Local Elections 2026: Night of high emotions as Peterborough elects 18 councillors

Following a marathon count at the Kingsgate Conference Centre near Peterborough city centre, it was the Conservatives who left with perhaps the largest smiles, claiming a total of six seats: North, Paston & Walton, Dogsthorpe, Hargate & Hempsted, Ravensthorpe and Park.

Javed Akhtar, who won North ward for the Tories described the evening as “a wonderful night for the Conservatives.”

“It proves that the Conservatives are back” he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), adding “Conservatives can tackle Reform and are the party to lead the public and people of this country to a better future.”

Reform UK, whom many voters and candidates acknowledged as an unknown quantity in this contest, picked up four seats: Bretton, Stanground South, Orton Longeville and Eye, Thorney & Newborough

Peter Reeve said he was “elated” to have turned Stanground South turquoise, and that he was proud of the campaign his party had put together, saying “on the doorsteps people were just saying they absolutely believe in what Reform is doing.”

He added: “Looking after all those small things that make a huge difference in our local community - that’s what I’m all about.”

The Lib Dems took three of the 18 seats contested on the night. Party leader Councillor Christian Hogg was philosophical about retaining his Fletton & Stanground seat:

“On the one hand it’s really good to make gains [and]on the other hand you’ve got sad losses as well,” he said.

“It’s always about the numbers at the end of the day.”

Labour, who were looking to retain at least three of the six seats they had coming into the elections, ended the evening with two seats - in East and Central.

Cllr Samantha Hemraj said she felt “ecstatic”about defending her East ward.

“People are seeing how hard we’re working for their community,” she said, “and put their faith in me, to vote for me, to get re-elected as the sitting councillor for the next couple of years.”

The Green Party also took two seats on the night, notching up successes first in Orton Waterville and then in Fletton & Woodston, where Ed Murphy took top spot.

“I’m glad we’ve made some gains for the Green Party,” he said. “We nearly doubled our vote.”

Mr Murphy believed the ward’s previous councillor, the recently deceased Alan Dowson, would have been “really chuffed” with the result as he too was a fan of “progressive politics.”

Peterborough First won one seat, courtesy of Sarah Hillier retaining her seat in Werrington.

The night’s results mean that the Conservatives are now the largest party on the council, increasing their numbers from 10 to 13. Labour’s loss of 13 councillors to 11 puts them in second place.

Reform UK now have four more councillors to add to the one they already had, bringing their total presence to five.

The Greens grew by a single councillor, while the Lib Dems stay as they were.

Peterborough First and the independent cohort both saw a reduction in two seats each.