Preston City Council local elections 2026: this is what the parties are promising you

With Prestonians set to head to the polls on 7th May - and postal votes having already landed on doormats - the Lancashire Post - asked each of the parties standing in the Preston City Council elections to make a pitch for your votes.

So this is your chance to block out the national noise and find out exactly what you are being promised locally by the politicians who want to represent you at the town hall.

Sixteen of the authority’s 48 seats are up for grabs - one in each ward.

The majority of the contests will be five-way tussles between the ruling Labour group, the Liberal Democrats, the Conservatives, Reform UK and the Green Party - all of which are fielding candidates across the board. Two independents and a representative of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition are also standing.

This is what each of the political groups wanted to say to voters in up to 300 words (presented in order of the number of seats currently held and being contested):

Labour

Contesting all wards

We face crucial local elections on Thursday 7th May. We want you to support Preston Labour to move our city forward and reject the politics of division.

There is a clear choice. Either we allow Reform UK to divide our communities, or the Lib Dems or Tories gain influence as parties who imposed crippling austerity on our city - a policy public health professionals claim caused over 300,000 excess UK deaths.

Reform at Lancashire County Council have overseen some of the worst roads in the country, denied kids the schools they need and unpopular bus lanes fine residents every day. Only Labour will prevent further Reform chaos.

Preston Labour is the only party prepared to tackle the injustices of our economic system - and we have ended austerity at the city council. Other parties have no answers, run scared, or tinker around the edges.

That is why we prioritise living wage jobs, publicly-led regeneration, fairer business models and have delivered over 2,600 new affordable homes. We introduced free swimming for the young, old, and other groups, payments of up to £400 for struggling families and residents with terminal illness no longer pay council tax. We will explore a new bus pass for children and young people to travel across Preston for an annual cost of around £10.

We now have big plans to invest tens of millions in our parks and play areas, stand up to bad landlords, restrict HMOs and bring empty heritage buildings back into use. We will deliver a major entertainment venue and work with partners to deliver a new city centre health hub and upgraded leisure facility at West View.

This is a local election based on Preston's future, not Westminster politics. We remain as hungry as ever to finish the job we started.

Liberal Democrats

Contesting all wards

The Liberal Democrats have achieved strong election results in Preston in recent years. Why? Because we listen to people and have a proven record of fighting on the issues that matter most to residents - our parks, our roads, the lack of new schools and the future of the Guild Hall.

As the largest opposition group and the only party capable of forming an alternative majority to Labour, we are proud to be the real force for change in Preston and the surrounding villages.

We are also pleased that these elections are going ahead after Labour’s attempt to cancel them. Despite the spin, it was clear they were trying to avoid facing voters because they knew they were in for a difficult result.

From wards we have held for over 40 years to those we are working hard to win for the first time, Liberal Democrat candidates are rooted in their communities and committed to the people they represent.

Some residents will vote based on local issues or the best candidate. Others may want to send a wider message. By voting Liberal Democrat, you can do both.

***If you are unhappy with Keir Starmer’s Labour government, vote Lib Dem.

***If you are disappointed by Reform breaking promises, raising council tax and failing to fix roads, vote Lib Dem.

***If you want better parks, repaired roads, new schools and a clear plan for the Guild Hall, vote Lib Dem.

***If you want a councillor who works all year round for your area, vote Lib Dem.

Labour has been in power in Preston for 15 years. It’s time for change. Only the Liberal Democrats can deliver it.

Vote Lib Dem on May 7th.

Conservatives

Contesting all wards

Caring and campaigning for Preston. That is the message of the Conservative candidates standing in the local elections on 7th May.

We are here to work hard and support all residents of Preston, whether that is the city wards, outer Preston wards like Sharoe Green and Greyfriars, or the rural wards. We have delivered for residents all across Preston because we listen to what matters to you most.

We were the only party who proposed a zero increase in council tax this year, because we believe we can offer good services without having to increase the burden on residents, especially when times are tough.

For this reason, we also proposed supporting travel for those attending the new Youth Zone, alongside youth provision coming to the areas who need it most, and also ‘baby boxes’ for new mothers to ensure the best start in life.

We want Preston to be a safer city and to encourage everyone to visit, whether for business, shopping or entertainment. We have supported businesses in the market, such as fighting to get them back to their usual home - and in the rural areas, including our local farmers.

We will continue to be ever vigilant on planning issues and continue to fight against developments which do not improve our city. But we will also continue to support projects which are fresh, exciting and of benefit.

We will continue to ensure that our heritage assets are protected and not be allowed to go to ruin - something else we proposed in the budget to ensure more staff and legal protection of these sites.

We want a council which is user friendly to all and accessible - especially for those who find technology difficult to adapt to.

We have always taken great pride in being local people who care for our communities where we live. Please lend us your vote - and allow us to continue doing our best for you.

Reform UK

Contesting all wards

Reform UK in Preston is a group of ordinary people who have become fed up with the main political parties that have lost touch with the ordinary electorate. Our local manifesto is as follows:

***Reform UK Preston would not increase council tax.

***Reform UK Preston would be small & medium size business and farming friendly.

***Reform UK Preston would save money by not investing in a bank we don’t need.

***Reform UK Preston would restructure services to serve Preston residents better.

***Reform UK Preston would review the policy on HMOs with a view to halt any more opening.

***Reform UK Preston would cancel divisive projects such as the Friendship Agreement with Hebron and Preston Sanctuary City.

***Reform UK Preston would prioritise local people.

Reform UK Preston people are a mixed bunch of residents who want to serve their community, a community they are part of. We already campaign for our communities, but to be effective we need your vote to be elected to Preston City Council.

Green Party

Contesting all wards

We're here to fight for Preston, a Preston that deserves better.

We love this city, its communities, its character and the people who make it what it is. That's exactly why we're so frustrated that too many of our neighbours are struggling with bills they can't pay, homes they can't afford and green spaces that aren't being looked after. We’ve got used to the gradual decline of our city - this isn’t normal and it doesn’t have to be this way.

We’ve been watching the same parties bicker endlessly while the real problems in our city go unsolved. Hate and division has crept into our politics and made so many people feel like they don't belong - we're done with all of that. Preston deserves a politics built on hope that talks about the things that matter to the people who live here.

Our green spaces matter - they're where we walk the dog, where our kids play, they’re the lungs of our city and a vital space for nature. We'll fight to protect them from invasive planning and make sure Preston stays a city worth living in.

The housing crisis is real and it's hitting people we know – we're pushing for homes that are genuinely affordable because everyone deserves a home.

And we know that too many people in Preston are sitting in cold houses worrying about their energy bills - insulating homes and investing in renewables will help us in tackling the cost-of-living crisis. These solutions aren't just good for the planet, they're good for your pocket.

We're people who care deeply about this city and want to roll our sleeves up and do something about it. If you're tired of being let down by the same old parties, we'd love your vote.

Vote Green on Thursday 7th May.

Independents

There are two independent candidates standing - one in each of the Garrison and St. Matthew’s wards - operating collectively under the unofficial ‘Preston Independents’ banner.

Preston Independents is a network of community activists from across the city, fed up with the establishment parties and their failure to put the interests of ordinary people first. No matter who is in charge, the politicians don’t listen and the parties continue with the same tired old politics.

It’s hard to comprehend, but this is the sixth richest country in the world. Yet most of us struggle to pay the bills and feed the kids. That’s because we are also one of the most unequal countries in the world.

For the last 40 years the rich have got richer, the rest of us left behind.

Our services have been sold off, with disastrous consequences - our gas and electricity prices are the highest in Europe, our rivers are swimming in sewage, our trains are inefficient and phenomenally expensive, and our post office no longer fit for purpose. All of this the result of Tory, Tory/Lib Dem and Labour privatisation scams.

They tell us there is no money for our services (such as health and education) but there is always money for wars. We have spent billions supporting forever wars in Ukraine, in Palestine and across the Middle East.

We want public services owned by us, the public! We want to put people and Preston first. We want representatives who are hard working, listen to constituents and fight for our needs and rights.

And we can win.

Last year Preston Independents stood in four County Council divisions - we won 3 and our members now sit as part of the official opposition group, Progressive Lancashire, at County Hall.

Vote for our candidates - and let’s put people and Preston first.

Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition

Contesting the Plungington ward only

TUSC, the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition, offers a voice for the millions, not the millionaires. We are standing nearly 300 candidates on 7th May, the sixth-highest nationally.

TUSC is alone in:

*** making a policy guarantee to oppose all cuts and closures to council services, jobs, pay and conditions and rejecting all increases to council tax, rent and service charges;

***demanding councils fight - instead of just passing on cuts as other parties do - by organising a mass campaign to win the funding needed for jobs and services from central government;

***campaigning for the nationalisation of the big energy firms;

***having all its Lancashire candidates living in the wards that they are standing in on 7 May.

Lancashire TUSC candidates have won good votes in previous local elections - and we are campaigning to do the same again in a ward in Preston this year.

We call for:

***councils to expand their Crisis and Resilience Funds to give emergency support to all households who cannot pay mounting energy bills;

***councillors to set a People’s Budget that restores the services our communities need;

***rent controls and new council homes to provide more genuinely affordable places to live in;

***a future for our kids: Free school meals, end school cuts, reopen youth services;

***no to privatisation – not in the NHS, nor in Lancashire care homes;

***money for public services, not war;

***trade unions to stop funding Labour and build a new party that will stand up for the working-class.