Londoners are gearing up to cast their votes in the local elections set for May 2026.

The city has evolved significantly since it last voted for the 32 councils responsible for many local services back in 2022.

At that time, London was just emerging from the grip of the Covid-19 pandemic, with lingering effects still impacting areas like transportation and the efforts of businesses to bring patrons back to eateries and pubs.

In the 2022 local elections, Labour achieved a major victory, securing 1,128 of over 1,800 seats and receiving 43.9% of the total votes across the city.

The party gained control of 21 councils, notably Westminster, Wandsworth, and Barnet, which were previously held by the Conservatives.

The Tories earned 508 seats, accounting for 28.8% of the vote, successfully maintaining their hold on Kensington and Chelsea, Bexley, Hillingdon, and Bromley, while also winning Harrow from Labour.

The Liberal Democrats obtained 152 seats with 13.0% of the vote, retaining authority in Richmond, Sutton, and Richmond-upon-Thames.

The Green Party managed to secure 8.6% of the votes and captured 11 seats within the capital.

In most London councils, the leading party or coalition elects a leader who then appoints cabinet members tasked with specific areas like housing and finance, leaving the mayor’s role largely ceremonial. However, in boroughs like Croydon, Hackney, Lewisham, Newham, and Tower Hamlets, the mayor is directly elected by the local populace and holds the power to assign the cabinet.

These elections will determine the management of essential local services, including schools, libraries, and waste collection.

Although Sir Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, who was re-elected for a third term in 2024, establishes an overarching vision for the capital, councils are responsible for managing an annual budget exceeding £12 billion.

In May, 1,817 councillors across the 32 boroughs and five directly elected mayors will be chosen.

The emergence of two new political entities, Reform UK and the Green Party, has begun to shape London’s voting landscape.

A straightforward yet reductive interpretation suggests that the Greens, under Zack Polanski’s leadership, draw votes away from Labour, while Nigel Farage’s Reform UK attracts support from the Conservatives.

The council elections this May present an opportunity for both parties to demonstrate that they are more substantial than merely protest votes and can effectively manage local services.

Additionally, there are localized political dynamics to consider.

In Tower Hamlets, the Aspire party hopes to replicate its surprising victory from 2022, when it took both the council and the mayoral seat.

In Havering, a residents’ coalition, initially between the Havering Residents Association (HRA) and Labour, and now functioning as a minority government since 2024, holds sway over the borough.

Except for Tower Hamlets and Havering, some councils may undergo a shift in control between the two primary parties, but it remains to be seen if the Greens or Reform UK can secure enough seats to take over a borough.

The Greens are keen to capture one or more of the five borough mayoral positions.

Both parties are likely to gain some seats in individual councils, with Reform UK’s prospects appearing stronger in the outer boroughs of London.

Distinguishing national political matters from local elections can be challenging—are voters casting their ballots for council leadership or sending a message to the government in Westminster?

National issues certainly influence local governance, particularly in terms of funding.

London boroughs rely on four primary sources of income: grants from the central government, retained business rates, council tax, and charges like parking fines.

They are required to maintain balanced budgets and cannot operate with deficits.

Despite facing high levels of need, deprivation, and service delivery costs, central government funding per London resident has decreased by 28% since 2010, as reported by London Councils, the organization representing the boroughs.

This reduction occurs alongside an 11% increase in population and rising service requirements.

Some boroughs, such as Barking and Dagenham, have indicated that they now receive only 40% of the government support they did a decade ago.

In November, the Labour government unveiled its local government finance strategy, which would further reduce the collective share of government funds allocated to London boroughs.

Those elected in the May council elections will be faced with an anticipated budget shortfall of approximately £4.7 billion over the four-year span leading up to 2029, according to London Councils.

Six boroughs in London are permitted to engage in emergency borrowing through a central government initiative known as exceptional financial support (EFS), enabling them to take out loans or divest assets to remedy immediate financial challenges.

Analysis from London Councils suggests that the number of boroughs needing EFS could increase to as many as 17 by 2028.

Furthermore, central government has altered regulations on council tax increases—currently, any rise exceeding 5% necessitates local referendum approval.

However, due to cuts in central government grants, boroughs including Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster, Wandsworth, and Hammersmith and Fulham may be allowed to impose larger increases from 2026 to 2029 to compensate for funding cuts by the central government.

Council tax increases are expected to be a significant aspect of the political campaigns for the 2026 council elections, alongside manifesto pledges related to waste management, housing, and library services.