Reform UK gains control of Essex County Council

Elections / Sat 9th May 2026 at 08:30am

REFORM UK has gained political control of Essex County Council with a total of 53 seats after residents across the county voted on 7 May 2026.

Now all the votes have been counted, the political makeup of the council is as follows:

Reform UK – 53

Conservative Party – 13

Liberal Democrats – 5

Independent – 2

Green Party – 1

Labour Party – 1

Residents for Uttlesford – 1

The People’s Independent Party – 1

Voter turnout across the county was 43.6%, the highest it has been for decades.

Visit the Essex County Council website to see the full results for all divisions.

A record 428 candidates ran for election to Essex County Council in 2026. It marks an almost 25% increase from the 350 who stood in the previous elections in 2021.

The next annual meeting of the council will be held on 28 May 2026 where a Leader of the Council will be elected in accordance with the council’s constitution.

Click below for more details.

https://cmis.essex.gov.uk/essexcmis5/Elections/tabid/63/ctl/ViewWards/mid/386/ID/31/Default.aspx

8 Comments for Reform UK gains control of Essex County Council:

Shelly

2026-05-09 08:42:28

Ok Reform, you did it. You broke the status quo and changed British politics. Now prove you aren't the same as the rest of them. And don't blame everyone else when you get it wrong. Also stop being racist.

Eileen Dover

2026-05-09 10:09:20

When you know that Suffolk voted for Reform too, you know you’re in trouble!

Mr George

2026-05-09 10:22:38

Especially the last bit Shelly! Totally agree.

Nicholas Taylor

2026-05-09 11:26:48

Reform made a big deal that they did not support the reorganisation of Local Government in Essex. Cllr Bentley, the Leader of the Conservative group at County Hall and the Conservative group Leader was not relected on Thursday. Both events should pave the way to stopping the proposed changes and the creation of an elected Mayor, which in reality is just adding another tier within Local Government, despite what anyone says to the contary.

David Forman

2026-05-09 15:09:59

£5 million undeclared donation by Nigel Farage. £16 million in donations from two foreign based cryptocurrency bosses. Private jets provided by said cryptocurrency boss. Both Nigel Farage and Richard Tice are landlords and involved in property companies which led them to opportunistically oppose the Renters' Rights Act. They oppose trade union rights and oppose a state funded NHS. Only the most naive would conclude they are ever so different from the Conservatives, especially when so many washed up Tories are their leading spokespersons.

Sasha

2026-05-10 23:26:49

I'm glad Reform has had such a dominant victory, and I hope Nigel Farage goes on to become PM. I feel like, for a long time, Reform has received a free pass and has not been held accountable, whether because people see them as some type of underdog or for some other reason; who knows. At least now, the reality of their rule will finally become evident, with no one else to blame. I expect from them negative net migration, infinite jobs, to be happier and to know the meaning of life, and for them to sell the NHS to the highest bidder, who will no doubt be a very loving and charitable American company that wants nothing but the best for the British people.

Marie

2026-05-11 13:55:21

Fabulous news. Well done Reform ✔️✔️✔️✔️

Stephen Archer

2026-05-11 17:44:33

🙄 OK I'll be frank. I don't like Nigel Farage. (And actually I'm far from alone in that). In my opinion he is an anti Semite, a racist and a fascist, and nothing he has said or done disabuses me of that opinion. Of course he doesn't strut around in Nazi uniform and is clever enough to know how and where to draw the line, but until he starts to come across differently I believe that summation to be a true bill.