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Town Hall & politics · West Suffolk District Council

No party holds a majority on West Suffolk District Council

Haverhill is run by West Suffolk District Council and Suffolk County Council, with Haverhill parish council for local matters. No party holds a majority on West Suffolk District Council. The Conservatives have a majority on Suffolk County Council. Its MP is Nick Timothy (Conservative), member for West Suffolk.

Council tax 2026–27

£2,442

Band D, a year, the middle band every council sets its tax from.

Where it goes →
Band D council tax
£2,442
2026–27, a year
Ward councillors
10
6 wards · West Suffolk
MP
Nick Timothy
Conservative · West Suffolk
Turnout, July 2024
60%
West Suffolk · England 60%
What stands out · In brief

How Haverhill’s politics has changed since 2021

No majority on West Suffolk District Council

The Conservatives, the largest group, hold 22 of its 60 seats as elected, 9 short of the 31 needed. Labour holds 17, West Suffolk Independents 9, independents 8, the Greens 2, the Liberal Democrats 1 and Reform UK 1. Who’s in charge ↓

Suffolk in 2021

Suffolk County Council, which runs schools, social care and roads, has a Conservative majority at the May 2021 election: the Conservatives won 51 of 75 seats. Suffolk ↓

Written from the data on this page: Democracy Club results since May 2021, the UK Parliament Members API and MHCLG council tax.

Who’s in charge

Who holds the seats on Haverhill’s councils

Seats by party as elected. A party needs 31 of West Suffolk’s 60 or 38 of Suffolk’s 75 seats to run the council alone.

District council · 60 councillorsWest Suffolk District CouncilNo overall control
GreenGreenLabourLabourLabourLabourLabourLabourLabourLabourLabourLabourLabourLabourLabourLabourLabourLabourLabourLiberal DemocratIndependentIndependentIndependentIndependentIndependentIndependentIndependentIndependentConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeReform UKWest Suffolk IndependentsWest Suffolk IndependentsWest Suffolk IndependentsWest Suffolk IndependentsWest Suffolk IndependentsWest Suffolk IndependentsWest Suffolk IndependentsWest Suffolk IndependentsWest Suffolk Independents60seats
  • Conservative22
  • Labour17
  • West Suffolk Independents9
  • Independent8
  • Green2
  • Liberal Democrat1
  • Reform UK1

Latest election: May 2023.

County council · 75 councillors · Haverhill elects 3Suffolk County CouncilConservative majority
GreenGreenGreenGreenGreenGreenGreenGreenGreenLabourLabourLabourLabourLabourLabourLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratIndependentConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeReform UKReform UKWest Suffolk Independents75seats
  • Conservative51
  • Green9
  • Labour6
  • Liberal Democrat5
  • Reform UK2
  • Independent1
  • West Suffolk Independents1

Latest election: May 2021.

GreenLabourLiberal DemocratIndependentConservativeReform UKOther parties

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.

Who runs Haverhill

Two tiers of council, and a parish tier

Haverhill has two tiers of council: the county runs the big services, the district the local ones.

Town or parish councilHaverhill parish council

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.

99% of Haverhill’s residents · Band D precept £198

District councilWest Suffolk District Council

Bins and recycling, planning, housing, environmental health, leisure, and collecting council tax.

Website ↗
County councilSuffolk County Council

Schools, social care, roads and transport, libraries and waste disposal.

Website ↗

Who to ask

Bins and recyclingWest Suffolk District Council
Planning applicationsWest Suffolk District Council
Council housing and homelessnessWest Suffolk District Council
Council tax billsWest Suffolk District Council
Parks and leisure centresWest Suffolk District Council
Allotments, play areas, benchesHaverhill parish council
Potholes, roads and streetlightsSuffolk County Council
Schools and school placesSuffolk County Council
Adult and children’s social careSuffolk County Council
LibrariesSuffolk County Council
Tips and recycling centresSuffolk County Council
Police priorities and budgetSuffolk Constabulary police and crime commissioner

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.

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.

Who represents Haverhill

From the parish to Westminster

Every elected tier that speaks for Haverhill, from the most recent elections.

  1. 1
    Town or parishParish tier
    Haverhill parish council
  2. 2
    West Suffolk District Council6 wards · 10 councillors
    Labour 5 · Independent 3 · Conservative 3 · all 11
  3. 3
    Suffolk County Council2 divisions · 3 councillors
    Joe MasonHeike SowaDavid Roach
  4. 4
    Police and crime commissionerSuffolk Constabulary · elected May 2024
    Tim Passmore
  5. 5
    House of CommonsWest Suffolk
Conservative

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.

Councillors

10 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.

Haverhill EastHaverhill NorthHaverhill South EastHaverhill CentralHaverhill SouthHaverhill West
Each dot is a group of postcodes, shaded by the party that won its ward’s latest election. Tap a ward for its councillors.
Haverhill South
6,455 residents
  • David Malcolm SmithLabour · May 2023
  • Liz SmithLabour · May 2023
Haverhill West
5,392 residents · 92% in Haverhill
  • Graham ConeConservative · September 2026 · by-election
  • Andrew MartinLabour · May 2023
  • Margaret MarksConservative · May 2023
Haverhill North
4,651 residents
  • Paul Michael FirmanIndependent · May 2023
  • Joe MasonConservative · May 2023
Haverhill East
4,294 residents
  • Pat HanlonLabour · May 2023
  • Lora Miller-JonesLabour · May 2023
Haverhill Central
3,106 residents
  • Aaron Julian LuccariniIndependent · May 2023
Haverhill South East
2,485 residents
  • Tony BrownIndependent · May 2023
LabourConservativeIndependent
Show as a table, with Suffolk County Council’s 2 divisions (3 councillors)
WardSeatsElectedWhen
Haverhill Southall in Haverhill · 6,455 residents2 seats · May 20232
David Malcolm SmithLiz Smith
May 2023
Haverhill Westmostly in Haverhill · 5,392 residents2 seats · September 2026, May 20232
Graham Coneby-electionAndrew MartinMargaret Marks
September 2026, May 2023
Haverhill Northall in Haverhill · 4,651 residents2 seats · May 20232
Paul Michael FirmanJoe Mason
May 2023
Haverhill Eastall in Haverhill · 4,294 residents2 seats · May 20232
Pat HanlonLora Miller-Jones
May 2023
Haverhill Centralall in Haverhill · 3,106 residents1 seat · May 20231
Aaron Julian Luccarini
May 2023
Haverhill South Eastall in Haverhill · 2,485 residents1 seat · May 20231
Tony Brown
May 2023

Suffolk County Council: county divisions

DivisionSeatsElectedWhen
Haverhill Cangle EDall in Haverhill · 19,604 residents2 seats · May 20212
Joe MasonHeike Sowa
May 2021
Haverhill East and Kedington EDall in Haverhill · 6,779 residents1 seat · May 20211
David Roach
May 2021

Councillors can resign, change party or sit as independents between elections; a by-election winner replaces someone not named here. West Suffolk District 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).

Local elections

West Suffolk council election, May 2023

Results in the wards that make up Haverhill, as declared. Percentages are of votes cast for candidates in each ward; where a ward elects several councillors, each voter has that many votes.

Seats won in Haverhill’s wards10 seats · 4 May 2023
Labour5
Independent3
Conservative2

6 wards voted. Every seat in the town’s wards was up.

Next elections

No election is scheduled yet for Haverhill’s wards in Democracy Club’s list. Councils publish a notice of election about five weeks before polling day.

Who can I vote for? ↗
Haverhill South4 May 2023
David Malcolm Smith ElectedLabour35.2%
Liz Smith ElectedLabour32.4%
Jason Craig CrooksIndependent32.4%

1,087 votes for candidates · 2 seats, so 2 votes each

Haverhill West4 May 2023
Andrew Martin ElectedLabour23.0%
Margaret Marks ElectedConservative21.2%
Damian Peter PageLabour20.8%
David RoachConservative18.1%
Bruce DavidsonIndependent16.9%

1,982 votes for candidates · 2 seats, so 2 votes each

Haverhill North4 May 2023
Paul Michael Firman ElectedIndependent27.9%
Joe Mason ElectedConservative25.5%
Quinn CoxLabour24.8%
Lisa Marie MasonConservative21.8%

1,658 votes for candidates · 2 seats, so 2 votes each

Every ward’s result (3 more)
Haverhill East4 May 2023
Pat Hanlon ElectedLabour31.4%
Lora Miller-Jones ElectedLabour28.9%
John BurnsIndependent23.0%
Abbey King KhawajaConservative16.6%

964 votes for candidates · 2 seats, so 2 votes each

Haverhill Central4 May 2023
Aaron Julian Luccarini ElectedIndependent38.2%
Mary MartinLabour36.9%
Heike SowaConservative24.9%

599 votes for candidates

Haverhill South East4 May 2023
Tony Brown ElectedIndependent72.0%
Roger John Floyd AndréLabour28.0%

504 votes for candidates

LabourConservativeIndependent

Candidates and results: Democracy Club (CC BY 4.0), from councils’ declared results; polling dates from Democracy Club’s EveryElection.

Parliament

Haverhill is in West Suffolk constituency

The constituency’s MP and the 4 July 2024 general election, the whole constituency’s result (it reaches beyond Haverhill).

West Suffolk · general election4 July 2024
Nick Timothy ElectedConservative34.3%
Rebecca DennessLabour27.2%
David BullReform UK20.8%
Henry BatchelorLiberal Democrat9.3%
Mark EreiraGreen6.3%
Katie ParkerIndependent1.1%
Luke O'BrienIndependent0.7%
Ivan KinsmanSocial Democratic Party0.3%

46,161 votes for candidates · majority 3,247

MP for West Suffolk

Nick Timothy

Conservative, MP since 4 July 2024.

60%

turnout in July 2024: 46,161 votes from 77,145 registered voters. England: 60%.

Majority 3,247 of 46,161 votes (7%): the 133rd-narrowest of 543 in England.

LabourConservativeLiberal DemocratReform UKGreenIndependentOther parties

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.

Council money

Haverhill’s Band D council tax is £2,444 a year

Where a Band D bill goes, what it has cost over the years, and what the councils plan to spend per resident.

COUNCIL TAXBand D · 2026–27 · a Band D home in Haverhill
Haverhill parish councilparish precept£198.10
West Suffolk District Councildistrict council£209.70
Suffolk County Councilcounty council£1,731.69
Suffolk police and crime commissionerpolice and crime£304.47
A year£2,443.96
Bills by band run from 6/9 of Band D (Band A) to 18/9 (Band H). Discounts and support reduce many bills.

West Suffolk District Council keeps £209.70 of a Band D bill (9%); the rest goes to the Haverhill parish council, Suffolk County Council and the Suffolk police and crime commissioner.

Across the whole town the average Band D is £2,442 (parishes differ; weighted by residents).

Your bill by band

Band A 6/9£1,629
Band B 7/9£1,901
Band C 8/9£2,172
Band D 9/9£2,444
Band E 11/9£2,987
Band F 13/9£3,530
Band G 15/9£4,073
Band H 18/9£4,888

A Band D home in Haverhill, 2026–27, before discounts. The Valuation Office Agency’s band search gives any home’s band.

Suffolk’s councils

Mid Suffolk£2,317
East Suffolk£2,335
Babergh£2,342
West Suffolk£2,351
Ipswich£2,468

Average Band D in each council area, 2026–27, parish precepts included. Bars start at £2,200.

Council budgets per resident, 2026–27

ServiceWest Suffolk + Suffolkvs England
Adult social care£499+£12
Children’s social care£226−£64
Roads and transport£36−£5
Housing (not council homes’ rents)£31−£30
Bins, street cleaning, environment£96−£23
Libraries, leisure, culture£46+£2
Planning and development£24−£2
Public health£54−£24
Running the council£40−£19
Other£17−£2
Haverhill’s councils, per residentEngland, all councils
Show as a table, with Suffolk
West Suffolk + SuffolkHaverhill’s councilsSuffolkEngland
Adult social care£499£499£487
Children’s social care£226£226£290
Roads and transport£36£44£41
Housing (not council homes’ rents)£31£36£61
Bins, street cleaning, environment£96£102£119
Libraries, leisure, culture£46£45£44
Planning and development£24£39£26
Public health£54£55£78
Running the council£40£46£59
Other£17£24£19
Total, schools apart£1,116£1,162£1,234

Net budgeted service spending, MHCLG Revenue Account budget 2026–27, per resident (ONS mid-2025 estimates). Both tiers added: West Suffolk per its residents plus Suffolk 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. Suffolk 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.

Get involved

Having a say in how Haverhill is run

Register to vote

It takes about five minutes online; the deadline is 12 working days before a poll.

gov.uk ↗
Contact your councillors or MP

Type a postcode to write to each of its councillors and its MP.

WriteToThem ↗
Report a pothole or a broken streetlight

GOV.UK sends the report to the council that looks after the road.

gov.uk ↗
Watch or speak at a council meeting

Council and committee meetings are open to the public, with agendas and minutes online.

westsuffolk.gov.uk ↗
Comment on a planning application

Anyone can comment while an application is open for consultation.

westsuffolk.gov.uk ↗
Stand for election

The rules, nomination papers and guidance for council candidates.

Electoral Commission ↗

Questions about how Haverhill is run

Which council runs Haverhill?

Haverhill is run by West Suffolk District Council and Suffolk County Council. The county council runs schools, social care and roads; the district runs bins, planning and housing.

Does Haverhill have a town council?

Yes: Haverhill has its own parish-tier council (Haverhill parish council; town councils are parish councils by another name), which adds £198 to a Band D bill in 2026–27.

Who is the MP for Haverhill?

Nick Timothy (Conservative) is the MP for West Suffolk, which covers Haverhill.

How many councillors does Haverhill have?

10 ward councillors represent Haverhill’s 6 wards, and 3 county councillors its county divisions.

When are the next elections in Haverhill?

No election is scheduled yet in Democracy Club’s list for Haverhill’s wards. The next UK general election must be held by August 2029.

How much is council tax in Haverhill?

Band D council tax in Haverhill is £2,442 for 2026–27. Your bill depends on your home’s band, from A (6/9 of Band D) to H (18/9).

Who controls West Suffolk District Council?

No party has a majority. As elected, Conservative 22 · Labour 17 · West Suffolk Independents 9 · Independent 8 · Green 2 · Liberal Democrat 1 · Reform UK 1 of 60 seats; a majority needs 31. The council’s website lists who leads it now.

Who controls Suffolk County Council?

The Conservatives have a majority: 51 of 75 seats as elected.

Who won the 2023 council election in Haverhill?

In Haverhill’s wards on 4 May 2023, Labour 5 · Independent 3 · Conservative 2 of the 10 seats up. Labour had the largest share of votes, 43.6%.

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.