 45,572 votes (2.8%): the 55th-narrowest of 543 in England.
North Herefordshire
50,362 votes for candidates · majority 5,894
Green, MP since 4 July 2024.
turnout in July 2024: 50,362 votes from 72,797 registered voters. England: 60%.
Majority 5,894 of 50,362 votes (11.7%): the 224th-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.
Hereford’s Band D council tax is £2,556 a year
Where a Band D bill goes, what it has cost over the years, and what the councils plan to spend per resident.
Herefordshire Council keeps £2,067.64 of a Band D bill (81%); the rest goes to the Hereford parish council, the West Mercia police and crime commissioner and the Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Authority.
Across the whole town the average Band D is £2,551 (parishes differ; weighted by residents).
Band D since 1998
Herefordshire, County of’s Band D bill has risen 57% in ten years, from £1,644.79 in 2016–17, in line with England’s average (56%). It was £658.17 in 1998–99.
Your bill by band
A Band D home in Hereford, 2026–27, before discounts. The Valuation Office Agency’s band search gives any home’s band.
Council budgets per resident, 2026–27
Show as a table, with Herefordshire
| Herefordshire, County of | Hereford’s councils | Herefordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult social care | £526 | £526 | £487 |
| Children’s social care | £347 | £347 | £290 |
| Roads and transport | £52 | £52 | £41 |
| Housing (not council homes’ rents) | £34 | £34 | £61 |
| Bins, street cleaning, environment | £62 | £62 | £119 |
| Libraries, leisure, culture | £19 | £19 | £44 |
| Planning and development | £33 | £33 | £26 |
| Public health | £64 | £64 | £78 |
| Running the council | £39 | £39 | £59 |
| Other | £13 | £13 | £19 |
| Total, schools apart | £1,189 | £1,189 | £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. Herefordshire 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 Hereford 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.
herefordshire.gov.uk ↗Anyone can comment while an application is open for consultation.
herefordshire.gov.uk ↗The rules, nomination papers and guidance for council candidates.
Electoral Commission ↗Questions about how Hereford is run
Which council runs Hereford?
Hereford is run by Herefordshire Council.
Does Hereford have a town council?
Yes: Hereford has its own parish-tier council (Hereford parish council; town councils are parish councils by another name), which adds £75 to a Band D bill in 2026–27.
Who is the MP for Hereford?
Hereford is split between 2 constituencies: Hereford and South Herefordshire (Jesse Norman, Conservative) and North Herefordshire (Dr Ellie Chowns, Green). Parliament’s Find your MP service matches a postcode to its MP.
How many councillors does Hereford have?
17 ward councillors represent Hereford’s 17 wards.
When are the next elections in Hereford?
No election is scheduled yet in Democracy Club’s list for Hereford’s wards. The next UK general election must be held by August 2029.
How much is council tax in Hereford?
Band D council tax in Hereford is £2,551 for 2026–27. Your bill depends on your home’s band, from A (6/9 of Band D) to H (18/9).
Who controls Herefordshire Council?
No party has a majority. As elected, Conservative 21 · Liberal Democrat 12 · Green 9 · Independent 8 · It's Our County (Herefordshire) 2 · Labour 1 of 53 seats; a majority needs 27. The council’s website lists who leads it now.
Who won the 2023 council election in Hereford?
In Hereford’s wards on 4 May 2023, Liberal Democrat 8 · Conservative 3 · Green 2 · Independent 2 · Labour 1 · It's Our County (Herefordshire) 1 of the 17 seats up. The Liberal Democrats had the largest share of votes, 32.9%.
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.