The 2026 council and mayoral elections are fast approaching and voters in Westminster will be heading to the polls on 7 May.
But who can you vote for, what’s at stake and what’s going on in the area? Here is our guide to all you need to know…
Where is Westminster?
Westminster is a centrally-located borough in south-west London, bordering the River Thames and forming part of the City of Westminster in Greater London.
The borough is home to over 200,000 residents, as well as Houses of Parliament, which means the council holds a significant position in UK politics.
Westminster City Council is often looked at as a key indicator of wider political sentiment across the country.
What happened in the last election?
In the 2022 council elections, the Labour Party won the majority of seats for the first time in Westminster City Council’s history.
The win preceded Labour’s landslide victory in the 2024 general election.
Labour won 12 new council seats, taking their total to 31, while the Conservatives lost 18 seats to leave them on 23.
Following two by-election defeats in 2024 and 2025 and one defection to the Conservatives, Labour go into this year’s election with a 28-seat majority.
Yet despite by-election successes, the Conservatives still maintain 23 council seats due to two defections to Reform UK.
Who can you vote for?
The coming election will see eight councillors step down from their positions – five from the Labour Party, two from the Conservative Party, and one from Reform UK.
One of the Labour councillors stepping down is Paul Dimoldenberg, who currently holds the position of Lord Mayor of Westminster Council, and previously held the postion of Cabinet Member for City Management and Air Quality.
Dimoldenberg is the father of internet personality Amelia Dimoldenberg, who is famous for her web series Chicken Shop Date, in which the influencer interviews celebrities.
Dimoldenberg’s cabinet position of was taken over in January by Cllr Max Sullivan.
Despite the loss of five councillors and two by-elections, a recent YouGov MRP poll for London councils predicts that Labour will hold onto Westminster on 7 May, although the election is expected to be fairly close.
One man who is less convinced by the Labour Party is Cllr Paul Fisher, who defected to the Conservative Party in April 2025.
Following his defection he said: “Mayor Sadiq Khan has failed London.
“He is more focused on vanity projects such as Oxford Street pedestrianisation than addressing crime and the very real fears that many local people have about their safety and security.”
For a full list of candidates standing in Westminster, visit the Who Can I Vote For website.
What are the local issues?
Westminster Council members continue butt heads on the debate over the pedestrianisation of Oxford Street.
The Westminster Conservatives ran a local referendum, which they say suggests local people overwhelmingly oppose plans to implement a ban on traffic on the iconic street.
Westminster’s Labour councillors, however, have pledged to create more pedestrian or traffic free zones, with a key pledge to reduce the number of children killed or seriously injured on roads to zero by 2030.
Housing remains a pertinent issue for locals, with residents reporting concerns with the worsening condition of social housing in the borough.
Residents have also complained about breaches to short-term letting rules which have caused disturbances to the local community, as well as rising antisocial behaviour in the area – as reported in the SW Londoner.
Picture Credit: Max Pryce, 2023
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