Photo: Thomas Nugent · CC BY-SA 2.0No party holds a majority on Preston City Council
Preston is run by Preston City Council and Lancashire County Council. No party holds a majority on Preston City Council. Reform UK has a majority on Lancashire County Council. Its MP is Sir Mark Hendrick (Labour), member for Preston.
£2,566
Band D, a year, the middle band every council sets its tax from.
Where it goes →How Preston’s politics has changed since 2021
No majority on Preston City Council
Labour, the largest group, holds 23 of its 48 seats as elected, 2 short of the 25 needed. The Liberal Democrats hold 15, Reform UK 5, the Conservatives 3 and the Greens 2. Who’s in charge ↓
Lancashire changed hands in 2025
Lancashire County Council, which runs schools, social care and roads, went from a Conservative majority (47 of 84 seats in 2021) to a Reform UK majority at the May 2025 election: Reform UK won 53 of 84 seats. Lancashire ↓
The 2026 vote
Across Preston’s wards, Labour took 28.9%, Reform UK took 26.6% and the Greens took 20.3% of votes in May 2026. In 2024, Labour had 53%. How Preston has voted ↓
Council tax
A Band D bill in Preston is £2,564 for 2026–27; Preston City Council keeps 15% of it. The council area’s Band D has risen 52% 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 on Preston’s councils
Seats by party as elected. A party needs 25 of Preston’s 48 or 43 of Lancashire’s 84 seats to run the council alone.
- Labour23
- Liberal Democrat15
- Reform UK5
- Conservative3
- Green2
Latest election: May 2026.
- Reform UK53+53
- Conservative8−39
- Independent7+7
- Labour5−28
- Liberal Democrat5+3
- Green4+2
- Our West Lancashire2+2
Change against the council before the 1 May 2025 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
Preston has two tiers of council: the county runs the big services, the district the local ones.
The parish council for the part of Preston inside Lea parish.
3% of Preston’s residents · Band D precept £48
Bins and recycling, planning, housing, environmental health, leisure, and collecting council tax.
Website ↗Schools, social care, roads and transport, libraries and waste disposal.
Website ↗Transport, skills and regeneration across several council areas.
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.
96% of Preston’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 Preston, from the most recent elections.
- 1Town or parishParish tierLea parish council
- 2Preston City Council11 wards · 25 councillorsLabour 16 · Liberal Democrat 4 · Reform UK 3 · Green 2 · all 25
- 3Lancashire County Council6 divisions · 6 councillorsYousuf MotalaLuke ParkerMatthew John BrownMichael LavaletteMark JewellFiona Duke
- 4Police and crime commissionerLancashire Constabulary · elected May 2024Clive Grunshaw
- 5House of CommonsPreston
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.
25 councillors for 11 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.
- Tina BalmerGreen · May 2026
- Salim DesaiLabour and Co-operative · May 2024
- Carol HenshawLabour and Co-operative · May 2023
- Takhsin AkhtarLabour · May 2026
- Gabie LoweGreen · May 2026
- Zafar CouplandLabour · May 2026
- Valerie WiseLabour and Co-operative · May 2026
- Martyn Andrew RawlinsonLabour and Co-operative · May 2024
- Yakub PatelLabour · May 2023
- Jemma Louise RusheReform UK · May 2026
- Vasile AlecuReform UK · May 2026
- Anna Josephine HindleLabour and Co-operative · May 2024
- Pat VartyLabour · May 2023
- Ronan HodgsonLiberal Democrat · May 2026
- James HullLabour · May 2024
- Liz AtkinsLabour · May 2023
- Rob WalshReform UK · May 2026
- Sara HolmesLabour · May 2024
- Naoimh McMahonLabour and Co-operative · May 2023
- Amber AfzalLabour · May 2026
- Peter KellyLabour · May 2024
- Freddie BaileyLabour · May 2023
- Daniel GreggLiberal Democrat · May 2026
- Julie Van MierloLiberal Democrat · May 2024
- John PotterLiberal Democrat · May 2023
Show as a table, with Lancashire County Council’s 6 divisions (6 councillors)
| Ward | Seats | Elected | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| City Centreall in Preston · 11,733 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | Tina BalmerSalim DesaiCarol Henshaw | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
| St Matthew'sall in Preston · 10,786 residents1 seat · May 2026 | 1 | Takhsin Akhtar | May 2026 |
| Plungingtonmostly in Preston · 10,782 residents1 seat · May 2026 | 1 | Gabie Lowe | May 2026 |
| Deepdaleall in Preston · 9,666 residents1 seat · May 2026 | 1 | Zafar Coupland | May 2026 |
| Fishwick & Frenchwoodall in Preston · 9,435 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | Valerie WiseMartyn Andrew RawlinsonYakub Patel | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
| Lea & Larchesall in Preston · 9,271 residents1 seat · May 2026 | 1 | Jemma Louise Rushe | May 2026 |
| Ribbletonall in Preston · 9,081 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | Vasile AlecuAnna Josephine HindlePat Varty | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
| Ashtonall in Preston · 8,666 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | Ronan HodgsonJames HullLiz Atkins | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
| Brookfieldall in Preston · 7,986 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | Rob WalshSara HolmesNaoimh McMahon | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
| Garrison45% in Preston · 4,111 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | Amber AfzalPeter KellyFreddie Bailey | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
| Cadley31% in Preston · 2,668 residents3 seats · May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 | 3 | Daniel GreggJulie Van MierloJohn Potter | May 2026, May 2024, May 2023 |
Lancashire County Council: county divisions
| Division | Seats | Elected | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preston City EDall in Preston · 40,620 residents1 seat · May 2025 | 1 | Yousuf Motala | May 2025 |
| Preston East EDall in Preston · 17,067 residents1 seat · May 2025 | 1 | Luke Parker | May 2025 |
| Preston Central West EDmostly in Preston · 10,782 residents1 seat · May 2025 | 1 | Matthew John Brown | May 2025 |
| Preston Central East EDall in Preston · 9,666 residents1 seat · May 2025 | 1 | Michael Lavalette | May 2025 |
| Preston South West EDall in Preston · 9,271 residents1 seat · May 2025 | 1 | Mark Jewell | May 2025 |
| Preston North ED20% in Preston · 6,779 residents1 seat · May 2025 | 1 | Fiona Duke | May 2025 |
Councillors can resign, change party or sit as independents between elections; a by-election winner replaces someone not named here. Preston 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).
Labour has led every council vote since 2021
Share of all votes cast for candidates in Preston’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 | 3.5% | 0% | 0.7% | 0% | 20.3% |
| Labour | 55% | 64.9% | 66% | 53% | 28.9% |
| Liberal Democrat | 10.1% | 14.4% | 16% | 24.7% | 15.8% |
| Independent | 7.2% | 0% | 0% | 2.9% | 2% |
| Conservative | 23.9% | 20.7% | 16.9% | 15.4% | 6.3% |
| Reform UK | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 26.6% |
In 2026, Labour won 4, Reform UK won 3, the Greens won 2 and the Liberal Democrats won 2 of the 11 seats up in Preston’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.
Preston council election, May 2026
Results in the wards that make up Preston, as declared. Percentages are of votes cast for candidates in each ward; where a ward elects several councillors, each voter has that many votes.
11 wards voted. Preston elects a third of its councillors at a time, so a third of the seats were up.
No election is scheduled yet for Preston’s wards in Democracy Club’s list. Councils publish a notice of election about five weeks before polling day.
Who can I vote for? ↗2,068 votes for candidates
1,711 votes for candidates
1,828 votes for candidates
Every ward’s result (8 more)
2,255 votes for candidates
1,926 votes for candidates
2,115 votes for candidates
1,326 votes for candidates
2,496 votes for candidates
1,563 votes for candidates
2,670 votes for candidates
2,577 votes for candidates
Candidates and results: Democracy Club (CC BY 4.0), from councils’ declared results; polling dates from Democracy Club’s EveryElection.
Preston is in Preston constituency
The constituency’s MP and the 4 July 2024 general election, the whole constituency’s result (it reaches beyond Preston).
39,993 votes for candidates · majority 5,291
Labour, MP since 23 November 2000.
turnout in July 2024: 39,993 votes from 77,400 registered voters. England: 60%.
Majority 5,291 of 39,993 votes (13.2%): the 259th-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.
Preston’s Band D council tax is £2,564 a year
Where a Band D bill goes, what it has cost over the years, and what the councils plan to spend per resident.
Preston City Council keeps £375.34 of a Band D bill (15%); the rest goes to Lancashire County Council, the Lancashire police and crime commissioner and the Lancashire Fire and Rescue Authority.
Across the whole town the average Band D is £2,566 (parishes differ; weighted by residents).
Band D since 1993
Preston’s Band D bill has risen 52% in ten years, from £1,698.10 in 2016–17, against England’s average (56%). It was £652.50 in 1993–94.
Your bill by band
A Band D home in the unparished part of Preston, 2026–27, before discounts. The Valuation Office Agency’s band search gives any home’s band.
Lancashire’s councils
Average Band D in each council area, 2026–27, parish precepts included; the 11 nearest of 14. Bars start at £2,200.
Council budgets per resident, 2026–27
Show as a table, with Lancashire
| Preston + Lancashire | Preston’s councils | Lancashire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult social care | £522 | £533 | £487 |
| Children’s social care | £249 | £295 | £290 |
| Roads and transport | £47 | £44 | £41 |
| Housing (not council homes’ rents) | £38 | £24 | £61 |
| Bins, street cleaning, environment | £134 | £135 | £119 |
| Libraries, leisure, culture | £60 | £56 | £44 |
| Planning and development | £41 | £16 | £26 |
| Public health | £78 | £92 | £78 |
| Running the council | £91 | £73 | £59 |
| Other | £5 | £13 | £19 |
| Total, schools apart | £1,264 | £1,281 | £1,234 |
Net budgeted service spending, MHCLG Revenue Account budget 2026–27, per resident (ONS mid-2025 estimates). Both tiers added: Preston per its residents plus Lancashire 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. Lancashire 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 Preston 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.
preston.gov.uk ↗Anyone can comment while an application is open for consultation.
preston.gov.uk ↗The rules, nomination papers and guidance for council candidates.
Electoral Commission ↗Questions about how Preston is run
Which council runs Preston?
The county council runs schools, social care and roads; the district runs bins, planning and housing.
Does Preston have a town council?
Parts of it do: Lea parish council.
Who is the MP for Preston?
Sir Mark Hendrick (Labour) is the MP for Preston, which covers Preston.
How many councillors does Preston have?
25 ward councillors represent Preston’s 11 wards, and 6 county councillors its county divisions.
When are the next elections in Preston?
No election is scheduled yet in Democracy Club’s list for Preston’s wards. The next UK general election must be held by August 2029.
How much is council tax in Preston?
Band D council tax in Preston is £2,566 for 2026–27. Your bill depends on your home’s band, from A (6/9 of Band D) to H (18/9).
Who controls Preston City Council?
No party has a majority. As elected, Labour 23 · Liberal Democrat 15 · Reform UK 5 · Conservative 3 · Green 2 of 48 seats; a majority needs 25. The council’s website lists who leads it now.
Who controls Lancashire County Council?
Reform UK has a majority: 53 of 84 seats as elected.
Who won the 2026 council election in Preston?
In Preston’s wards on 7 May 2026, Labour 4 · Reform UK 3 · Green 2 · Liberal Democrat 2 of the 11 seats up. Labour had the largest share of votes, 28.9%.
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.