← Cheltenham (all cycles) · 7 May 2026 cohort

Cheltenham 2026

Local elections held 7 May 2026.

20 ward races

20 seats

15 elected below the proportional quota

75.0% of seats below quota

How to read this page

Each race below shows the share of valid ballots the marginal elected candidate actually won, and compares it to the proportional quota: the share they'd need to clinch the seat under any proportional voting method (1 seats + 1). For a 1-seat ward the quota is 50%; for 2 seats, 33.3%; for 3 seats, 25%.

Where the actual winning share fell below the quota, we show the signed gap as points below quota (a negative number) — the editorial indictment. Above-quota results clear the bar and pass without comment. The voting method is the subject of every observation here. Named candidates appear as the public election record requires; the cause being audited is the voting method, not the individuals. See the methodology page for derivations.

If votes were counted by party

Across the 20 wards in this cycle, parties received the vote totals below. The proportional column shows what each party would have won if the 20 seats had been shared out in proportion to votes received (how, with caveats). The Δ column is the actual seat count minus the proportional seat count — positive numbers are parties First-Past-the-Post over-represented; negative are parties it under-represented.

Party	Votes	Vote %	Seats won	% of seats	Proportional seats	Proportional %	Δ
Liberal Democrats	17,093	42.3%	17	85.0%	9	45.0%	+8
Reform UK	7,820	19.3%	1	5.0%	4	20.0%	-3
Green Party	7,752	19.2%	2	10.0%	4	20.0%	-2
Conservative Party	7,091	17.5%	0	0.0%	3	15.0%	-3
Labour Party	616	1.5%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%	0
Christian Peoples Alliance	22	0.1%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%	0
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition	14	0.0%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%	0
Heritage Party	10	0.0%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%	0
Total	40,418	100.0%	20	100.0%	20	100.0%	0

Vote share vs seats won

The top bar is each party's share of votes cast in this council. Below, one square per seat, coloured by the party that won it — first the actual First-Past-the-Post result, then what a proportional method would have produced from the same vote totals. Divergence between the bar and the actual grid is the indictment of the method.

Vote share

Actual seats

Proportional seats

Council composition: what this election replaced

Two opencouncildata snapshots: the council immediately after the 2026 election (current) and immediately before it (2025). Only ~⅓ of seats were contested in 2026 — most of the bench is unchanged, and the cycle's effect on the overall composition is what shifts.

Current (2026)

Previous (2025)

Wards in this council

Sorted with the largest gap below the quota first. Click any ward to jump to its full result.

Hesters Way · 1 seat · won at 31.7% · −18.3 pts below quota
Swindon Village · 1 seat · won at 37.8% · −12.2 pts below quota
Charlton Park · 1 seat · won at 38.5% · −11.5 pts below quota
Charlton Kings · 1 seat · won at 39.4% · −10.6 pts below quota
Prestbury · 1 seat · won at 41.2% · −8.8 pts below quota
Lansdown · 1 seat · won at 41.6% · −8.4 pts below quota
Park · 1 seat · won at 41.9% · −8.1 pts below quota
Oakley · 1 seat · won at 43.1% · −6.9 pts below quota
St Mark's · 1 seat · won at 43.9% · −6.1 pts below quota
St Peter's · 1 seat · won at 44.4% · −5.6 pts below quota
All Saints · 1 seat · won at 45.0% · −5.0 pts below quota
Pittville · 1 seat · won at 45.0% · −5.0 pts below quota
Springbank · 1 seat · won at 45.1% · −4.9 pts below quota
Benhall, the Reddings and Fiddler's Green · 1 seat · won at 46.6% · −3.4 pts below quota
Battledown · 1 seat · won at 47.4% · −2.6 pts below quota
College · 1 seat · won at 50.0% · above quota
St Paul's · 1 seat · won at 50.5% · above quota
Up Hatherley · 1 seat · won at 51.2% · above quota
Warden Hill · 1 seat · won at 52.1% · above quota
Leckhampton · 1 seat · won at 53.9% · above quota

Race results

Hesters Way · single-seat

Marginal winner 31.7% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −18.3 pts Valid ballots 1,359

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Callum James Eldridge	Reform UK	431	31.7%	−18.3 pts	Elected
2	Benjamin Botchway	Liberal Democrats	415	30.5%	—
3	Wendy Flynn	Green Party	366	26.9%	—
4	Alex Miller	Conservative Party	99	7.3%	—
5	Clive Robert Harriss	Labour Party	40	2.9%	—
6	Samuel Jacob Coxson	Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition	8	0.6%	—

Electorate 5,032 · Ballots cast 1,361 · Invalid 2 · EC ward code local.cheltenham.hesters-way.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Swindon Village · single-seat

Marginal winner 37.8% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −12.2 pts Valid ballots 1,602

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Richard Lawler	Liberal Democrats	606	37.8%	−12.2 pts	Elected
2	Matthew David William Podmore	Reform UK	462	28.8%	—
3	Ian Cameron	Green Party	363	22.7%	—
4	Edward Wadih Hazzan	Conservative Party	126	7.9%	—
5	Chris Johnson	Labour Party	45	2.8%	—

Electorate 3,853 · Ballots cast 1,605 · Invalid 3 · EC ward code local.cheltenham.swindon-village.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Charlton Park · single-seat

Marginal winner 38.5% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −11.5 pts Valid ballots 2,356

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Steve Harvey	Liberal Democrats	906	38.5%	−11.5 pts	Elected
2	Elliot Craddock	Conservative Party	740	31.4%	—
3	Kes Steger	Green Party	370	15.7%	—
4	Kevin Charles Bowden	Reform UK	296	12.6%	—
5	John Malcolm Bride	Labour Party	44	1.9%	—

Electorate 4,305 · Ballots cast 2,360 · Invalid 4 · EC ward code local.cheltenham.charlton-park.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Charlton Kings · single-seat

Marginal winner 39.4% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −10.6 pts Valid ballots 2,339

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Arthur Gordon Snell	Liberal Democrats	922	39.4%	−10.6 pts	Elected
2	Jon Perera	Green Party	563	24.1%	—
3	Matt Babbage	Conservative Party	487	20.8%	—
4	Den Jeffreys-Jones	Reform UK	320	13.7%	—
5	Ella Harriet Rees	Labour Party	47	2.0%	—

Electorate 4,516 · Ballots cast 2,342 · Invalid 3 · EC ward code local.cheltenham.charlton-kings.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Prestbury · single-seat

Marginal winner 41.2% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −8.8 pts Valid ballots 2,408

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Jan Foster	Green Party	993	41.2%	−8.8 pts	Elected
2	Lance Alan Fletcher	Reform UK	621	25.8%	—
3	Chris Mason	Conservative Party	430	17.9%	—
4	Ben Ingram	Liberal Democrats	364	15.1%	—

Electorate 4,800 · Ballots cast 2,409 · Invalid 1 · EC ward code local.cheltenham.prestbury.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Lansdown · single-seat

Marginal winner 41.6% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −8.4 pts Valid ballots 2,102

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Jamie Jamieson	Liberal Democrats	874	41.6%	−8.4 pts	Elected
2	Pippa Mason	Conservative Party	574	27.3%	—
3	Ed Joy	Green Party	330	15.7%	—
4	Dean Raymond Luke Botterill	Reform UK	324	15.4%	—

Electorate 4,830 · Ballots cast 2,107 · Invalid 5 · EC ward code local.cheltenham.lansdown.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Park · single-seat

Marginal winner 41.9% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −8.1 pts Valid ballots 2,380

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Karen Louise Priest	Liberal Democrats	997	41.9%	−8.1 pts	Elected
2	Tim Harman	Conservative Party	750	31.5%	—
3	Andrew Patrick Dempsey	Reform UK	298	12.5%	—
4	Karen Wilson	Green Party	290	12.2%	—
5	Kevin Michael Boyle	Labour Party	45	1.9%	—

Electorate 4,511 · Ballots cast 2,385 · Invalid 5 · EC ward code local.cheltenham.park.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Oakley · single-seat

Marginal winner 43.1% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −6.9 pts Valid ballots 1,467

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Alisha Chloe-Marie Lewis	Liberal Democrats	632	43.1%	−6.9 pts	Elected
2	Maureen Susan Dodwell	Reform UK	487	33.2%	—
3	Nathan Weller	Green Party	204	13.9%	—
4	Roy Hewlett	Conservative Party	144	9.8%	—

Electorate 4,373 · Ballots cast 1,467 · EC ward code local.cheltenham.oakley.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

St Mark's · single-seat

Marginal winner 43.9% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −6.1 pts Valid ballots 1,714

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Richard James Pineger	Liberal Democrats	752	43.9%	−6.1 pts	Elected
2	Antony Neil Fillingham	Reform UK	438	25.6%	—
3	Kieran Scott	Green Party	297	17.3%	—
4	Colin John Parsons	Conservative Party	160	9.3%	—
5	Julie Frances Farmer	Labour Party	67	3.9%	—

Electorate 4,689 · Ballots cast 1,720 · Invalid 6 · EC ward code local.cheltenham.st-marks.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

St Peter's · single-seat

Marginal winner 44.4% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −5.6 pts Valid ballots 1,971

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Cathy Dearden	Liberal Democrats	876	44.4%	−5.6 pts	Elected
2	John Jarvis	Green Party	444	22.5%	—
3	Anthony William Green	Reform UK	386	19.6%	—
4	Risha Santilal	Conservative Party	187	9.5%	—
5	Michael Thomas Farmer	Labour Party	72	3.7%	—
6	Billy Jones	Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition	6	0.3%	—

Electorate 4,961 · Ballots cast 1,983 · Invalid 12 · EC ward code local.cheltenham.st-peters.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

All Saints · single-seat

Marginal winner 45.0% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −5.0 pts Valid ballots 2,061

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Izaac Augustus Tailford	Liberal Democrats	928	45.0%	−5.0 pts	Elected
2	James Dyson	Green Party	596	28.9%	—
3	Hod Birkby	Reform UK	275	13.3%	—
4	Gill Hewlett	Conservative Party	225	10.9%	—
5	Diana Helen Hale	Labour Party	37	1.8%	—

Electorate 4,521 · Ballots cast 2,066 · Invalid 5 · EC ward code local.cheltenham.all-saints.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Pittville · single-seat

Marginal winner 45.0% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −5.0 pts Valid ballots 2,303

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Cecily Frances Grace Henderson	Liberal Democrats	1,037	45.0%	−5.0 pts	Elected
2	Jamal Rahman	Green Party	470	20.4%	—
3	Ashley John Fraser Mills	Reform UK	389	16.9%	—
4	Alan James Davis	Conservative Party	362	15.7%	—
5	Martin William Glozier	Labour Party	45	2.0%	—

Electorate 4,809 · Ballots cast 2,313 · Invalid 10 · EC ward code local.cheltenham.pittville.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Springbank · single-seat

Marginal winner 45.1% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −4.9 pts Valid ballots 1,596

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Peter Jeremy Jeffries	Liberal Democrats	719	45.1%	−4.9 pts	Elected
2	Haydn Douglas Pearl	Reform UK	498	31.2%	—
3	Sarp Cetin	Green Party	195	12.2%	—
4	Helen Frances Shill	Conservative Party	162	10.2%	—
5	David Nigel Edgar	Christian Peoples Alliance	22	1.4%	—

Electorate 4,872 · Ballots cast 1,598 · Invalid 2 · EC ward code local.cheltenham.springbank.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Benhall, the Reddings and Fiddler's Green · single-seat

Marginal winner 46.6% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −3.4 pts Valid ballots 2,368

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Stephen Ian Steinhardt	Liberal Democrats	1,103	46.6%	−3.4 pts	Elected
2	Maggie Humphries	Reform UK	565	23.9%	—
3	Dan Collins	Conservative Party	436	18.4%	—
4	Emily Fairburn	Green Party	264	11.1%	—

Electorate 4,974 · Ballots cast 2,372 · Invalid 4 · EC ward code local.cheltenham.benhall-the-reddings-fiddlers-green.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Battledown · single-seat

Marginal winner 47.4% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota −2.6 pts Valid ballots 2,194

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Chris Day	Liberal Democrats	1,040	47.4%	−2.6 pts	Elected
2	Chris Clinton	Conservative Party	506	23.1%	—
3	Marcia Jacko	Reform UK	349	15.9%	—
4	Liam Pem	Green Party	276	12.6%	—
5	Lukshayini Manimaran	Labour Party	23	1.0%	—

Electorate 4,759 · Ballots cast 2,196 · Invalid 2 · EC ward code local.cheltenham.battledown.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

College · single-seat

Marginal winner 50.0% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota 0.0 pts Valid ballots 2,004

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Garth Wallington Barnes	Liberal Democrats	1,003	50.0%	0.0 pts	Elected
2	Naomi Seadon	Green Party	337	16.8%	—
3	Rich Newman	Conservative Party	334	16.7%	—
4	Maureen McNall	Reform UK	269	13.4%	—
5	Adam Moliver	Labour Party	51	2.5%	—
6	Stephen Paul Reid	Heritage Party	10	0.5%	—

Electorate 4,239 · Ballots cast 2,007 · Invalid 3 · EC ward code local.cheltenham.college.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

St Paul's · single-seat

Marginal winner 50.5% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota +0.5 pts Valid ballots 1,432

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Ashleigh Davies	Green Party	723	50.5%	+0.5 pts	Elected
2	Cathal Lynch	Liberal Democrats	374	26.1%	—
3	Steve Buckley	Reform UK	208	14.5%	—
4	Sandra Gloria Parsons	Conservative Party	87	6.1%	—
5	Christopher John Meehan	Labour Party	40	2.8%	—

Electorate 4,533 · Ballots cast 1,440 · Invalid 8 · EC ward code local.cheltenham.st-pauls.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Up Hatherley · single-seat

Marginal winner 51.2% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota +1.2 pts Valid ballots 2,298

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Julie Margaret Sankey	Liberal Democrats	1,177	51.2%	+1.2 pts	Elected
2	Tristram John Francis Torrance	Reform UK	456	19.8%	—
3	Joshua James Godfrey	Conservative Party	431	18.8%	—
4	Elizabeth Johnson	Green Party	234	10.2%	—

Electorate 4,940 · Ballots cast 2,302 · Invalid 4 · EC ward code local.cheltenham.up-hatherley.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Warden Hill · single-seat

Marginal winner 52.1% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota +2.1 pts Valid ballots 2,099

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Tony Oliver	Liberal Democrats	1,094	52.1%	+2.1 pts	Elected
2	David Paul Dodwell	Reform UK	441	21.0%	—
3	Georgie Bass	Conservative Party	360	17.2%	—
4	Sarah Quekett	Green Party	177	8.4%	—
5	Ned Holt	Labour Party	27	1.3%	—

Electorate 4,319 · Ballots cast 2,105 · Invalid 6 · EC ward code local.cheltenham.warden-hill.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index

Leckhampton · single-seat

Marginal winner 53.9% Proportional quota 50.0% Below quota +3.9 pts Valid ballots 2,365

Rank	Candidate	Party	Votes	Share	Below quota	Elected
1	Julia Caroline Chandler	Liberal Democrats	1,274	53.9%	+3.9 pts	Elected
2	Nick Saywell	Conservative Party	491	20.8%	—
3	Stephen Hayward Bajdala-Brown	Reform UK	307	13.0%	—
4	Peter Frings	Green Party	260	11.0%	—
5	Philip Cole	Labour Party	33	1.4%	—

Electorate 4,292 · Ballots cast 2,374 · Invalid 9 · EC ward code local.cheltenham.leckhampton.2026-05-07 · Back to ward index