Our political balance

The LGA's political balance is defined by the outcome of the English and Welsh local elections each year.


Following the elections, the LGA’s Research and Information Team works with Professor Colin Rallings, Associate Member of Nuffield College, Oxford, to calculate the political balance of the organisation on the basis of the number of councillors elected for each political party.

The LGA Board agrees the proportionality figures as the basis for negotiating the allocation of chairs and vice-chairs and populating all our member structures. The political groups then use their respective methods of selection to populate the seats apportioned to them in time for the start of the new political year on 1 September.

LGA's political balance for 2025/26 following the local elections held on Thursday 1 May 2025.
Labour Conservative Liberal Democrat Independent Reform Green Plaid Cymru
35.9 per cent     24.1 per cent     17.0 per cent 10.2 per cent     7.8 per cent      4.6 per cent      0.4 per cent