The Liberal Democrats have successfully retained control of Cheltenham Borough Council, winning 17 of the 20 seats contested in the May 7 local elections. This strong performance underscores their continued influence in the borough, where they held 36 of the 40 seats prior to the vote.
Cheltenham Borough Council typically holds elections for half its seats every cycle, and this year, the Lib Dems defended 18 seats, winning all but one. The Green Party, defending three seats, successfully retained two in St Paul’s and Prestbury wards. Meanwhile, Reform UK gained a foothold on the council by capturing a seat from the Liberal Democrats.
Council leader Rowena Hay (Oakley), who was not up for re-election this year, expressed pride in her party’s campaign, which focused on honesty and local issues rather than reliance on national politics. She emphasized the importance of transparent and respectful political discourse in Cheltenham, urging all parties to avoid divisive tactics.
READ MORE: Legendary Cheltenham Town Manager Steve Cotterill to Receive Freedom of the Borough
READ MORE: Little Soap Company Honoured with King’s Prestigious Sustainable Development Award
“This election result is an endorsement of our policies,” Hay commented. “We ran our campaign with honesty and based on the needs of our communities.”
Max Wilkinson, Cheltenham’s Liberal Democrat MP and former cabinet member of the council, echoed these sentiments, highlighting that voters had “rejected the politics of division.” He pointed to the positive mandate to proceed with the Golden Valley development—a key project aimed at establishing Cheltenham as a leading cyber technology hub adjacent to GCHQ, projected to create 12,000 new jobs. Wilkinson criticized opposition to the project as shortsighted and praised voters for supporting economic growth.
While welcoming the overall outcome, Wilkinson expressed regret over Reform UK’s entry onto the council, attributing it to vote splitting but reaffirmed confidence that the town has chosen a positive future.
Green Party group leader Ashleigh Davies, re-elected for St Paul’s ward, welcomed the party’s retention of seats and emphasized preparing for next year’s elections to the new shadow unitary authority. Meanwhile, Reform UK’s new councillor Callum Eldridge, elected in Hester’s Way, pledged to represent all constituents and marked the election as a fresh start for his party in Cheltenham.
The Conservative Party, despite reports of improved voter engagement during canvassing, failed to secure any council seats and remains unrepresented. Similarly, Labour did not gain any seats, reflecting continuing challenges for both parties in the borough.
The new council composition stands at 35 Liberal Democrats, 3 Greens, 1 Reform UK, and 1 representative from People Against Bureaucracy. Voter turnout increased to 44.41%, a notable rise from 35% in the previous year.