It’s all change in Wokingham as residents expect a pile of leaflets through their doors ahead of the Borough Council elections on Thursday, 7 May 2026.
People who haven’t registered to vote must do so by midnight on Monday 20 April at www.gov.uk/register-tovote. Requests for postal votes and postal proxy votes close at 5pm on Tuesday 21 April (apply at www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote). Normal proxy votes can be applied for until 5pm on Tuesday 28 April at www.gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote.
Nominations opened this morning at 10am. Parties have ten days to find a resident in each ward to nominate and second each candidate before nominations close on Thursday 7 April.
Nationally, support for the usual parties is fragmenting, with the Greens and Reform UK expected to gain. In Wokingham, Electoral Calculus says that if there were a General Election now, the Liberal Democrats would win with 36% of the vote, Conservatives 22% and Reform 19%. But a local election is different — turnout will be much lower, so the result won’t simply mirror a parliamentary contest.
One new councillor will be chosen in each of the following wards: Barkham and Arborfield; Bulmershe and Coronation; Emmbrook; Evendons; Finchampstead; Hawkedon; Hillside; Loddon; Maiden Erlegh and Whitegates; Norreys; Shinfield; South Lake; Spencers Wood and Swallowfield; Thames; Twyford, Ruscombe and Hurst; Wescott; Winnersh. In Wokingham Without there will be two councillors chosen.
There will also be a local referendum in Charvil on the Charvil Neighbourhood Plan.
The four politicians standing down at this election are:
- Alex Freely – an independent councillor, and former Labour councillor for Loddon ward.
- Stuart Munro – a Conservative councillor in Swallowfield.
- Adrian Mather – a Liberal Democrat councillor in Evendons.
- Jordan Montgomery – a Liberal Democrat from Wokingham Without who hasn’t been well for a long time and who resigned with immediate effect on Friday, March 27.
Ted O'Neill, Local Democracy Reporter
