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The River Avon from the High Street bridge, ChippenhamPhoto: Derek Voller · CC BY-SA 2.0
Town Hall & politics · Wiltshire Council

No party holds a majority on Wiltshire Council

Chippenham is run by Wiltshire Council, with Chippenham parish council for local matters. No party holds a majority on Wiltshire Council. Most of Chippenham is in Chippenham (MP Sarah Gibson, Liberal Democrat); 1% of residents are in South Cotswolds (MP Dr Roz Savage, Liberal Democrat).

Council tax 2026–27

£2,717

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

Where it goes →
Band D council tax
£2,717
2026–27, a year
Ward councillors
8
8 wards · Wiltshire
MPs
2
constituencies cover the town
Turnout, July 2024
67%
Chippenham · England 60%
What stands out · In brief

How Chippenham’s politics has changed since 2021

No majority on Wiltshire Council

The Liberal Democrats, the largest group, hold 43 of its 98 seats as elected, 7 short of the 50 needed (it held 29 before the May 2025 election). The Conservatives hold 37, Reform UK 10, independents 7 and Labour 1. Who’s in charge ↓

The 2025 vote

Across Chippenham’s wards, the Liberal Democrats took 44.8%, Reform UK took 20% and the Conservatives took 18.8% of votes in May 2025. In 2021, the Liberal Democrats had 28.8%. How Chippenham has voted ↓

Council tax

A Band D bill in Chippenham is £2,719 for 2026–27; Wiltshire Council keeps 73% of it. The council area’s Band D has risen 61% 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’s in charge

No party has a majority

Seats by party as elected. A party needs 50 of Wiltshire’s 98 seats to run the council alone.

Unitary council · 98 councillorsWiltshire CouncilNo overall control
LabourLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratLiberal DemocratIndependentIndependentIndependentIndependentIndependentIndependentIndependentConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeReform UKReform UKReform UKReform UKReform UKReform UKReform UKReform UKReform UKReform UK98seats
  • Liberal Democrat43+14
  • Conservative37−22
  • Reform UK10+10
  • Independent7no change
  • Labour1−2

Change against the council before the 1 May 2025 election.

LabourLiberal DemocratIndependentConservativeReform UK

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 Chippenham

The councils that run Chippenham

One council runs every main service here.

Town or parish councilChippenham 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.

100% of Chippenham’s residents · Band D precept £342

Unitary councilWiltshire Council

Every main council service: schools, social care, roads, bins, planning, housing and libraries.

Website ↗

Who to ask

Bins and recyclingWiltshire Council
Planning applicationsWiltshire Council
Council housing and homelessnessWiltshire Council
Council tax billsWiltshire Council
Parks and leisure centresWiltshire Council
Allotments, play areas, benchesChippenham parish council
Potholes, roads and streetlightsWiltshire Council
Schools and school placesWiltshire Council
Adult and children’s social careWiltshire Council
LibrariesWiltshire Council
Tips and recycling centresWiltshire Council
Police priorities and budgetWiltshire Police police and crime commissioner
Fire safety visitsDorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue

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.

Who represents Chippenham

From the parish to Westminster

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

  1. 1
    Town or parishParish tier
    Chippenham parish council
  2. 2
    Wiltshire Council8 wards · 8 councillors
    Adrian David FosterLiz AlstromEric Arthur WakemanClare Morforwyn CapeKathryn Farrah MacDermidMatt BraggRoss HenningNick Murry
  3. 3
    Police and crime commissionerWiltshire Police · elected May 2024
    Philip Wilkinson
  4. 4
    House of CommonsSplit between 2 constituencies
ConservativeLiberal DemocratIndependent

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

8 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.

Chippenham Cepen Park & DerriadsChippenham Cepen Park & Hunters MoonChippenham SheldonChippenham Lowden & RowdenChippenham HardenhuishChippenham Hardens & CentralChippenham MonktonChippenham Pewsham
Each dot is a group of postcodes, shaded by the party that won its ward’s latest election. Tap a ward for its councillors.
Chippenham Sheldon
5,393 residents
  • Adrian David FosterLiberal Democrat · May 2025
Chippenham Hardens & Central
5,158 residents
  • Liz AlstromLiberal Democrat · May 2025
Chippenham Cepen Park & Derriads
4,991 residents · 92% in Chippenham
  • Eric Arthur WakemanLiberal Democrat · May 2025
Chippenham Pewsham
4,912 residents
  • Clare Morforwyn CapeLiberal Democrat · May 2025
Chippenham Hardenhuish
4,707 residents
  • Kathryn Farrah MacDermidLiberal Democrat · May 2025
Chippenham Cepen Park & Hunters Moon
4,498 residents
  • Matt BraggLiberal Democrat · May 2025
Chippenham Lowden & Rowden
3,454 residents · 94% in Chippenham
  • Ross HenningLiberal Democrat · May 2025
Chippenham Monkton
2,790 residents
  • Nick MurryIndependent · May 2025
Liberal DemocratIndependent
Show as a table
WardSeatsElectedWhen
Chippenham Sheldonall in Chippenham · 5,393 residents1 seat · May 20251
Adrian David Foster
May 2025
Chippenham Hardens & Centralall in Chippenham · 5,158 residents1 seat · May 20251
Liz Alstrom
May 2025
Chippenham Cepen Park & Derriadsmostly in Chippenham · 4,991 residents1 seat · May 20251
Eric Arthur Wakeman
May 2025
Chippenham Pewshamall in Chippenham · 4,912 residents1 seat · May 20251
Clare Morforwyn Cape
May 2025
Chippenham Hardenhuishall in Chippenham · 4,707 residents1 seat · May 20251
Kathryn Farrah MacDermid
May 2025
Chippenham Cepen Park & Hunters Moonall in Chippenham · 4,498 residents1 seat · May 20251
Matt Bragg
May 2025
Chippenham Lowden & Rowdenmostly in Chippenham · 3,454 residents1 seat · May 20251
Ross Henning
May 2025
Chippenham Monktonall in Chippenham · 2,790 residents1 seat · May 20251
Nick Murry
May 2025

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

How Chippenham has voted

Independents led each vote to 2021; the Liberal Democrats led in 2025

Share of all votes cast for candidates in Chippenham’s wards at each scheduled council election since 2021. A gap is a year with no election here.

0%10%20%30%40%50%20212022noelection2023noelection2024noelection2025Liberal Democrat, 2021: 28.8%Liberal Democrat, 2025: 44.8%Independent, 2021: 37.1%Independent, 2025: 9.6%Conservative, 2021: 34.1%Conservative, 2025: 18.8%Reform UK, 2021: 0%Reform UK, 2025: 20%Liberal Democrat 45%Reform UK 20%Conservative 19%Independent 10%

Seats won at each election

2021
6 seats · Liberal Democrat 3 · Conservative 2 · Independent 1
2025
8 seats · Liberal Democrat 7 · Independent 1
Liberal DemocratIndependentConservativeReform UK
Show as a table
Party20212025
Liberal Democrat28.8%44.8%
Independent37.1%9.6%
Conservative34.1%18.8%
Reform UK0%20%

In 2025, the Liberal Democrats won 7 and independents won 1 of the 8 seats up in Chippenham’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.

Local elections

Wiltshire council election, May 2025

Results in the wards that make up Chippenham, 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 Chippenham’s wards8 seats · 1 May 2025
Liberal Democrat7
Independent1

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

Next elections

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

Who can I vote for? ↗
Chippenham Sheldon1 May 2025
Adrian David Foster ElectedLiberal Democrat30.1%
Mike WalkerReform UK23.9%
Declan BaseleyGreen22.3%
Patrick John Cecil CousinsConservative19.1%
Tom TinerLabour4.5%

1,165 votes for candidates

Chippenham Hardens & Central1 May 2025
Liz Alstrom ElectedLiberal Democrat62.1%
Jeremy YoungReform UK17.8%
David John BuddConservative9.9%
Ron ZahlGreen4.9%
Ed DeediganIndependent2.8%
Ruby EggletonLabour2.5%

1,458 votes for candidates

Chippenham Cepen Park & Derriads1 May 2025
Eric Arthur Wakeman ElectedLiberal Democrat45.6%
Nic PuntisConservative32.7%
Guy ThomasReform UK18.7%
Ian FlowerLabour and Co-operative3.0%

1,521 votes for candidates

Every ward’s result (5 more)
Chippenham Pewsham1 May 2025
Clare Morforwyn Cape ElectedLiberal Democrat54.3%
Andrew ShewringReform UK28.3%
Luke Anthony DawsonConservative14.9%
Tim GilmoreLabour2.6%

1,387 votes for candidates

Chippenham Hardenhuish1 May 2025
Kathryn Farrah MacDermid ElectedLiberal Democrat55.2%
Robert John Bradfield GilesConservative20.4%
Peter CarrReform UK19.1%
Julie LawrenceLabour5.3%

1,222 votes for candidates

Chippenham Cepen Park & Hunters Moon1 May 2025
Matt Bragg ElectedLiberal Democrat43.2%
Michael Peter OwenConservative31.3%
Allan MassieReform UK22.2%
Josh MoreaLabour3.4%

1,497 votes for candidates

Chippenham Lowden & Rowden1 May 2025
Ross Henning ElectedLiberal Democrat42.2%
David PooleIndependent29.1%
Rob KitchenReform UK13.8%
Thomas Matthew BodenConservative7.1%
Thom MacCallumGreen6.0%
Stephen AgarLabour1.8%

1,045 votes for candidates

Chippenham Monkton1 May 2025
Nick Murry ElectedIndependent63.4%
Chris HigmanLiberal Democrat15.4%
Jodie CollierReform UK13.8%
Tyler James ScottConservative7.4%

1,009 votes for candidates

LabourConservativeLiberal DemocratReform UKGreenIndependent

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

Parliament

Chippenham is split between 2 constituencies

The constituencies’ MP and the 4 July 2024 general election, the whole constituency’s result.

MP for Chippenham

Liberal Democrat, MP since 4 July 2024

100% of Chippenham’s residents live in this constituency.

Turnout 67% (England 60%).

Majority 8,138 of 49,512 votes (16.4%): wider than in 58% of England’s 543 constituencies.

MP for South Cotswolds

Liberal Democrat, MP since 4 July 2024

1% of Chippenham’s residents live in this constituency.

Turnout 73% (England 60%).

Majority 4,973 of 52,287 votes (9.5%): the 180th-narrowest of 543 in England.

Chippenham · general election4 July 2024
Sarah Gibson ElectedLiberal Democrat45.5%
Nic PuntisConservative29.1%
Benjamin GinsburgReform UK12.4%
Ravi VenkateshLabour7.9%
Declan BaseleyGreen3.9%
Ed DeediganIndependent1.1%

49,512 votes for candidates · majority 8,138

100% of Chippenham · MP for Chippenham

Sarah Gibson

Liberal Democrat, MP since 4 July 2024.

67%

turnout in July 2024: 49,512 votes from 74,107 registered voters. England: 60%.

Majority 8,138 of 49,512 votes (16.4%): wider than in 58% of England’s 543 constituencies.

South Cotswolds

South Cotswolds · general election4 July 2024
Roz Savage ElectedLiberal Democrat43.9%
James GrayConservative34.4%
Desi LatimerReform UK9.8%
Zoë BillinghamLabour7.5%
Bob EastoeGreen3.0%
Chris TwellsLiberal0.4%
Sandy SteelIndependent0.3%
Martin BroomfieldSocial Democratic Party0.3%
Owen HumphrysIndependent0.2%

52,287 votes for candidates · majority 4,973

1% of Chippenham · MP for South Cotswolds

Dr Roz Savage

Liberal Democrat, MP since 4 July 2024.

73%

turnout in July 2024: 52,287 votes from 71,971 registered voters. England: 60%.

Majority 4,973 of 52,287 votes (9.5%): the 180th-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

Chippenham’s Band D council tax is £2,719 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 Chippenham
Chippenham parish councilparish precept£342.16
Wiltshire Councilcouncil£1,981.15
Wiltshire police and crime commissionerpolice and crime£298.27
Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authorityfire and rescue£96.95
A year£2,718.53
Bills by band run from 6/9 of Band D (Band A) to 18/9 (Band H). Discounts and support reduce many bills.

Wiltshire Council keeps £1,981.15 of a Band D bill (73%); the rest goes to the Chippenham parish council, the Wiltshire police and crime commissioner and the Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority.

Across the whole town the average Band D is £2,717 (parishes differ; weighted by residents).

Band D since 2009

£0£500£1K£1.5K£2K£2.5K£3K2010201520202025England, 1993–94: £567.95England, 1994–95: £580.11England, 1995–96: £609.00England, 1996–97: £646.00England, 1997–98: £688.00England, 1998–99: £747.00England, 1999–00: £798.00England, 2000–01: £847.00England, 2001–02: £901.33England, 2002–03: £975.56England, 2003–04: £1,101.75England, 2004–05: £1,166.56England, 2005–06: £1,213.81England, 2006–07: £1,267.91England, 2007–08: £1,321.32England, 2008–09: £1,373.08England, 2009–10: £1,413.84England, 2010–11: £1,439.22England, 2011–12: £1,439.33England, 2012–13: £1,444.13England, 2013–14: £1,455.60England, 2014–15: £1,467.98England, 2015–16: £1,483.58England, 2016–17: £1,529.56England, 2017–18: £1,590.55England, 2018–19: £1,671.46England, 2019–20: £1,749.88England, 2020–21: £1,817.67England, 2021–22: £1,898.48England, 2022–23: £1,965.71England, 2023–24: £2,065.05England, 2024–25: £2,170.99England, 2025–26: £2,280.21England, 2026–27: £2,391.52Wiltshire, 2009–10: £1,475.10Wiltshire, 2010–11: £1,511.96Wiltshire, 2011–12: £1,513.60Wiltshire, 2012–13: £1,515.25Wiltshire, 2013–14: £1,516.62Wiltshire, 2014–15: £1,527.49Wiltshire, 2015–16: £1,534.45Wiltshire, 2016–17: £1,594.72Wiltshire, 2017–18: £1,670.84Wiltshire, 2018–19: £1,777.94Wiltshire, 2019–20: £1,854.68Wiltshire, 2020–21: £1,934.80Wiltshire, 2021–22: £2,031.06Wiltshire, 2022–23: £2,100.24Wiltshire, 2023–24: £2,216.29Wiltshire, 2024–25: £2,330.28Wiltshire, 2025–26: £2,443.40Wiltshire, 2026–27: £2,571.78Wiltshire £2,572England £2,392

Wiltshire’s Band D bill has risen 61% in ten years, from £1,594.72 in 2016–17, against England’s average (56%). It was £1,475.10 in 2009–10.

Your bill by band

Band A 6/9£1,812
Band B 7/9£2,114
Band C 8/9£2,416
Band D 9/9£2,719
Band E 11/9£3,323
Band F 13/9£3,927
Band G 15/9£4,531
Band H 18/9£5,437

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

Council budgets per resident, 2026–27

ServiceWiltshirevs England
Adult social care£523+£36
Children’s social care£154−£136
Roads and transport£60+£19
Housing (not council homes’ rents)£37−£24
Bins, street cleaning, environment£133+£14
Libraries, leisure, culture£38−£6
Planning and development£25−£1
Public health£49−£29
Running the council£22−£37
Other£0−£19
Chippenham’s councils, per residentEngland, all councils
Show as a table, with Wiltshire
WiltshireChippenham’s councilsWiltshireEngland
Adult social care£523£504£487
Children’s social care£154£223£290
Roads and transport£60£52£41
Housing (not council homes’ rents)£37£39£61
Bins, street cleaning, environment£133£118£119
Libraries, leisure, culture£38£33£44
Planning and development£25£21£26
Public health£49£54£78
Running the council£22£21£59
Other£0£0£19
Total, schools apart£1,041£1,064£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. Wiltshire 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 Chippenham 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.

wiltshire.gov.uk ↗
Comment on a planning application

Anyone can comment while an application is open for consultation.

wiltshire.gov.uk ↗
Stand for election

The rules, nomination papers and guidance for council candidates.

Electoral Commission ↗

Questions about how Chippenham is run

Which council runs Chippenham?

Chippenham is run by Wiltshire Council.

Does Chippenham have a town council?

Yes: Chippenham has its own parish-tier council (Chippenham parish council; town councils are parish councils by another name), which adds £342 to a Band D bill in 2026–27.

Who is the MP for Chippenham?

Chippenham is split between 2 constituencies: Chippenham (Sarah Gibson, Liberal Democrat) and South Cotswolds (Dr Roz Savage, Liberal Democrat). Parliament’s Find your MP service matches a postcode to its MP.

How many councillors does Chippenham have?

8 ward councillors represent Chippenham’s 8 wards.

When are the next elections in Chippenham?

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

How much is council tax in Chippenham?

Band D council tax in Chippenham is £2,717 for 2026–27. Your bill depends on your home’s band, from A (6/9 of Band D) to H (18/9).

Who controls Wiltshire Council?

No party has a majority. As elected, Liberal Democrat 43 · Conservative 37 · Reform UK 10 · Independent 7 · Labour 1 of 98 seats; a majority needs 50. The council’s website lists who leads it now.

Who won the 2025 council election in Chippenham?

In Chippenham’s wards on 1 May 2025, Liberal Democrat 7 · Independent 1 of the 8 seats up. The Liberal Democrats had the largest share of votes, 44.8%.

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.