LIVE BLOG: Local Election Results for West Sussex, East Sussex and Hampshire

All the key results you need to know in West Sussex, East Sussex and in Hampshire.

This page is being updated all the time, please refresh...

Summary of local elections in the South 

The local elections have delivered a major political shake-up across the South.

In West Sussex, the Conservatives have lost overall control for the first time since 1997, with no majority party, and the Liberal Democrats and Reform UK with 23 seats each.

Local elections in West Sussex - Credit: West Sussex County Council:

East Sussex County Council has moved to no overall control, with Reform UK becoming the largest party on 22 seats.

Hampshire County Council is also under no overall control, with the Conservatives narrowly ahead of the Liberal Democrats, and Reform UK on 20 seats.

Worthing has moved to no overall control after Labour lost its majority, while Adur remains Labour-controlled.

Portsmouth has moved to Liberal Democrat control, while Southampton, Gosport and Havant are all under no overall control.

On the Isle of Wight, there is no overall majority after a major surge for Reform UK, which now has 19 councillors. Independents and others have 11, the Liberal Democrats 4, the Conservatives 2, the Greens 2, and Labour 1.

Key local results for the South:

• West Sussex County Council - Conservatives lose overall control with no majority party - prev 2021 Conservative -Results: Lib Dems 23 - Reform UK 23 -  Conservative 11 - Green 7 - Labour 5 - Others 1. 
• East Sussex County Council - No overall party control - prev 2021 Conservative -  Results: Reform UK 22 - Lib Dems 13 - Green 11 - Conservative 3 - Independent 1 - Labour 0.
• Worthing Council - Labour loss with no party in control - Labour 15 - Green 8 - Conservative 6 - Reform UK 5 -Independents and others 2 - Liberal Democrat 1.
• Adur Council - Labour hold - Labour 17 - Reform UK 6, gaining 6 - Independents and Others 4 - Green 2 - Conservative 0, a loss of 7.
• Isle of Wight - No overall majority - Reform UK 19 - Independents and Others 11 - Lib Dem 4 - Conservative 2 - Green 2 Labour 1.
• Gosport Borough Council - No party majority - Labour 11 - Conservative 6 - Liberal Democrat 5 - Reform UK 3 - Green 0 - Independents and others 0 - Residents' Association  0 - Aspire 0
• Hampshire County Council - No party in control - Conservative 27 - Lib Dem - 26 - Reform UK 20 - Independents and others 2 - Green 1 - Labour 1 - Residents Association 1
• Havant Borough Council - No Party majority - Reform UK 10 gaining 7 - Labour 7 - Green 6 - Conservative 5 - Lib Dem 5 - Independents and others 3.
• Southampton City Council - No party majority - Labour loss, losing 10 seats in total - Labour leader of council has lost his seat.  Labour 24 - Reform UK 8 - Liberal Democrat 7 - Green 6 - Conservative 6
• Fareham Borough Council - Remains under Conservative control, with the party holding 22 seats.  Conservative 22 - Liberal Democrat 7 - Reform UK 1 - Independents and others 1 - Labour 1
• Portsmouth City Council - Libdem control - Liberal Democrats increase to 22 seats, giving them an overall majority on the 42-seat council. Liberal Democrats 22 - Reform UK 12 - Labour 4 - Conservative 3 - Independents and others 1

LIVE BOARD 22:16 - ALL RESULTS ARE IN.

West Sussex County Council has 70 seats - No party majority - prev 2021 Conservative.

Breakdown: Results: Lib Dems 23 - Reform UK 23 -  Conservative 11 - Green 7 - Labour 5 - Others 1.

East Sussex County Council has 50 seats - Result: No overall party control - prev 2021 Conservative.

Breakdown: Reform UK 22 - Lib Dems 13 - Green 11 - Conservative 3 - Independent 1.

LIVE BLOG 08/05/2026

22:23 Our live blog is finishing for the night, thank you very much for those who joined me from the very start.  It's been an historic day with once Conservative strongholds being taken over, big gains for Lib Dems and Reform UK and major losses for Labour and the Conservatives, a reflection also seen up and down England.  Until the next election, this is Philip Keeler signing off, and I will see you for news bulletins on V2 Radio on Monday afternoon.

22:19 Full results are in for West Sussex County Council.

22:00 Live blog continues as we await the full result from the West Sussex County Council.

20:51 Delay at West Sussex County Council due to several recounts at Crawley count

20:26 We are still awaiting final results for West Sussex County Council.

19:55 East Sussex County Council has no majority party in charge.

19:29 West Sussex County Council is now effectively heading for no overall control. Even if the Liberal Democrats won every remaining seat, they would only reach 32 — short of the 36 needed for a majority. The key story is the Conservative collapse in what has traditionally been a strong county for them, with the Lib Dems currently ahead and Reform UK also making a significant breakthrough.

19:19 Winchester - Lib Dems hold.

19:05  West Sussex County Council - Conservatives lose to no overall control. Full results to follow.

18:28 Still awaiting full count details for West Sussex County Council and East Sussex County Council.

18:14 Press statement from Worthing Borough Council "No single party has enough seats to have majority control of Worthing Borough Council after this year’s local elections.

"Of the 13 seats being contested, 6 Green candidates were elected along with 5 Reform UK candidates, 1 Labour and 1 Liberal Democrat.

"The results mean that the council is now made up of 15 Labour members, 8 Greens, 6 Conservatives, 5 Reform UK members, 2 Worthing Community Independents and 1 Liberal Democrat.

"To have majority control of the council, one party must have at least 19 elected members. Representatives of the parties on the council will instead discuss between them whether two or more groups could work together in a coalition or an informal arrangement to run Worthing.

"The council will provide updates on this process over the coming days. The full council will meet on Tuesday 19th May to elect a new leader of Worthing and a new mayor of the borough."

18:10 Press statement from Adur District Council: "Labour has retained control of Adur District Council after this year’s local elections.

"Of the 14 seats being contested, 6 candidates were elected for Reform UK, 5 candidates for Labour, 1 Green candidate, 1 Independent Group member and 1 Shoreham Beach Residents’ Association member.

"The results mean that the council is now made up of 17 Labour members, 6 Reform members, 2 Shoreham Beach Residents’ Association members, 2 Greens and 2 Independent Group members."

17:53 Labour has lost Worthing with no party majority.  But they’ve held on to Adur.

17:10 The Isle of Wight has seen a major political shift, with Reform UK rising from one councillor to 19, the Conservatives falling to two seats, and the Alliance group of independents down to 11, leaving the council with no overall majority.

17:00 Leader of Conservative Group at East Sussex County Council has lost his seat to Reform UK.

16:17 The Conservative leader of West Sussex County Council, Paul Marshall, has held his seat in Storrington.

16:12 Isle of Wight has no party majority 

15:05 See our live board updated every few mins for West Sussex and East Sussex.

14:56 East Sussex County Council has 50 seats, results still coming in - currently: Reform UK 8 - Lib Dems 3 - Green 4 (see live board above)

14:54 West Sussex County Council has 70 seats, results still coming in - currently: Lib Dems win 5 - Reform UK 2 - Labour 1 (see live board above)

14:19 Shoreham North - Now Labour, prev Conservative.

14:16  Lancing - Reform UK win, having previously been Independent.

14:15: Results are coming in for divisions in West Sussex

13:50: Results for divisions on the Isle of Wight are starting to come through. Reform UK win first seat in Lake South.

13:26: All local election results are in across Hampshire - still awaiting East Sussex and West Sussex.

12:21: Gosport Borough Council remains under no overall control, but the Conservatives have made gains, winning 11 of the 28 seats, which is four short of an overall majority.

11:06: We are awaiting results for West Sussex County Council predicted for after 12pm.  We understand East Sussex could be much later.

10:54: The Prime Minister says he will not “walk away” as Labour leader, despite a difficult set of local election results for the party in England.

10:23: Hampshire County Council - The final results are in - The Conservatives have lost 29 seats, while Reform UK has gained 20. The Liberal Democrats gained nine seats, the Greens gained one, and Labour lost two.

09:33: Havant Borough Council - No party has overall control - Reform UK gained the biggest number of seats 7.

08:49: When a council is under no overall control, no single party has enough councillors to push through decisions on its own. That means parties may have to negotiate, form agreements, or run a minority administration where support is needed from others issue by issue.

08:25: Breaking News from Hampshire County Council, we are hearing that the Conservatives have lost their majority and 20 seats.  

06:53: Southampton City Council - Labour has lost control after losing 10 seats, while Reform UK has made significant gains, picking up eight seats.  That means no party majority.  The Labour leader of city council has lost his seat.

Southampton City Council 2026 election count in the Guildhall - Credit: Jason Lewis, Local Democracy Reporter

06:15 Fareham Borough Council remains under Conservative control, with the party holding 22 seats.

The Conservatives lost one seat, while Reform UK gained one. The Liberal Democrats, Labour and independent councillors saw no change in their representation.

05:45 Portsmouth City Council - Liberal Democrats increase to 22 seats, giving them an overall majority on the 42-seat council. 

Portsmouth local election count - Credit: Toby Paine Local Democracy Reporter

05:00 Good morning, Philip Keeler here, News Editor of V2 Radio. I'm up nice and early to bring you all the local election results you need to know throughout the day.  Keep following this web page for key updates and listen to V2 Radio for all the latest.

Stay with V2 Radio for all the key updates across the South as they come in.

Get the latest BREAKING NEWS for the SOUTH on your phone by downloading the V2 RADIO APP today!

V2VOUCHERS.CO.UK is offering half-price deals on a wide range of experiences across the South, from meals out at local restaurants to tickets for some of the region’s biggest events.