Mersey Reporter - #Merseybites #News

IN a historic shift for St Helens Borough Council, Reform UK has seized overall control following the local elections held on:- 7 May 2026. As the votes were counted on:- Friday, 8 May 2026, it became clear that the political landscape of the borough had been fundamentally altered, with Reform securing:- 34 of the 46 seats contested. The election saw:- 51,751 votes cast, representing a turnout of:- 38.5%.

The final results left the traditional major parties with significantly reduced representation, as Labour secured only 2 seats and the Conservatives just 1. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats, the Newton-le-Willows Independents, and the Rainhill Independents each maintained a presence on the Council with 3 seats apiece.

Reform’s path to a majority was built on a series of clean sweeps across multiple wards. In Moss Bank, candidates:- Edgerton, Kent, and Styles took all 3 seats, while in Bold and Lea Green, Egbike, Hawley, and Hitchen mirrored that success. Similar dominant performances were seen in:- Parr, Billinge and Seneley Green, and West Park, where Reform candidates consistently outperformed their Labour and Green rivals. In Thatto Heath, Beck, Benyon, and Long secured their seats despite a spirited challenge from:- Labour’s Charlton and Hattersley.

The results in Sutton North West and Sutton South East further cemented Reform's night, with A Johnson, M Johnson, Moss, and Pinnington all elected. The party also made significant gains in Windle and Blackbrook, taking all available seats in both wards. Even in traditionally contested areas like Rainford, Reform’s Corden topped the poll, though the ward provided a solitary bright spot for the Conservatives as Mussell secured the party’s only seat on the council.

Independent groups maintained their strongholds in specific pockets of the borough. The Rainhill Independents—Dunn, Greaves, and Tasker—retained full control of their ward with a commanding lead, while the Newton-le-Willows Independents secured a triple victory in Newton-le-Willows West through Collier, Maguire, and Smith.

Labour’s presence was largely relegated to Newton-le-Willows East, where Laird and Mills managed to hold their seats alongside Reform’s Woodward. The Liberal Democrats also showed localized strength in Eccleston, where:- Cass, Haw, and Pearl successfully defended all three seats against Reform and Green challengers.

As the verification and counting concluded, the final tally confirmed a new era for St Helens, with Reform’s 34 seats granting them a comfortable mandate to lead the Council for the coming term.

Liverpool (Gladstone)

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