Photo: Marathon · CC BY-SA 2.0No party holds a majority on Wirral Council
Birkenhead is run by Wirral Council. No party holds a majority on Wirral Council. Birkenhead is split between 3 parliamentary constituencies.
£2,501
Band D, a year, the middle band every council sets its tax from.
Where it goes →How Birkenhead’s politics has changed since 2021
No majority on Wirral Council
Labour, the largest group, holds 30 of its 66 seats as elected, 4 short of the 34 needed. The Conservatives hold 17, the Greens 13 and the Liberal Democrats 6. Who’s in charge ↓
The 2023 vote
Across Birkenhead’s wards, Labour took 42.9%, the Greens took 27.2% and the Conservatives took 15.3% of votes in May 2023. In 2022, Labour had 45.4%. How Birkenhead has voted ↓
Council tax
A Band D bill in Birkenhead is £2,501 for 2026–27; Wirral Council keeps 83% of it. The council area’s Band D has risen 60% 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.
No party has a majority
Seats by party as elected. A party needs 34 of Wirral’s 66 seats to run the council alone.
- Labour30
- Conservative17
- Green13
- Liberal Democrat6
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 Birkenhead
One council runs every main service here.
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.
All of Birkenhead 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 Birkenhead, from the most recent elections.
- 1Wirral Council8 wards · 24 councillorsLabour 11 · Green 7 · Liberal Democrat 3 · Conservative 3 · all 24
- 2Police and crime commissionerMerseyside Police · elected May 2024Emily Spurrell
- 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.
24 councillors for 8 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.
- Stephen BennettLabour · May 2023
- Jean Mary RobinsonLabour · May 2023
- Jerry WilliamsLabour · May 2023
- Pat ClearyGreen · May 2023
- Amanda OnwuemeneGreen · May 2023
- Ewan TomenyGreen · May 2023
- Liz GreyLabour · May 2023
- Brian Martin KennyLabour · May 2023
- Julie McManusLabour · May 2023
- George DaviesLabour · May 2023
- Stephen FoulkesLabour · May 2023
- Gillian WoodLabour · May 2023
- Paula BasnettLabour · May 2023
- Tony MurphyLabour · May 2023
- Craig John McDonaldGreen · May 2023
- Chris CookeGreen · May 2023
- Harry Ross GormanGreen · May 2023
- Naomi GrahamGreen · May 2023
- Allan BrameLiberal Democrat · May 2023
- Stuart KellyLiberal Democrat · May 2023
- Michael Graham RedfernLiberal Democrat · May 2023
- Vida WilsonConservative · May 2023
- Colin BaldwinConservative · May 2023
- Gary BennettConservative · May 2023
Show as a table
| Ward | Seats | Elected | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uptonall in Birkenhead · 16,385 residents3 seats · May 2023 | 3 | Stephen BennettJean Mary RobinsonJerry Williams | May 2023 |
| Birkenhead and Tranmereall in Birkenhead · 16,294 residents3 seats · May 2023 | 3 | Pat ClearyAmanda OnwuemeneEwan Tomeny | May 2023 |
| Bidston and St Jamesall in Birkenhead · 15,688 residents3 seats · May 2023 | 3 | Liz GreyBrian Martin KennyJulie McManus | May 2023 |
| Claughtonall in Birkenhead · 14,697 residents3 seats · May 2023 | 3 | George DaviesStephen FoulkesGillian Wood | May 2023 |
| Rock Ferryall in Birkenhead · 14,655 residents3 seats · May 2023 | 3 | Paula BasnettTony MurphyCraig John McDonald | May 2023 |
| Prentonall in Birkenhead · 14,581 residents3 seats · May 2023 | 3 | Chris CookeHarry Ross GormanNaomi Graham | May 2023 |
| Oxtonall in Birkenhead · 13,690 residents3 seats · May 2023 | 3 | Allan BrameStuart KellyMichael Graham Redfern | May 2023 |
| Moreton West and Saughall Massie21% in Birkenhead · 2,834 residents3 seats · May 2023 | 3 | Vida WilsonColin BaldwinGary Bennett | May 2023 |
Councillors can resign, change party or sit as independents between elections; a by-election winner replaces someone not named here. Wirral 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 Birkenhead’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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green | 21.8% | 25.4% | 27.2% |
| Labour | 44% | 45.4% | 42.9% |
| Liberal Democrat | 11.8% | 12.4% | 12.4% |
| Conservative | 19.7% | 15.1% | 15.3% |
In 2023, Labour won 11, the Greens won 7, the Liberal Democrats won 3 and the Conservatives won 3 of the 24 seats up in Birkenhead’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.
Wirral council election, May 2023
Results in the wards that make up Birkenhead, as declared. Percentages are of votes cast for candidates in each ward; where a ward elects several councillors, each voter has that many votes.
8 wards voted. Every seat in the town’s wards was up.
No election is scheduled yet for Birkenhead’s wards in Democracy Club’s list. Councils publish a notice of election about five weeks before polling day.
Who can I vote for? ↗9,941 votes for candidates · 3 seats, so 3 votes each
8,102 votes for candidates · 3 seats, so 3 votes each
5,573 votes for candidates · 3 seats, so 3 votes each
Every ward’s result (5 more)
9,257 votes for candidates · 3 seats, so 3 votes each
6,475 votes for candidates · 3 seats, so 3 votes each
11,137 votes for candidates · 3 seats, so 3 votes each
11,379 votes for candidates · 3 seats, so 3 votes each
11,225 votes for candidates · 3 seats, so 3 votes each
Candidates and results: Democracy Club (CC BY 4.0), from councils’ declared results; polling dates from Democracy Club’s EveryElection.
Birkenhead is split between 3 constituencies
The constituencies’ MP and the 4 July 2024 general election, the whole constituency’s result.
Labour, MP since 6 May 2010
82% of Birkenhead’s residents live in this constituency.
Turnout 55% (England 60%).
Majority 13,798 of 43,134 votes (32%): wider than in 88% of England’s 543 constituencies.
Labour, MP since 9 April 1992
10% of Birkenhead’s residents live in this constituency.
Turnout 58% (England 60%).
Majority 17,996 of 42,746 votes (42.1%): wider than in 97% of England’s 543 constituencies.
Labour, MP since 4 July 2024
8% of Birkenhead’s residents live in this constituency.
Turnout 69% (England 60%).
Majority 9,998 of 49,951 votes (20%): wider than in 67% of England’s 543 constituencies.
43,134 votes for candidates · majority 13,798
Labour, MP since 6 May 2010.
turnout in July 2024: 43,134 votes from 78,091 registered voters. England: 60%.
Majority 13,798 of 43,134 votes (32%): wider than in 88% of England’s 543 constituencies.
Wallasey
42,746 votes for candidates · majority 17,996
Labour, MP since 9 April 1992.
turnout in July 2024: 42,746 votes from 74,082 registered voters. England: 60%.
Majority 17,996 of 42,746 votes (42.1%): wider than in 97% of England’s 543 constituencies.
Wirral West
49,951 votes for candidates · majority 9,998
Labour, MP since 4 July 2024.
turnout in July 2024: 49,951 votes from 72,838 registered voters. England: 60%.
Majority 9,998 of 49,951 votes (20%): wider than in 67% 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.
Birkenhead’s Band D council tax is £2,501 a year
Where a Band D bill goes, what it has cost over the years, and what the councils plan to spend per resident.
Wirral Council keeps £2,081.37 of a Band D bill (83%); the rest goes to the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, the Merseyside police and crime commissioner and the Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority.
Band D since 1993
Wirral’s Band D bill has risen 60% in ten years, from £1,564.95 in 2016–17, against England’s average (56%). It was £689.63 in 1993–94.
Your bill by band
A Band D home in the unparished part of Wirral, 2026–27, before discounts. The Valuation Office Agency’s band search gives any home’s band.
Merseyside’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 Merseyside
| Wirral | Birkenhead’s councils | Merseyside | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult social care | £572 | £572 | £487 |
| Children’s social care | £296 | £355 | £290 |
| Roads and transport | £31 | £19 | £41 |
| Housing (not council homes’ rents) | £43 | £73 | £61 |
| Bins, street cleaning, environment | £67 | £73 | £119 |
| Libraries, leisure, culture | £54 | £60 | £44 |
| Planning and development | £17 | £54 | £26 |
| Public health | £129 | £122 | £78 |
| Running the council | £69 | £59 | £59 |
| Other | £32 | £41 | £19 |
| Total, schools apart | £1,309 | £1,428 | £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. Merseyside 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 Birkenhead 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.
wirral.gov.uk ↗Anyone can comment while an application is open for consultation.
wirral.gov.uk ↗The rules, nomination papers and guidance for council candidates.
Electoral Commission ↗Questions about how Birkenhead is run
Does Birkenhead have a town council?
No. Birkenhead is unparished, so there is no town or parish council and no parish precept.
Who is the MP for Birkenhead?
Birkenhead is split between 3 constituencies: Birkenhead (Alison McGovern, Labour), Wallasey (Dame Angela Eagle, Labour) and Wirral West (Matthew Patrick, Labour). Parliament’s Find your MP service matches a postcode to its MP.
How many councillors does Birkenhead have?
24 ward councillors represent Birkenhead’s 8 wards.
When are the next elections in Birkenhead?
No election is scheduled yet in Democracy Club’s list for Birkenhead’s wards. The next UK general election must be held by August 2029.
How much is council tax in Birkenhead?
Band D council tax in Birkenhead is £2,501 for 2026–27. Your bill depends on your home’s band, from A (6/9 of Band D) to H (18/9).
Who controls Wirral Council?
No party has a majority. As elected, Labour 30 · Conservative 17 · Green 13 · Liberal Democrat 6 of 66 seats; a majority needs 34. The council’s website lists who leads it now.
Who won the 2023 council election in Birkenhead?
In Birkenhead’s wards on 4 May 2023, Labour 11 · Green 7 · Liberal Democrat 3 · Conservative 3 of the 24 seats up. Labour had the largest share of votes, 42.9%.
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.