Photo: Stefan Czapski · CC BY-SA 2.0No party holds a majority on Spelthorne Borough Council
Staines-upon-Thames is run by Spelthorne Borough Council, Runnymede Borough Council and Surrey County Council. No party holds a majority on either Spelthorne Borough Council or Runnymede Borough Council. The Conservatives have a majority on Surrey County Council. Most of Staines-upon-Thames is in Spelthorne (MP Lincoln Jopp, Conservative); 8% of residents are in Runnymede and Weybridge (MP Dr Ben Spencer, Conservative).
£2,524
Band D, a year, the middle band every council sets its tax from.
Where it goes →How Staines-upon-Thames’s politics has changed since 2021
No majority on Spelthorne Borough Council
No party holds a majority on Spelthorne Borough Council. The Liberal Democrats, the largest group, hold 12 of its 39 seats as elected, 8 short of the 20 needed. The Conservatives hold 12, Labour 7, independents 6 and the Greens 2. Who’s in charge ↓
Surrey in 2021
Surrey County Council, which runs schools, social care and roads, has a Conservative majority at the May 2021 election: the Conservatives won 41 of 81 seats. Surrey ↓
The 2024 vote
Across Staines-upon-Thames’s wards, Runnymede Independent Residents' Group took 47.4%, the Conservatives took 35% and Labour took 13.5% of votes in May 2024. In 2023, Runnymede Independent Residents' Group had 4.5%. How Staines-upon-Thames has voted ↓
Council tax
A Band D bill in Staines-upon-Thames is £2,526 for 2026–27; Spelthorne Borough Council keeps 9% of it. The council area’s Band D has risen 51% 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 Staines-upon-Thames’s councils
Seats by party as elected. A party needs 20 of Spelthorne’s 39 or 21 of Runnymede’s 41 or 41 of Surrey’s 81 seats to run the council alone.
- Conservative12
- Liberal Democrat12
- Labour7
- Independent6
- Green2
Latest election: May 2023.
- Conservative11−9
- Labour8+4
- Liberal Democrat6+2
- Runnymede Independent Residents' Group6no change
- Independent5no change
- Green3+1
- Reform UK2+2
Change against the council before the 2 May 2024 election.
- Conservative41
- Liberal Democrat19
- Residents Associations of Epsom and Ewell4
- Farnham Residents3
- Independent3
- Green2
- Labour2
- Reform UK2
- Ashtead Independents1
- Nork & Tattenhams Residents' Associations1
- Residents for Guildford and Villages1
- Thames Ditton / Weston Green Residents' Association1
- The Molesey Residents Association1
Latest election: May 2021.
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, no parish tier
Staines-upon-Thames has two tiers of council: the county runs the big services, the district the local ones.
Bins and recycling, planning, housing, environmental health, leisure, and collecting council tax.
92% of Staines-upon-Thames’s residents
Website ↗Bins and recycling, planning, housing, environmental health, leisure, and collecting council tax.
Who runs Staines-upon-Thames: same source as Who runs Staines-upon-Thames, above.
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.
All of Staines-upon-Thames 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 Staines-upon-Thames, from the most recent elections.
- 1Council wards4 wards · 12 councillorsLiberal Democrat 4 · Independent 3 · Runnymede Independent Residents' Group 3 · Green 2 · Labour 1 · all 13
- 2Surrey County Council2 divisions · 2 councillorsDenise Turner-StewartJonathan Hulley
- 3Police and crime commissionerSurrey Police · elected May 2024Lisa Townsend
- 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.
12 councillors for 4 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.
- Laura BarkerLiberal Democrat · October 2025 · by-election
- Malcolm Eric BeecherGreen · May 2023
- Adam GaleGreen · May 2023
- Howard WilliamsIndependent · May 2023
- Chris BatesonLiberal Democrat · May 2023
- Jolyon Peter CaplinLiberal Democrat · May 2023
- Tony BurrellLabour · May 2023
- Denise SaliagopoulosIndependent · May 2023
- Daniel Luca GeraciIndependent · May 2023
- Michele GibsonLiberal Democrat · May 2023
- Margaret Theresa HarndenRunnymede Independent Residents' Group · May 2024
- Elaine GillRunnymede Independent Residents' Group · May 2023
- Linda Mary GillhamRunnymede Independent Residents' Group · May 2022
Show as a table, with Surrey County Council’s 2 divisions (2 councillors)
| Ward | Seats | Elected | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| StainesSpelthorne · all in Staines-upon-Thames · 8,513 residents3 seats · October 2025, May 2023 | 3 | Laura Barkerby-electionMalcolm Eric BeecherAdam GaleHoward Williams | October 2025, May 2023 |
| Staines SouthSpelthorne · mostly in Staines-upon-Thames · 5,923 residents3 seats · May 2023 | 3 | Chris BatesonJolyon Peter CaplinTony Burrell | May 2023 |
| Riverside and LalehamSpelthorne · mostly in Staines-upon-Thames · 5,147 residents3 seats · May 2023 | 3 | Denise SaliagopoulosDaniel Luca GeraciMichele Gibson | May 2023 |
| ThorpeRunnymede · 25% in Staines-upon-Thames · 1,457 residents3 seats · May 2024, May 2023, May 2022 | 3 | Margaret Theresa HarndenElaine GillLinda Mary Gillham | May 2024, May 2023, May 2022 |
Surrey County Council: county divisions
| Division | Seats | Elected | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Staines South and Ashford West EDmostly in Staines-upon-Thames · 19,583 residents1 seat · May 2021 | 1 | Denise Turner-Stewart | May 2021 |
| Foxhills, Thorpe and Virginia Water ED9% in Staines-upon-Thames · 1,457 residents1 seat · May 2021 | 1 | Jonathan Hulley | May 2021 |
Councillors can resign, change party or sit as independents between elections; a by-election winner replaces someone not named here. Spelthorne Borough 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).
Who led each council vote, 2021–2024
Share of all votes cast for candidates in Staines-upon-Thames’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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green | 0% | 0% | 14.7% | 0% |
| Labour | 11% | 14% | 10.4% | 13.5% |
| Liberal Democrat | 4.2% | 4.9% | 20.5% | 4.1% |
| Independent | 0% | 0% | 19.5% | 0% |
| Conservative | 33.8% | 28% | 30.4% | 35% |
| Runnymede Independent Residents' Group | 51% | 53.1% | 4.5% | 47.4% |
In 2024, Runnymede Independent Residents' Group won 1 of the 1 seats up in Staines-upon-Thames’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.
Runnymede council election, May 2024
Results in the wards that make up Staines-upon-Thames, as declared. Percentages are of votes cast for candidates in each ward; where a ward elects several councillors, each voter has that many votes.
1 ward voted. Not every seat in the town’s wards was up this time.
No election is scheduled yet for Staines-upon-Thames’s wards in Democracy Club’s list. Councils publish a notice of election about five weeks before polling day.
Who can I vote for? ↗1,403 votes for candidates
Candidates and results: Democracy Club (CC BY 4.0), from councils’ declared results; polling dates from Democracy Club’s EveryElection.
Staines-upon-Thames is split between 2 constituencies
The constituencies’ MP and the 4 July 2024 general election, the whole constituency’s result.
Conservative, MP since 4 July 2024
92% of Staines-upon-Thames’s residents live in this constituency.
Turnout 63% (England 60%).
Majority 1,590 of 46,166 votes (3.4%): the 67th-narrowest of 543 in England.
Conservative, MP since 12 December 2019
8% of Staines-upon-Thames’s residents live in this constituency.
Turnout 66% (England 60%).
Majority 7,627 of 48,253 votes (15.8%): wider than in 56% of England’s 543 constituencies.
46,166 votes for candidates · majority 1,590
Conservative, MP since 4 July 2024.
turnout in July 2024: 46,166 votes from 73,782 registered voters. England: 60%.
Majority 1,590 of 46,166 votes (3.4%): the 67th-narrowest of 543 in England.
Runnymede and Weybridge
48,253 votes for candidates · majority 7,627
Conservative, MP since 12 December 2019.
turnout in July 2024: 48,253 votes from 73,610 registered voters. England: 60%.
Majority 7,627 of 48,253 votes (15.8%): wider than in 56% 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.
Staines-upon-Thames’s Band D council tax is £2,526 a year
Where a Band D bill goes, what it has cost over the years, and what the councils plan to spend per resident.
Spelthorne Borough Council keeps £235.50 of a Band D bill (9%); the rest goes to Surrey County Council and the Surrey police and crime commissioner.
Across the whole town the average Band D is £2,524 (parishes differ; weighted by residents).
Band D since 1993
Spelthorne’s Band D bill has risen 51% in ten years, from £1,675.91 in 2016–17, against England’s average (56%). It was £528.75 in 1993–94.
Your bill by band
A Band D home in the unparished part of Spelthorne, 2026–27, before discounts. The Valuation Office Agency’s band search gives any home’s band.
Surrey’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 Surrey
| Spelthorne + Surrey | Staines-upon-Thames’s councils | Surrey | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult social care | £486 | £471 | £487 |
| Children’s social care | £216 | £217 | £290 |
| Roads and transport | £78 | £69 | £41 |
| Housing (not council homes’ rents) | £63 | £30 | £61 |
| Bins, street cleaning, environment | £139 | £128 | £119 |
| Libraries, leisure, culture | £27 | £33 | £44 |
| Planning and development | £26 | £32 | £26 |
| Public health | £42 | £43 | £78 |
| Running the council | £91 | £79 | £59 |
| Other | £0 | £-2 | £19 |
| Total, schools apart | £1,209 | £1,139 | £1,234 |
Net budgeted service spending, MHCLG Revenue Account budget 2026–27, per resident (ONS mid-2025 estimates). Both tiers added: Spelthorne per its residents plus Surrey 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. Surrey 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 Staines-upon-Thames 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.
spelthorne.gov.uk ↗Anyone can comment while an application is open for consultation.
spelthorne.gov.uk ↗The rules, nomination papers and guidance for council candidates.
Electoral Commission ↗Questions about how Staines-upon-Thames is run
Which council runs Staines-upon-Thames?
The county council runs schools, social care and roads; the district runs bins, planning and housing.
Does Staines-upon-Thames have a town council?
No. Staines-upon-Thames is unparished, so there is no town or parish council and no parish precept.
Who is the MP for Staines-upon-Thames?
Staines-upon-Thames is split between 2 constituencies: Spelthorne (Lincoln Jopp, Conservative) and Runnymede and Weybridge (Dr Ben Spencer, Conservative). Parliament’s Find your MP service matches a postcode to its MP.
How many councillors does Staines-upon-Thames have?
12 ward councillors represent Staines-upon-Thames’s 4 wards, and 2 county councillors its county divisions.
When are the next elections in Staines-upon-Thames?
No election is scheduled yet in Democracy Club’s list for Staines-upon-Thames’s wards. The next UK general election must be held by August 2029.
How much is council tax in Staines-upon-Thames?
Band D council tax in Staines-upon-Thames is £2,524 for 2026–27. Your bill depends on your home’s band, from A (6/9 of Band D) to H (18/9).
Who controls Spelthorne Borough Council?
No party has a majority. As elected, Liberal Democrat 12 · Conservative 12 · Labour 7 · Independent 6 · Green 2 of 39 seats; a majority needs 20. The council’s website lists who leads it now.
Who controls Runnymede Borough Council?
As elected, Conservative 11 · Labour 8 · Liberal Democrat 6 · Runnymede Independent Residents' Group 6 · Independent 5 · Green 3 · Reform UK 2 of 41 seats; a majority needs 21.
Who won the 2024 council election in Staines-upon-Thames?
In Staines-upon-Thames’s wards on 2 May 2024, Runnymede Independent Residents' Group 1 of the 1 seats up. Runnymede Independent Residents' Group had the largest share of votes, 47.4%.
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.