New Forest Council - Wards and Councillors

District council · South East · 48 seats in 26 wards · All seats elected every four years · Next election 6 May 2027

The Conservatives have a majority on New Forest Council. The council has 48 councillors in 26 wards. Seats by party: Conservative 25, Lib Dem 14, Other 4, Reform 2, Green 2, Labour 1. The next election is on 6 May 2027.

The government withdrew its plan to reorganise councils in Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton on 7 September 2026. Elections due in May 2027 will go ahead on existing council boundaries. Source

Control

Seats by party

Conservative (Majority)

48 seats - 25 for a majority

Reform 2Labour 1Conservative 25Lib Dem 14Green 2Other 4

Seat changes since the 4 May 2023 election Reform +2 Conservative −1 Green −1

Vote share at the 4 May 2023 election (48 seats, all wards)

ShareSeats won

Conservative37.9%26

Lib Dem26.5%14

Labour13.6%1

Other12.5%4

Green9.6%3

Next election

6 May 2027

all 48 seats up, then every four years

Largest party

Conservative 25

majority of 2; 25 needed

Closest result

Ringwood North & Ellingham

Labour won the last seat by 8 votes over another Labour candidate, 4 May 2023

Latest by-election

Bransgore, Burley, Sopley & Ringwood East

Conservative hold, 18 June 2026 (3 since 2021)

Constituencies

2 overlap

2024Now

Voted Leave in 2016

58%

GB 52%

Wards

Who holds each ward

LabourConservativeLib DemGreenIndependent

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 26 wards

Councillors and last results

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

Ward and councillors	Last election
Ashley, Bashley & Fernhill Jill Cleary, Geoffrey Blunden	4 May 2023 Conservative 49.1% lead 27.2 pts
Ashurst, Bramshaw, Copythorne & Netley Marsh Joe Reilly, Derek Tipp	4 May 2023 Conservative 35.6% lead 2.1 pts
Ballard Neil Tungate	4 May 2023 Conservative 40.7% lead 21.1 pts
Barton & Becton John Adams, Alan O'Sullivan	4 May 2023 Conservative 53.4% lead 30.6 pts
Bransgore, Burley, Sopley & Ringwood East Nigel Linford, Jan Sutherland	4 May 2023 Independent 34.1% lead 3.4 pts
Brockenhurst & Denny Lodge Adam Parker	4 May 2023 Green 50.9% lead 10.8 pts
Dibden & Dibden Purlieu Stephanie Osborne, Malcolm Wade	4 May 2023 Lib Dem 60.3% lead 30.6 pts
Downlands & Forest North Janet Richards	4 May 2023 Green 49.0% lead 5.8 pts
Fawley, Blackfield, Calshot & Langley Matthew Hartmann, Alan Alvey	4 May 2023 Conservative 51.2% lead 17.0 pts
Fordingbridge, Godshill & Hyde David Millar, Phil Woods	4 May 2023 Lib Dem 52.9% lead 18.6 pts
Forest & Solent Dan Poole	4 May 2023 Conservative 50.4% lead 15.9 pts
Hardley, Holbury & North Blackfield Allan Glass, Peter Armstrong	4 May 2023 Conservative 29.2% lead 4.4 pts
Hythe Central Philip Dowd, Alex Wade	4 May 2023 Lib Dem 55.6% lead 18.6 pts
Hythe South Mark Clark, Sean Cullen	4 May 2023 Lib Dem 57.2% lead 28.9 pts
Lymington Jacqui England, Barry Dunning	4 May 2023 Conservative 34.7% lead 3.0 pts
Lyndhurst & Minstead Hilary Brand	4 May 2023 Lib Dem 48.8% lead 8.6 pts
Marchwood & Eling Patrick Mballa, Richard Young	4 May 2023 Conservative 49.1% lead 8.5 pts
Milford & Hordle Alvin Reid, Christine Ward, David Hawkins	4 May 2023 Conservative 30.4% lead 9.0 pts
Milton Steve Clarke, Steve Davies	4 May 2023 Conservative 47.9% lead 13.0 pts
Pennington Colm McCarthy, Jack Davies	4 May 2023 Lib Dem 52.9% lead 20.7 pts
Ringwood North & Ellingham Michael Thierry, John Haywood	4 May 2023 Conservative 38.6% lead 1.7 pts
Ringwood South Jeremy Heron, Steve Rippon-Swaine	4 May 2023 Conservative 22.9% lead 2.0 pts
Sway Barry Rickman	4 May 2023 Conservative 55.3% lead 18.7 pts
Totton Central John Sleep, Ian Murray	4 May 2023 Conservative 32.9% lead 4.0 pts
Totton North Dave Penny, Kate Crisell, Neville Penman	4 May 2023 Conservative 44.9% lead 23.4 pts
Totton South David Harrison, Caroline Rackham	4 May 2023 Lib Dem 53.1% lead 17.4 pts

Ashley, Bashley & Fernhill

Geoffrey Blunden ConservativeJill Cleary Conservative

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Conservative49.1%

Lib Dem21.9%

Labour15.4%

Green13.6%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Geoff Blunden Elected	Conservative	981
Jill Cleary Elected	Conservative	972
Michael Scott-Johns	Lib Dem	438
Simon Anthony Crawford Morgan	Lib Dem	337
Chloe Deborah Bellamy	Labour	308
Paul Pitt Moxey	Green	271
Kate Roberts	Labour	244
John Leyland Pemberton	Green	149

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Ashurst, Bramshaw, Copythorne & Netley Marsh

Derek Tipp ConservativeJoe Reilly Conservative

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Conservative35.6%

Independent33.5%

Lib Dem18.7%

Labour12.1%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Derek Brian Tipp Elected	Conservative	1,027
Joe Reilly Elected	Independent	966
James Binns	Conservative	740
Benjamin Rex Thompson	Lib Dem	540
Muriel Jean Frend	Labour	350
Tim Mawby	Labour	272

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Ballard

Neil Tungate Conservative

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023

Conservative40.7%

Labour19.6%

Lib Dem16.0%

Britain First12.6%

Green11.0%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Neil Tungate Elected	Conservative	348	40.7%
Helen Wallis-Dowling	Labour	167	19.6%
Charles Fielding Baker	Lib Dem	137	16.0%
Nick Lambert	Britain First	108	12.6%
Emily Hamilton	Green	94	11.0%

Barton & Becton

Alan O'Sullivan ConservativeJohn Adams Conservative

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Conservative53.4%

Lib Dem22.8%

Green14.4%

Labour9.3%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Keith Edward Craze Elected	Conservative	1,147
Alan Dennis O'Sullivan Elected	Conservative	1,087
Rainer Preis	Lib Dem	489
Susan Lewis	Lib Dem	421
Kristina Margareta Bourdillon	Green	310
Day Macaskill	Green	216
Pete Terry	Labour	200

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Last by-election, 24 October 2024

Conservative57.1%

Lib Dem42.9%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
John Huw Adams Elected	Conservative	671	57.1%
Wynford Bevan Davies	Lib Dem	505	42.9%

Bransgore, Burley, Sopley & Ringwood East

Jan Sutherland ConservativeNigel Linford Independent

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Independent34.1%

Green30.7%

Conservative27.5%

Labour7.6%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Nigel Victor Linford Elected	Independent	805
Neil Millington Elected	Green	725
John Huw Adams	Conservative	649
Anna Collar	Green	581
Dean Edward John Samber	Conservative	514
Pippa Haywood	Labour	179
Kevin Roger Flack	Labour	130

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Last by-election, 18 June 2026

Conservative39.3%

Green25.9%

Reform25.5%

Lib Dem7.1%

Labour2.1%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Jan Sutherland Elected	Conservative	696	39.3%
Barbara Czoch	Green	459	25.9%
Jannette Westgate	Reform	452	25.5%
Hannah Phillips	Lib Dem	126	7.1%
Bronwen Hailey Bridges	Labour	38	2.1%

Brockenhurst & Denny Lodge

Adam Parker Green

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023

Green50.9%

Conservative40.1%

Labour9.0%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Adam William Parker Elected	Green	671	50.9%
Michael Ross Harris	Conservative	528	40.1%
Jon Horne	Labour	118	9.0%

Dibden & Dibden Purlieu

Malcolm Wade Lib DemStephanie Osborne Lib Dem

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Lib Dem60.3%

Conservative29.7%

Labour10.0%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Malcolm Spencer Wade Elected	Lib Dem	1,025
Steph Osborne Elected	Lib Dem	874
Emily Jane Heron	Conservative	506
David Patrick Twydell	Conservative	455
Leigh Joanne Smith	Labour	170
Brian Wilkinson	Labour	137

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Downlands & Forest North

Janet Richards Green

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023

Green49.0%

Conservative43.2%

Labour7.8%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Janet Richards Elected	Green	562	49.0%
Annie Bellows	Conservative	496	43.2%
Martin Phillips	Labour	90	7.8%

Fawley, Blackfield, Calshot & Langley

Alan Alvey ConservativeMatthew Hartmann Conservative

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Conservative51.2%

Lib Dem34.2%

Labour14.7%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Alan Rutherford Alvey Elected	Conservative	747
Matthew James Hartmann Elected	Conservative	693
Angela Louise Pearson	Lib Dem	499
Jeni Marie Rose	Lib Dem	451
Patricia Gillam	Labour	214
Michael Derek Garside	Labour	206

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Fordingbridge, Godshill & Hyde

David Millar Lib DemPhil Woods Lib Dem

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Lib Dem52.9%

Conservative34.3%

Labour12.8%

Candidate	Party	Votes
David Jonathan Millar Elected	Lib Dem	1,118
Phil Woods Elected	Lib Dem	1,085
Ann Sevier	Conservative	725
Robert Thomas Heron	Conservative	673
Leila Cameron	Labour	270
Jasmine Philippa Bessey	Labour	215

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Forest & Solent

Dan Poole Conservative

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023

Conservative50.4%

Green34.5%

Labour15.1%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Dan Poole Elected	Conservative	554	50.4%
James Gallagher	Green	380	34.5%
Vincent Robert Slattery	Labour	166	15.1%

Hardley, Holbury & North Blackfield

Allan Glass ConservativePeter Armstrong Independent

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Conservative29.2%

Independent24.8%

Independent16.0%

Labour15.0%

Lib Dem14.9%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Allan Glass Elected	Conservative	463
Peter Armstrong Elected	Independent	393
Josie Poole	Conservative	375
Paul Douglas Saunders	Independent	253
Sherri Johnstone	Labour	238
Sally-Jane Read	Lib Dem	236
Ceri John Roberts	Labour	221
David John Cole	Lib Dem	177

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Hythe Central

Alex Wade Lib DemPhilip Dowd Lib Dem

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Lib Dem55.6%

Conservative37.0%

Labour7.3%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Alex Wade Elected	Lib Dem	1,112
Philip Dowd Elected	Lib Dem	970
Chris Harrison	Conservative	741
Terri Marwood	Conservative	685
Ivan Caric	Labour	147
Scott Liam Conner Saffin	Labour	128

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Hythe South

Mark Clark Lib DemSean Cullen Lib Dem

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Lib Dem57.2%

Conservative28.3%

Labour14.5%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Mark Clark Elected	Lib Dem	736
Sean Daniel Cullen Elected	Lib Dem	704
Eric George Davey	Conservative	364
Brenda Christine Spearing	Conservative	346
Clare Frances Davison	Labour	186
Katherine Herbert	Labour	171

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Lymington

Barry Dunning ReformJacqui England Independent

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Conservative34.7%

Independent31.7%

Lib Dem21.1%

Labour12.5%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Barry Frank Dunning Elected	Conservative	962
Jacqui England Elected	Independent	880
Simon James Eric Smith	Conservative	723
Hannah Phillips	Lib Dem	586
Ted Jearrad	Lib Dem	528
Trina Hart	Labour	348
Jerry Weber	Labour	250

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Lyndhurst & Minstead

Hilary Brand Lib Dem

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023

Lib Dem48.8%

Conservative40.2%

Labour11.0%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Hilary Brand Elected	Lib Dem	577	48.8%
Brice Stratford	Conservative	475	40.2%
Chris Willsher	Labour	130	11.0%

Marchwood & Eling

Patrick Mballa Lib DemRichard Young Reform

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Conservative49.1%

Lib Dem40.6%

Labour10.3%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Richard Mark Young Elected	Conservative	938
Patrick Armand Mballa Elected	Lib Dem	776
Sue Bennison	Conservative	694
Lindsey Sheuna Shelley	Lib Dem	685
Kenneth John Kershaw	Labour	197
Dave Moran	Labour	194

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Milford & Hordle

Alvin Reid ConservativeChristine Ward ConservativeDavid Hawkins Conservative

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (3 seats)

Conservative30.4%

Independent21.4%

Lib Dem20.0%

Green17.7%

Labour10.5%

Candidate	Party	Votes
David Edmund Hawkins Elected	Conservative	1,418
Christine Vivenne Ward Elected	Conservative	1,339
Alvin Reid Elected	Conservative	1,317
Ivor Terence Spreadbury	Independent	1,000
Emily Jagger	Lib Dem	936
Dominic Boddington	Green	827
Sandra Delemare	Lib Dem	705
Helen Elizabeth Sloan	Labour	488
Stuart James Nundy	Labour	335

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Milton

Steve Clarke ConservativeSteve Davies Conservative

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Conservative47.9%

Lib Dem34.9%

Labour17.2%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Steve Davies Elected	Conservative	822
Steve Clarke Elected	Conservative	810
Wynford Bevan Davies	Lib Dem	598
Jo Drayton	Lib Dem	497
Martin Christopher Ashman	Labour	295

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Pennington

Colm McCarthy Lib DemJack Davies Lib Dem

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Lib Dem52.9%

Conservative32.2%

Labour14.9%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Jack Davies Elected	Lib Dem	1,007
Colm McCarthy Elected	Lib Dem	785
Tom Brindley	Conservative	612
Ian Mark Loveless	Conservative	541
Bronwen Hailey Bridges	Labour	283
Joanna Caroline Sawkins	Labour	261

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Ringwood North & Ellingham

John Haywood LabourMichael Thierry Independent

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Conservative38.6%

Labour36.9%

Green12.4%

Lib Dem12.1%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Michael Hamilton Thierry Elected	Conservative	788
John Haywood Elected	Labour	754
Peter Kelleher	Labour	746
Derek Richard Scott	Conservative	726
Jeremy David Fenner	Green	253
Luke Andrew Thomas Dadford	Lib Dem	248
Liz Barron	Lib Dem	224

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Ringwood South

Jeremy Heron ConservativeSteve Rippon-Swaine Conservative

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Conservative22.9%

Labour20.9%

Independent20.6%

Independent19.9%

Green8.0%

Lib Dem7.7%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Jeremy David Heron Elected	Conservative	534
Steve Rippon-Swaine Elected	Conservative	517
James Nigel Swyer	Labour	487
Glenys Turner	Labour	482
Philip James Day	Independent	481
Gareth Andrew Deboos	Independent	464
Timothy Albert James Rowe	Green	187
Jeremy Richard Allen	Lib Dem	180
Cameron McDonald	Lib Dem	144

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Sway

Barry Rickman Conservative

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023

Conservative55.3%

Green36.6%

Labour8.1%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Barry Rickman Elected	Conservative	737	55.3%
Simon King	Green	487	36.6%
Peter F Dance	Labour	108	8.1%

Totton Central

Ian Murray ConservativeJohn Sleep Conservative

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Conservative32.9%

Lib Dem28.9%

Labour16.8%

Independent12.3%

Independent9.1%

Candidate	Party	Votes
John Hugh Sleep Elected	Conservative	647
Ian Alec Murray Elected	Conservative	596
Stephen Anthony Shepherd	Lib Dem	568
Matt Kangarani	Lib Dem	555
Adrian Johnstone	Labour	330
David Edward Smith	Labour	287
Ian Charles Coombes	Independent	243
Frances Orchard	Independent	180

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Totton North

Dave Penny ConservativeKate Crisell ConservativeNeville Penman Conservative

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (3 seats)

Conservative44.9%

Lib Dem21.5%

Labour14.5%

Independent9.8%

Independent9.3%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Neville Stuart Penman Elected	Conservative	1,054
David Maurice Penny Elected	Conservative	814
Kathleen Veronica Crisell Elected	Conservative	774
Lin Francis	Lib Dem	505
Alex Brunsdon	Lib Dem	501
Steve Alan Hardingson	Lib Dem	457
Lynne Elizabeth Garrick	Labour	340
Roland Timothy Charles Bishop	Labour	333
Kenneth James Garrick	Labour	322
Ron Scrivens	Independent	229
Chris Lagdon	Independent	217

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Totton South

Caroline Rackham Lib DemDavid Harrison Lib Dem

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Lib Dem53.1%

Conservative35.7%

Labour11.2%

Candidate	Party	Votes
David Harrison Elected	Lib Dem	904
Caroline Louise Rackham Elected	Lib Dem	695
Lisa Tracy Carter	Conservative	607
Len Harris	Conservative	506
Alan George William Goodfellow	Labour	191
Kit Rogers	Labour	157

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Councillors

Changed party since the election

4 councillors now sit for a different party from the one they were elected for.

Ward	Councillor	Elected as	Now
Ashurst, Bramshaw, Copythorne & Netley Marsh	Joe Reilly	Independent 2023	Conservative
Lymington	Barry Dunning	Conservative 2023	Reform
Marchwood & Eling	Richard Young	Conservative 2023	Reform
Ringwood North & Ellingham	Michael Thierry	Conservative 2023	Independent

By-elections

Every council by-election since 2021

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

Date	Ward	Result	Winner's share
18 June 2026	Bransgore, Burley, Sopley & Ringwood East	Conservative hold	39.3%
13 February 2025	Bransgore Burley Sopley & Ringwood East	Conservative gain from Green
24 October 2024	Barton & Becton	Conservative hold	57.1%

Parliament

Parliamentary constituencies

Constituency	Share of council	2024 winner	Projected now
New Forest East	53%	Conservative	Conservative 41%
New Forest West	47%	Conservative	Conservative 38%

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 New Forest

175,793 residents in 77,597 households

Voted Leave in 2016

58% 6 above GB

Degree or higher

31% 3 below GB

No qualifications

16% 2 below GB

Own their home

74% 13 above GB

Rent from a council or housing association

11% 6 below GB

Rent privately

14% 6 below GB

Aged 15 to 34

21% 10 below GB

Aged 65 and over

34% 12 above 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

DorsetLiberal Democrats (Majority)East DevonLiberal Democrats / Green / Independent Coalition WealdenLiberal Democrats / Green Coalition West DevonIndependent / Green / Liberal Democrats / Labour Coalition TeignbridgeLiberal Democrats (Majority)

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.