Birmingham City Council Election Results Live:Â Vote counting is continuing in the 2026 Birmingham City Council elections, with results expected to be declared throughout Friday, May 8. The election is being closely watched as one of the most important local political contests in England, with all 101 council seats across Birmingham up for election.
Voters across England, Scotland, and Wales went to the polls on May 7 in the biggest set of local elections since the 2024 UK General Election. While Scotland and Wales are electing representatives to their national parliaments, around 5,000 council seats and six mayoral contests are being decided across England. Some English councils started overnight counting after polls closed, while many others, including Birmingham, began counting on Friday morning.
Birmingham City Council is the largest local authority in Europe, serving more than 1.1 million residents across the West Midlands region. Birmingham City Council is the largest local authority in Europe, serving more than 1.1 million residents across the West Midlands region. The metropolitan borough council manages key public services including waste collection and recycling, council tax administration, housing support, and other local community services.
Birmingham City Council Election Results Live:Â Labour Defends Control of Birmingham City Council
The Labour Party entered the 2026 election as the ruling party in Birmingham City Council after securing a strong majority in the previous 2022 election.
In 2022, Labour won 65 seats and maintained control of the council. The Conservative Party remained the main opposition with 22 seats, while the Liberal Democrats won 12 seats and the Green Party secured two seats.
This year’s election is being seen as a major political test for Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Labour’s strength in one of the party’s most important urban strongholds.
Full List of Birmingham Wards in Local Election 2026
The 2026 Birmingham City Council election is being held across 37 single-member wards and 32 two-member wards.
The wards include:
Acocks Green
Allens Cross
Alum Rock
Aston
Balsall Heath West
Bartley Green
Billesley
Birchfield
Bordesley & Highgate
Bordesley Green
Bournbrook & Selly Park
Bournville & Cotteridge
Brandwood & King’s Heath
Bromford & Hodge Hill
Castle Vale
Druids Heath & Monyhull
Edgbaston
Erdington
Frankley Great Park
Garretts Green
Glebe Farm & Tile Cross
Gravelly Hill
Hall Green North
Hall Green South
Handsworth
Handsworth Wood
Harborne
Heartlands
Highter’s Heath
Holyhead
King’s Norton North
King’s Norton South
Kingstanding
Ladywood
Longbridge & West Heath
Lozells
Moseley
Nechells
Newtown
North Edgbaston
Northfield
Oscott
Perry Barr
Perry Common
Pype Hayes
Quinton
Rubery & Rednal
Shard End
Sheldon
Small Heath
Soho & Jewellery Quarter
South Yardley
Sparkbrook & Balsall Heath East
Sparkhill
Stirchley
Stockland Green
Sutton Four Oaks
Sutton Mere Green
Sutton Reddicap
Sutton Roughley
Sutton Trinity
Sutton Vesey
Sutton Walmley & Minworth
Sutton Wylde Green
Tyseley & Hay Mills
Ward End
Weoley & Selly Oak
Yardley East
Yardley West & Stechford
Who Are the Main Candidates in Birmingham City Council Election 2026?
Several prominent political figures and party leaders are playing important roles in the Birmingham election campaign.
John Cotton is leading Labour’s campaign as the current Birmingham City Council leader. Robert Alden is heading the Conservative challenge in the city, while Roger Harmer is leading the Liberal Democrat campaign.
Julian Pritchard is fronting the Green Party’s efforts to expand its presence in Birmingham. Reform UK is also attracting attention during the elections, with Nigel Farage remaining the party’s central national figure despite not contesting a Birmingham council seat directly.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing close political scrutiny over Labour’s local election performance across England, including Birmingham. Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey has also campaigned in support of party candidates in several wards.
Independent-backed figure Akhmed Yakoob has emerged as another high-profile name during the Birmingham election campaign.
Birmingham Local Government Background
Birmingham is part of the West Midlands metropolitan county, which was created under the Local Government Act 1972 as part of a two-tier metropolitan governance structure introduced in 1974.
The Local Government Act 1985 later abolished metropolitan county councils, transferring most county-level powers directly to metropolitan borough councils like Birmingham City Council.
In 2016, the West Midlands Combined Authority was established to oversee regional strategic powers, and from 2017 the region began electing the Mayor of the West Midlands.
Birmingham Election Seen as Key National Political Indicator
Political analysts believe the Birmingham election results could provide a major indication of changing voter sentiment ahead of future UK-wide elections. The performance of Labour, Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Greens, and Reform UK in Birmingham is expected to influence wider political discussions across England as counting continues through the day.
