Cherwell Council - Wards and Councillors

District council · South East · 48 seats in 16 wards · A third of seats elected in three years out of four · Next election 6 May 2027

Cherwell Council is run by a Liberal Democrats / Green / Independent coalition. The council has 48 councillors in 16 wards. Seats by party: Lib Dem 18, Labour 8, Conservative 8, Reform 6, Other 4, Green 4. The next election is on 6 May 2027.

A government plan to replace the councils in this area with three unitary councils covering Oxfordshire and West Berkshire was paused for review on 7 September 2026. Elections due in May 2027 will go ahead on existing council boundaries. Source

Control

Seats by party

Liberal Democrats / Green / Independent Coalition

48 seats - 25 for a majority

Reform 6Labour 8Conservative 8Lib Dem 18Green 4Other 4

Vote share at the 7 May 2026 election (18 seats, all wards)

ShareSeats won

Lib Dem25.7%8

Reform25.7%6

Conservative21.2%2

Green14.3%1

Labour8.8%1

Other4.3%0

2026 election results for Cherwell, ward by ward

Next election

6 May 2027

16 of 48 seats up, elected by thirds

Largest party

Lib Dem 18

7 short of the 25 needed for a majority

Closest result

Cropredy, Sibfords & Wroxton

Lib Dem won by 29 votes over Conservative, 7 May 2026

Latest by-election

Kidlington West

Lib Dem hold, 16 July 2026 (4 since 2021)

Constituencies

2 overlap

2024Now

Voted Leave in 2016

50%

GB 52%

Wards

Who holds each ward

LabourConservativeLib DemReformGreenIndependent

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 16 wards

Councillors and last results

Select a ward for its full results, candidates and last by-election.

Ward and councillors	Last election
Adderbury, Bloxham & Bodicote Rob Pattenden, David Hingley, Gordon Blakeway	7 May 2026 Lib Dem 32.7% lead 5.2 pts
Banbury Calthorpe & Easington Kieron Mallon, John Brown, Ian Harwood	7 May 2026 Conservative 30.2% lead 1.4 pts
Banbury Cross & Neithrop Fiaz Ahmed, Yvonne Greene, Becky Clarke	7 May 2026 Reform 26.6% lead 2.5 pts
Banbury Grimsbury & Hightown Dom Vaitkus, Henry Elugwu, Rebecca Biegel	7 May 2026 Labour 27.6% lead 3.6 pts
Banbury Hardwick Paul Jeffreys, Kerrie Thornhill, Besmira Brasha	7 May 2026 Reform 34.8% lead 9.1 pts
Banbury Ruscote Mark Cherry, Mark Gorman, Isabel Creed	7 May 2026 Reform 35.4% lead 9.9 pts
Bicester East Robert Parkinson, Bryonie Wells, Tom Beckett	7 May 2026 Lib Dem 35.2% lead 7.7 pts
Bicester North & Caversfield John Willett, Simon Lytton, Julius Parker	7 May 2026 Lib Dem 36.0% lead 10.9 pts
Bicester South & Ambrosden Frank Ideh, Chris Pruden, Nick Cotter	7 May 2026 Lib Dem 41.2% lead 19.6 pts
Bicester West Michael Wilson, Les Sibley, G.A. Popescu	7 May 2026 Reform 21.4% lead 3.6 pts
Cropredy, Sibfords & Wroxton Douglas Webb, Nicola Borkmann, Chris Aramini-Brant	7 May 2026 Lib Dem 30.8% lead 0.8 pts
Deddington David Rogers, Zoe McLernon, Edward Reeves	7 May 2026 Conservative 32.5% lead 3.1 pts
Fringford & Heyfords Grace Conway-Murray, Nigel Simpson, Jean Conway	7 May 2026 Lib Dem 39.5% lead 14.3 pts
Kidlington East Fiona Mawson, Ian Middleton, Linda Ward	7 May 2026 Green 35.2% lead 10.3 pts
Kidlington West Lisa Smith, Rob Packard, Lesley McLean	7 May 2026 Lib Dem 45.1% lead 21.9 pts
Launton & Otmoor Timothy Faltermeyer, Alisa Russell, Julian Nedelcu	7 May 2026 Lib Dem 38.6% lead 11.5 pts

Adderbury, Bloxham & Bodicote

David Hingley Lib DemGordon Blakeway Lib DemRob Pattenden Lib Dem

Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026

Lib Dem32.7%

Conservative27.5%

Reform24.8%

Green8.5%

Labour6.5%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
David Richard Hingley Elected	Lib Dem	1,275	32.7%
James Edsberg	Conservative	1,071	27.5%
David Andrew Collingwood-Turner	Reform	966	24.8%
Linda Newbery	Green	333	8.5%
Helen Margaret Oldfield	Labour	253	6.5%

Banbury Calthorpe & Easington

Ian Harwood ConservativeJohn Brown ReformKieron Mallon Conservative

Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026 (2 seats)

Conservative30.2%

Reform28.8%

Green18.7%

Labour14.0%

Lib Dem5.7%

Independent2.5%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Ian Harwood Elected	Conservative	1,294
John Jefferson Brown Elected	Reform	1,232
Mark Naden	Reform	1,105
Luke Whitehouse	Conservative	1,042
Sam Burnett	Green	802
Alex Leonova	Green	760
Andrew Edwin Eaton	Labour	600
Helen Mears	Labour	546
David Christopher Pallot	Lib Dem	243
Jacqui Smith	Lib Dem	241
Phil Richards	Independent	108

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Banbury Cross & Neithrop

Becky Clarke LabourFiaz Ahmed ConservativeYvonne Greene Reform

Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026

Reform26.6%

Labour24.1%

Green19.1%

Conservative17.9%

Lib Dem7.4%

Independent5.0%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Yvonne Greene Elected	Reform	713	26.6%
Jose Omombo Omekandji	Labour	644	24.1%
Jake Howard	Green	510	19.1%
Chuk Okeke	Conservative	479	17.9%
Rebecca Bell	Lib Dem	197	7.4%
Simon Zachary Garrett	Independent	133	5.0%

Last by-election, 1 May 2025

Conservative33.3%

Labour31.5%

Independent18.8%

Lib Dem16.4%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Fiaz Ahmed Elected	Conservative	729	33.3%
Andrew Edwin Eaton	Labour	690	31.5%
Simon Zachary Garrett	Independent	412	18.8%
Rebecca Bell	Lib Dem	358	16.4%

Banbury Grimsbury & Hightown

Dom Vaitkus LabourHenry Elugwu LabourRebecca Biegel Labour

Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026

Labour27.6%

Reform24.0%

Conservative18.4%

Green17.1%

Lib Dem7.1%

Independent5.9%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Rebecca Biegel Elected	Labour	685	27.6%
Chris Wiseman	Reform	596	24.0%
Koppany Nagy	Conservative	456	18.4%
Jack Vere	Green	425	17.1%
Sean Murray	Lib Dem	176	7.1%
Cassi Bellingham	Independent	146	5.9%

Last by-election, 1 May 2025

Labour32.8%

Conservative30.8%

Independent14.8%

Lib Dem11.1%

Green10.6%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Henry Elugwu Elected	Labour	639	32.8%
Paul Austin Sargent	Conservative	600	30.8%
Cassi Bellingham	Independent	289	14.8%
Sophie Parker-Manuel	Lib Dem	216	11.1%
Karl Michael Kazimierz Kwiatkowski	Green	207	10.6%

Banbury Hardwick

Besmira Brasha LabourKerrie Thornhill LabourPaul Jeffreys Reform

Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026

Reform34.8%

Labour25.7%

Green16.6%

Conservative13.6%

Lib Dem9.4%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Paul Jeffreys Elected	Reform	950	34.8%
Andrew Crichton	Labour	701	25.7%
Simi Cumberbatch	Green	453	16.6%
Taraji Ogunnubi	Conservative	371	13.6%
Michael Offei	Lib Dem	257	9.4%

Banbury Ruscote

Isabel Creed LabourMark Cherry LabourMark Gorman Reform

Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026

Reform35.4%

Labour25.5%

Green14.8%

Conservative14.2%

Independent5.6%

Lib Dem4.5%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Mark Gorman Elected	Reform	750	35.4%
Chloe Dawn Smith	Labour	540	25.5%
Karl Michael Kazimierz Kwiatkowski	Green	313	14.8%
Nikki Payne	Conservative	300	14.2%
Julie Battison	Independent	119	5.6%
Kai Benjamin Smith	Lib Dem	96	4.5%

Bicester East

Bryonie Wells Lib DemRobert Parkinson Lib DemTom Beckett Green

Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026

Lib Dem35.2%

Reform27.5%

Conservative13.8%

Independent13.3%

Green10.1%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Bryonie Wells Elected	Lib Dem	919	35.2%
Andrew O'Gorman	Reform	719	27.5%
Alex Thrupp	Conservative	361	13.8%
Donna Ford	Independent	348	13.3%
Amanda Maguire	Green	263	10.1%

Bicester North & Caversfield

John Willett Lib DemJulius Parker Lib DemSimon Lytton Lib Dem

Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026

Lib Dem36.0%

Conservative25.1%

Reform24.5%

Green11.1%

Labour3.3%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Julius Parker Elected	Lib Dem	1,006	36.0%
Nicholas Edward Mawer	Conservative	701	25.1%
Alan Thomas	Reform	686	24.5%
Robin Kenneth Winslow Morris	Green	310	11.1%
Babatunde Aribisala	Labour	92	3.3%

Bicester South & Ambrosden

Chris Pruden Lib DemFrank Ideh Lib DemNick Cotter Independent

Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026

Lib Dem41.2%

Reform21.6%

Conservative16.4%

Green15.7%

Labour5.0%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Chris Pruden Elected	Lib Dem	1,680	41.2%
Tom Burgess	Reform	882	21.6%
Shams Ud-din	Conservative	670	16.4%
Damien Maguire	Green	641	15.7%
Sarah Farrow	Labour	203	5.0%

Bicester West

G.A. Popescu ReformLes Sibley IndependentMichael Wilson Reform

Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026 (2 seats)

Reform21.4%

Independent17.8%

Green17.1%

Independent16.8%

Lib Dem16.6%

Conservative7.8%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Michael Wilson Elected	Reform	753
George Popescu Elected	Reform	741
Dan Hallett	Independent	625
Claire Brenner	Green	600
Jasmine Webb-Majnlund	Independent	590
Naomi Rose Crookston	Lib Dem	583
Matt Webb	Lib Dem	535
Tim Lobanov	Green	328
Marco Caso	Conservative	275
Andrew McHugh	Conservative	258
Paul Graham	Animal Welfare Party	89

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Cropredy, Sibfords & Wroxton

Chris Aramini-Brant Lib DemDouglas Webb ConservativeNicola Borkmann Lib Dem

Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026

Lib Dem30.8%

Conservative30.0%

Reform25.4%

Green6.9%

Labour5.9%

Social Democratic Party0.9%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Nicola Rose Borkmann Elected	Lib Dem	1,151	30.8%
Mitch Lee	Conservative	1,122	30.0%
Matthew Joseph Arthur Taylor	Reform	948	25.4%
Rachel M A Payne	Green	258	6.9%
Anne Cullen	Labour	221	5.9%
Michael William Patrick Clyne	Social Democratic Party	35	0.9%

Deddington

David Rogers ConservativeEdward Reeves ConservativeZoe McLernon Conservative

Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026

Conservative32.5%

Lib Dem29.4%

Reform22.2%

Green8.4%

Labour7.5%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Eddie Fraser Reeves Elected	Conservative	1,294	32.5%
James Henry Dean Hartley	Lib Dem	1,173	29.4%
Gail Ann Collingwood-Turner	Reform	885	22.2%
Aaron Bliss	Green	333	8.4%
Annette Murphy	Labour	300	7.5%

Last by-election, 1 May 2025

Conservative46.9%

Lib Dem27.6%

Labour14.4%

Green11.1%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Zoe McLernon Elected	Conservative	1,560	46.9%
Nick Mylne	Lib Dem	916	27.6%
Helen Margaret Oldfield	Labour	478	14.4%
Aaron Bliss	Green	370	11.1%

Fringford & Heyfords

Grace Conway-Murray IndependentJean Conway IndependentNigel Simpson Conservative

Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026

Lib Dem39.5%

Reform25.2%

Conservative25.0%

Green10.4%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Jean Conway Elected	Lib Dem	1,372	39.5%
John Honey	Reform	876	25.2%
Sandy Lewis Dallimore	Conservative	868	25.0%
Chris Nelson	Green	360	10.4%

Kidlington East

Fiona Mawson GreenIan Middleton GreenLinda Ward Green

Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026

Green35.2%

Reform24.9%

Lib Dem16.5%

Conservative15.9%

Labour5.6%

Independent1.9%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Fiona Valerie Mawson Elected	Green	1,053	35.2%
Adie Spittle	Reform	745	24.9%
Gabriel Schenk	Lib Dem	495	16.5%
John Colegrave	Conservative	476	15.9%
Gregory Michael Fish	Labour	167	5.6%
Julian Martin Tytherleigh	Independent	56	1.9%

Kidlington West

Lesley McLean Lib DemLisa Smith Lib DemRob Packard Lib Dem

Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026

Lib Dem45.1%

Reform23.2%

Conservative17.3%

Green14.4%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Lisa Smith Elected	Lib Dem	1,427	45.1%
Dave Paintin	Reform	734	23.2%
Martin Frederick Bach Phillips	Conservative	548	17.3%
Amanda Jane Carpenter	Green	457	14.4%

Last by-election, 16 July 2026

Lib Dem58.8%

Reform18.9%

Conservative13.3%

Green9.0%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Rob Packard Elected	Lib Dem	1,028	58.8%
Dave Paintin	Reform	331	18.9%
Chuk Okeke	Conservative	232	13.3%
Jenny Tamblyn	Green	158	9.0%

Launton & Otmoor

Alisa Russell Lib DemJulian Nedelcu Lib DemTimothy Faltermeyer Lib Dem

Last scheduled election, 7 May 2026

Lib Dem38.6%

Reform27.1%

Conservative21.5%

Green8.7%

Labour4.2%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Timothy Simon Faltermeyer Elected	Lib Dem	1,244	38.6%
Ian Richard Hodgson	Reform	874	27.1%
Andrew Payne	Conservative	692	21.5%
John Robert O'Regan	Green	279	8.7%
Naomi Celia Karslake	Labour	136	4.2%

Councillors

Changed party since the election

1 councillor now sit for a different party from the one they were elected for.

Ward	Councillor	Elected as	Now
Fringford & Heyfords	Jean Conway	Lib Dem 2026	Independent

Next election

Seats up on 6 May 2027

16 of 48 seats are up. Seats held now, by party:

Lib Dem 4 Labour 4 Conservative 3 Reform 2 Green 2 Independent 1

Ward	Councillor whose term ends
Adderbury, Bloxham & Bodicote	Rob Pattenden Lib Dem
Banbury Calthorpe & Easington	John Brown Reform
Banbury Cross & Neithrop	Becky Clarke Labour
Banbury Grimsbury & Hightown	Henry Elugwu Labour
Banbury Hardwick	Besmira Brasha Labour
Banbury Ruscote	Isabel Creed Labour
Bicester East	Tom Beckett Green
Bicester North & Caversfield	Simon Lytton Lib Dem
Bicester South & Ambrosden	Nick Cotter Independent
Bicester West	G.A. Popescu Reform
Cropredy, Sibfords & Wroxton	Douglas Webb Conservative
Deddington	Zoe McLernon Conservative
Fringford & Heyfords	Nigel Simpson Conservative
Kidlington East	Ian Middleton Green
Kidlington West	Lesley McLean Lib Dem
Launton & Otmoor	Julian Nedelcu Lib Dem

Term end dates from Open Council Data.

By-elections

Every council by-election since 2021

4 by-elections since July 2021, 1 of them gains.

Date	Ward	Result	Winner's share
16 July 2026	Kidlington West	Lib Dem hold	58.8%
1 May 2025	Banbury Cross and Neithrop	Conservative gain from Labour	33.3%
1 May 2025	Banbury Grimsbury and Hightown	Labour hold	32.8%
1 May 2025	Deddington	Conservative hold	46.9%

Parliament

Parliamentary constituencies

Constituency	Share of council	2024 winner	Projected now
Banbury	51%	Labour	Labour 33%
Bicester and Woodstock	49%	Lib Dem	Conservative 31%

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 Cherwell

161,016 residents in 65,915 households

Voted Leave in 2016

50% 2 below GB

Degree or higher

35% 1 above GB

No qualifications

16% 2 below GB

Own their home

65% 4 above GB

Rent from a council or housing association

13% 4 below GB

Rent privately

20% same as GB

Aged 15 to 34

30% 1 below GB

Aged 65 and over

21% 1 below 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

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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.