Council profile
Bury
Metropolitan borough · North West · 51 seats in 17 wards · A third of seats elected in three years out of four · Next election 6 May 2027
Labour have a majority on Bury Council. The council has 51 councillors in 17 wards. Seats by party: Labour 31, Other 11, Reform 6, Conservative 3. The next election is on 6 May 2027.
Control
Seats by party
Vote share at the 7 May 2026 election (16 seats in 16 wards)
ShareSeats won
Reform30.4%5
Labour26.8%7
Other15.6%4
Conservative13.6%0
Green13.4%0
Lib Dem0.2%0
Next election
6 May 2027
17 of 51 seats up, elected by thirds
Largest party
Labour 31
majority of 11; 26 needed
Voted Leave in 2016
54%
GB 52%
Wards
Who holds each ward
LabourReformIndependentOther
Under 5 pts5 to 1010 to 20Over 20No contest data
Winning margin at the last election, in points.
Coloured by the party holding most of the ward's seats today; where seats are split evenly, by the party with the higher share at the last election.
All 17 wards
Councillors and last results
Select a ward for its full results, candidates and last by-election.
| Ward and councillors | Last election |
|---|---|
| Besses Lucy Smith, Noel Bayley, Miriam Rahimov | 7 May 2026 Labour 34.9% lead 3.1 pts |
| Bury East Ummrana Farooq, Ayesha Arif, Gavin McGill | 7 May 2026 Labour 33.8% lead 4.3 pts |
| Bury West Dene Vernon, Shahbaz Arif, David Hill | 7 May 2026 Reform 34.7% lead 3.4 pts |
| Elton Martin Hayes, Charlotte Morris, Jack Rydeheard | 7 May 2026 Reform 40.7% lead 12.9 pts |
| Holyrood Imran Rizvi, Lynn Ryder, Adnan Chaudhry | 7 May 2026 Labour 36.8% lead 9.8 pts |
| Moorside Sandra Walmsley, Ciaron Boles, Babar Ibrahim | 18 June 2026 Labour 39.4% lead 8.3 pts |
| North Manor Khalid Hussain, Julie Southworth, John Southworth | 7 May 2026 Labour 35.3% lead 5.7 pts |
| Pilkington Park Michael Rubinstein, Shadman Zaman, Elizabeth FitzGerald | 7 May 2026 Reform 34.3% lead 9.1 pts |
| Radcliffe East Ken Simpson, Mary Walsh, Carol Birchmore | 7 May 2026 Radcliffe First 45.8% lead 17.5 pts |
| Radcliffe North & Ainsworth Andrea Booth, Jo Lancaster, Paul Davies | 7 May 2026 Reform 35.8% lead 0.3 pts |
| Radcliffe West Judi Sheppard, Des Duncalfe, Mike Smith | 7 May 2026 Radcliffe First 37.2% lead 6.0 pts |
| Ramsbottom Charlotte Hunt, Tom Pilkington, Gareth Staples-Jones | 7 May 2026 Labour 36.3% lead 7.0 pts |
| Redvales Shaheena Haroon, Shabaz Shamim, Tamoor Tariq | 7 May 2026 Workers Party of Britain 29.5% lead 6.9 pts |
| Sedgley Debbie Quinn, Richard Gold, Alan Quinn | 7 May 2026 Labour 33.1% lead 8.6 pts |
| St. Mary's Debra Green, Sean Thorpe, Eamonn O'Brien | 7 May 2026 Labour 45.6% lead 21.5 pts |
| Tottington George Martin, Iain Gartside, Yvonne Wright | 7 May 2026 Independent 40.8% lead 12.1 pts |
| Unsworth Jerome Roith, Jodie Hook, Tahir Rafiq | 7 May 2026 Reform 34.1% lead 8.2 pts |
Besses
Lucy Smith LabourMiriam Rahimov LabourNoel Bayley Labour
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noel Bayley Elected | Labour | 1,130 | 34.9% |
| Elizabeth Melanie Clark | Reform | 1,028 | 31.8% |
| Tom Gray | Green | 567 | 17.5% |
| Pat Grant | Conservative | 246 | 7.6% |
| Martyn John West | Bury Independents | 213 | 6.6% |
| Stephen Morris | English Democrats | 50 | 1.5% |
Bury East
Ayesha Arif LabourGavin McGill LabourUmmrana Farooq Labour
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ayesha Arif Elected | Labour | 1,051 | 33.8% |
| Nick Haslam | Reform | 916 | 29.5% |
| Maisie Cunningham | Green | 509 | 16.4% |
| Bilal Zahoor | Workers Party of Britain | 439 | 14.1% |
| Hasan Rahman | Conservative | 193 | 6.2% |
Bury West
David Hill ReformDene Vernon Together for BuryShahbaz Arif Conservative
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| David Hill Elected | Reform | 1,449 | 34.7% |
| Jackie Harris | Conservative | 1,306 | 31.3% |
| Helen Jane Varnom | Labour | 685 | 16.4% |
| Elle Riley | Green | 530 | 12.7% |
| Carol Anne Bernstein | Together for Bury | 204 | 4.9% |
Elton
Charlotte Morris LabourJack Rydeheard ReformMartin Hayes Labour
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Bernard Rydeheard Elected | Reform | 1,619 | 40.7% |
| James Ferguson | Labour | 1,103 | 27.8% |
| Gary Joseph Kirkley | Green | 485 | 12.2% |
| Mazhar Aslam | Conservative | 469 | 11.8% |
| Michael Hankey | Bury Independents | 298 | 7.5% |
Holyrood
Adnan Chaudhry LabourImran Rizvi LabourLynn Ryder Labour
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adnan Chaudhry Elected | Labour | 1,485 | 36.8% |
| David Silbiger | Reform | 1,090 | 27.0% |
| Peter Curati | Green | 1,011 | 25.1% |
| Ray Grant | Conservative | 353 | 8.8% |
| Valerie Morris | English Democrats | 95 | 2.4% |
Moorside
Babar Ibrahim LabourCiaron Boles LabourSandra Walmsley Labour
Last scheduled election, 18 June 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sandra Walmsley Elected | Labour | 1,308 | 39.4% |
| Alan Derby | Reform | 1,030 | 31.1% |
| Aamer Yasin | Workers Party of Britain | 609 | 18.4% |
| Conor William Craig Priestley | Green | 200 | 6.0% |
| Jihyun Park | Conservative | 108 | 3.3% |
| Jill Budgen | Bury Independents | 61 | 1.8% |
North Manor
John Southworth LabourJulie Southworth LabourKhalid Hussain Conservative
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Julie Anne Southworth Elected | Labour | 1,563 | 35.3% |
| Mike Hankins | Reform | 1,308 | 29.6% |
| Roger Charles Arthur Brown | Conservative | 1,182 | 26.7% |
| Charlie Allen | Green | 370 | 8.4% |
Pilkington Park
Elizabeth FitzGerald LabourMichael Rubinstein LabourShadman Zaman Reform
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shadman Zaman Elected | Reform | 1,345 | 34.3% |
| John Joseph Mallon | Labour | 987 | 25.2% |
| Peter John Freeman | Conservative | 703 | 18.0% |
| John Fitzpatrick | Green | 525 | 13.4% |
| Russell Stewart Bernstein | Together for Bury | 342 | 8.7% |
| Dan Ross | Communist Party of Britain | 14 | 0.4% |
Radcliffe East
Carol Birchmore Radcliffe FirstKen Simpson Radcliffe FirstMary Walsh Radcliffe First
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carol Ann Birchmore Elected | Radcliffe First | 1,293 | 45.8% |
| Oscar David Kelly | Reform | 799 | 28.3% |
| Sally McGill | Labour | 325 | 11.5% |
| Mark Alexander Carrigan | Green | 309 | 11.0% |
| Azhar Ismaeel Mehboob | Conservative | 95 | 3.4% |
Radcliffe North & Ainsworth
Andrea Booth Radcliffe FirstJo Lancaster Together for BuryPaul Davies Reform
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Davies Elected | Reform | 1,371 | 35.8% |
| Donald Berry | Radcliffe First | 1,360 | 35.5% |
| Andrew McAnulty | Labour | 424 | 11.1% |
| Phil Smith | Conservative | 363 | 9.5% |
| Lilly Beards | Green | 307 | 8.0% |
| Eddy Redmund | Communist Party of Britain | 8 | 0.2% |
Radcliffe West
Des Duncalfe Radcliffe FirstJudi Sheppard Radcliffe FirstMike Smith Radcliffe First
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Judi Sheppard Elected | Radcliffe First | 1,058 | 37.2% |
| Glyn Stuart Marsden | Reform | 888 | 31.2% |
| Josh Harcup | Labour | 436 | 15.3% |
| Reece Bowey | Green | 305 | 10.7% |
| Keith Worthington | Conservative | 156 | 5.5% |
Ramsbottom
Charlotte Hunt LabourGareth Staples-Jones LabourTom Pilkington Labour
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte Louise Hunt Elected | Labour | 1,634 | 36.3% |
| Zach Jacob Campbell-Robinson | Reform | 1,318 | 29.3% |
| Ann Schofield | Conservative | 600 | 13.3% |
| Alex Mays | Green | 507 | 11.3% |
| Jonathan Moss | Independent | 323 | 7.2% |
| Martyn Bristow | Lib Dem | 119 | 2.6% |
Redvales
Shabaz Shamim Workers Party of BritainShaheena Haroon LabourTamoor Tariq Labour
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shabaz Imtiaz Shamim Elected | Workers Party of Britain | 1,029 | 29.5% |
| Nikki Frith | Labour | 788 | 22.6% |
| Tony Davies | Reform | 771 | 22.1% |
| Usma Khan | Green | 445 | 12.8% |
| Alice Sugden | Bury Independents | 232 | 6.6% |
| Geoff Baron | Conservative | 224 | 6.4% |
Sedgley
Alan Quinn LabourDebbie Quinn LabourRichard Gold Labour
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Gold Elected | Labour | 1,139 | 33.1% |
| Avi Schwartz | Conservative | 844 | 24.5% |
| Dacey Rose Prentice | Reform | 796 | 23.1% |
| Rachel Carys Webster | Green | 666 | 19.3% |
St. Mary's
Debra Green LabourEamonn O'Brien LabourSean Thorpe Labour
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eamonn O'Brien Elected | Labour | 1,884 | 45.6% |
| Luke James Broadfoot | Reform | 998 | 24.1% |
| Max Wyatt Sampson | Green | 838 | 20.3% |
| Ann Buckley | Conservative | 415 | 10.0% |
Tottington
George Martin ReformIain Gartside ConservativeYvonne Wright Independent
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yvonne Susan Wright Elected | Independent | 1,566 | 40.8% |
| Liz Cronshaw | Reform | 1,099 | 28.7% |
| Andrew Paul Luxton | Conservative | 528 | 13.8% |
| Drew Keanu Bell | Labour | 360 | 9.4% |
| Chloe King | Green | 232 | 6.1% |
| Greg Keeley | Together for Bury | 49 | 1.3% |
Last by-election, 2 April 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| George Martin Elected | Reform | 929 | 39.5% |
| Emma Elizabeth Lee | Conservative | 627 | 26.7% |
| Drew Keanu Bell | Labour | 346 | 14.7% |
| Chloe King | Green | 257 | 10.9% |
| Greg Keeley | Together for Bury | 193 | 8.2% |
Unsworth
Jerome Roith ReformJodie Hook LabourTahir Rafiq Labour
Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jerome Samuel Magnus Roith Elected | Reform | 1,340 | 34.1% |
| Katherine Thorpe | Labour | 1,018 | 25.9% |
| Steve Middleton | Bury Independents | 702 | 17.9% |
| Samantha Davies | Conservative | 418 | 10.6% |
| Max Blackwell Pickup | Green | 398 | 10.1% |
| Mehwish Nasir | Workers Party of Britain | 43 | 1.1% |
| Chris Malkin | Communist Party of Britain | 11 | 0.3% |
Next election
Seats up on 6 May 2027
17 of 51 seats are up. Seats held now, by party:
Labour 11 Conservative 3 Other 3
| Ward | Councillor whose term ends |
|---|---|
| Besses | Lucy Smith Labour |
| Bury East | Ummrana Farooq Labour |
| Bury West | Shahbaz Arif Conservative |
| Elton | Charlotte Morris Labour |
| Holyrood | Lynn Ryder Labour |
| Moorside | Babar Ibrahim Labour |
| North Manor | Khalid Hussain Conservative |
| Pilkington Park | Michael Rubinstein Labour |
| Radcliffe East | Mary Walsh Radcliffe First |
| Radcliffe North & Ainsworth | Jo Lancaster Together for Bury |
| Radcliffe West | Mike Smith Radcliffe First |
| Ramsbottom | Gareth Staples-Jones Labour |
| Redvales | Shaheena Haroon Labour |
| Sedgley | Debbie Quinn Labour |
| St. Mary's | Sean Thorpe Labour |
| Tottington | Iain Gartside Conservative |
| Unsworth | Tahir Rafiq Labour |
Term end dates from Open Council Data.
By-elections
Every council by-election since 2021
1 by-election since July 2021, 1 of them gains.
| Date | Ward | Result | Winner's share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 April 2026 | Tottington | Reform gain from Conservative | 39.5% |
Parliament
Parliamentary constituencies
| Constituency | Share of council | 2024 winner | Projected now |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bury North | 52% | Labour | Labour 35% |
| Bury South | 48% | Labour | Labour 37% |
Share of the council: the proportion of its census neighbourhoods (2021 LSOAs) in each seat. The projection is PollCheck's demographic model at current polling, not a forecast.
People
Who lives in Bury
193,844 residents in 80,721 households
Voted Leave in 2016
54% 2 above GB
Degree or higher
32% 2 below GB
No qualifications
18% same as GB
Own their home
67% 6 above GB
Rent from a council or housing association
15% 2 below GB
Rent privately
18% 2 below GB
Aged 15 to 34
29% 2 below GB
Aged 65 and over
22% same as GB
GB figure. 2021 Census (Scotland: 2022): age as a share of residents aged 15 and over, qualifications of residents aged 16 and over, housing as a share of households. Leave: 2016 EU referendum, Electoral Commission results by counting area.
Similar
Councils most like this one
CalderdaleReform UK (Majority)West NorthamptonshireReform UK (Majority)MaidstoneGreen / Liberal Democrats / Independent CoalitionAshfordIndependent / Green CoalitionKirkleesReform UK (Minority)
Closest on the measures above: the 2016 Leave vote, age, qualifications and housing. Maps show which party holds each ward.
Sources
Sources and method
Seat totals and control: PollCheck council control tracker. Councillors: Open Council Data (CC BY-SA 4.0). Election results: Democracy Club (CC BY 4.0), with some vote counts from DCLEAPIL, Leman (2025) (CC BY-SA 4.0), and corrections checked against councils' official declarations. Ward boundaries: Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Census: Office for National Statistics and National Records of Scotland.
Councillor lists and DCLEAPIL-derived vote counts on this page are available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
In wards electing more than one councillor, a party's share counts only its leading candidate (the Rallings and Thrasher method). Independents count individually. The lead is the gap between the top two parties' shares.