Bexley Council 2026 Election: Full Candidate List and Political Battle Lines
Voters in Bexley are set to make a crucial decision on May 7, determining who will occupy the 45 seats of Bexley Council for the next four-year term. This South London authority has been under Conservative control for two decades, with Tory members currently holding 30 seats. The opposition Labour group consists of 12 members, while the remaining three seats are held by independents.
Political Landscape and Key Contenders
The Conservative Party aims to maintain its long-standing dominance in Bexley, but faces significant challenges from multiple opposition parties. Reform UK has expressed strong ambitions to make gains throughout South East London, with party figure Nigel Farage stating they have a "real chance" of winning seats in Bexley. Meanwhile, the Green Party and Liberal Democrats have fielded numerous candidates with hopes of securing council positions.
Notably, Baroness O'Neill of Bexley OBE, the former council leader and longest-serving leader in the borough's history, will not be standing for re-election this year. The Baroness, first elected to Bexley Council in 1998, stepped down from leadership in November 2025.
Complete Ward-by-Ward Candidate Breakdown
Barnehurst Ward: Michael Gillespie and Howard William Jackson (incumbent) for Conservatives; John Gerard Ely for Greens; Rachel Gogo and James Matthew Murphy for Labour; Lyndon Griffiths for Liberal Democrats; Lois Jane Moules and Deborah Anne Smith for Reform.
Belvedere Ward: Christine Frances Bishop, Matthew John Gater, and Masbah Uddin Khan for Conservatives; Sarah Barry and Edwin Clements Hollands for Greens; Jeremy Fosten (incumbent), Sally Hinkley (incumbent), and Anthony Scott Riches for Labour; Sam Kanu and Jonathan David Tringham for Liberal Democrats; Christopher Finlay Calvert, Chris Frampton, and Michael John Wilson for Reform; Deji Olayinka for Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition.
Bexleyheath Ward: Bola Carew (incumbent), Hannah Christine Gillespie, and Rags Sandhu (incumbent) for Conservatives; Yolanda Evelyn Allen and Nancy Willmouth-Coates for Greens; Eric James Davies, Lily Patricia Demetriou, and Brendan Keenan for Labour; Jawharah Qasem Mahfoudh Albakri and Ronnie King for Liberal Democrats; Andrew Cronin, Colin Harold Grostate, and Mike Lyons for Reform.
Blackfen & Lamorbey Ward: Brian John Bishop (incumbent from Barnehurst), Frazer Lewis Brooks (incumbent from Falconwood & Welling), and Peter Craske (incumbent) for Conservatives; James Brown for Greens; James Kenneth Albert Hunt (incumbent) as Independent; Tunde Adewopo, John Browning, and Nicola Jane Iles for Labour; James Handscombe and Robin Paul Kelly for Liberal Democrats; Robert David Brooks, Graham Robert Holland, and Lynn Smith for Reform.
Blendon & Penhill Ward: David Leaf (incumbent), Cafer Munur (incumbent from Blackfen & Lamorbey), and Nicholas O’Hare (incumbent) for Conservatives; Mariam Zahedi for Greens; Esther Amaning (incumbent from Belvedere), Pat Ball, and Ben Ryan Nottle for Labour; Shule Antoinette Basaran and Zoe Georgina Brooks for Liberal Democrats; Mike Ferro, Mac McGannon, and Jon Templer for Reform.
Crayford Ward: Andrew Martin Credgington, Jonathan Richard Gillespie, and Geraldene Anne Lucia-Hennis (incumbent) for Conservatives; Francesca Wyvern for Greens; Sevda Bloom, Colin Chin, and Nathan Ogunleye for Labour; Paul Barrett for Liberal Democrats; Sandra Elizabeth Cerisola, Oke Ene, and Debbie Ryan for Reform.
Crook Log Ward: Graham Martin D’Amiral, Chris Taylor (incumbent), and Janice Ward-Wilson (incumbent) for Conservatives; Tony Ball for Greens; Liam James Davies, Tim Nicholls, and Daisy Page for Labour; Cemile Dilber Ahmet, Lindsay Alison Mackie, and Giuseppe Tomaselli for Liberal Democrats; Liam James Davies, John William Dunford, and Philip Andrew Savage for Reform; Vianney Kimbugwe for Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition.
East Wickham Ward: Steven Frederick Hall (incumbent), David Li, and Caroline Newton (incumbent) for Conservatives; Bob Morris for Greens; Vincent Fisayo Adegoke, Veronica Olabisi Obadara, and Philip John Segurola for Labour; Connor Wood for Liberal Democrats; David Brian Byrne, Miles Langham Jones, and Baris Lefkonuklu for Reform.
Erith Ward: Gurhan Otem and Joe Pollard for Conservatives; Martin Radbon for Greens; Chris Ball (incumbent) and Nicola Taylor (incumbent) for Labour; Laurie Bennett for Liberal Democrats; Caroline Panetta and Geoff Williams for Reform.
Falconwood & Welling Ward: Christine Margaret Catterall (incumbent from East Wickham), Dave Curtois, and Barry John Ian Saunders for Conservatives; Mercedes Gale Parr and Lis Radbon for Greens; Ian Robert McCawley, Daniel Stavros Richard Rowson, and Janet White for Labour; Richard Arthur Chown and Luke Patrick Murphy for Liberal Democrats; Catherine Louise Allard, Pamela Andrews, and Nicola Jones for Reform.
Longlands Ward: Oscar Harrison and Lisa-Jane Moore (incumbent) for Conservatives; Anita Paris and David Paris for Greens; Ana Davies and Christine Landman for Labour; Julian Alexander Baxter and Paul William Hurren for Liberal Democrats; Alexander Cleak and Gary Paul Levett for Reform.
Northumberland Heath Ward: Marcio Fasano and Unisa Sesay for Conservatives; Daniel Stamp for Greens; Baljeet Singh Gill (incumbent) and Temilola Stewart for Labour; Paul Andrew Bargery and Thomas Phillips for Liberal Democrats; Sean Paul Brackstone and Chris Purfield for Reform.
Sidcup Ward: Terry Barcock, Andy Curtois (incumbent from Falconwood & Welling), and June Elizabeth Slaughter (incumbent) for Conservatives; Julian Himmerich, Inke Schreiber, and Laurence Williams for Greens; Sue Petty as Independent; Jo Chodha, John Alexander Cove, and Tonya Kelsey for Labour; Tristan Adam Thomas Lowne and David John Merry for Liberal Democrats; Ranw Aso-Rashid, Daniel Kersten, and Daniel James Martin for Reform; Dimitri Shvorob for Working for Sidcup - Not Party HQ.
Slade Green & Northend Ward: Bimpe Adepoju and Adam Rook for Conservatives; Sarah Louise Frost for Greens; Stefano Borella (incumbent) and Donna Briant for Labour; Mark Robson for Liberal Democrats; John Frederick McDermont and Bright Oghemakpobo Uwhokori for Reform.
St Mary’s & St James Ward: Kurtis Christoforides (incumbent) and Cameron James Smith (incumbent) for Conservatives; Rob Davies and Marko Minka for Greens; Victoria Hart and Sophia Hazel Jessie Mishee Parr for Labour; Oliver John Brooks and David Frederick Sexton for Liberal Democrats; Simon Paul Francis and Garret Anthony Lynch for Reform.
Thamesmead East Ward: Angela Lorraine Gillespie, Allison Avril Joanne Hartshorn, and Graham Anthony Moon for Conservatives; Jonathan Scot Rooks for Greens; Zainab Olamide Asunramu (incumbent), Larry Ferguson (incumbent), and Abi Johnson for Labour; Ayo Mohammed for Liberal Democrats; Lee Keiran Delaney, Matthew Ernest Solo, and Tom Staples for Reform.
West Heath Ward: Thomas William Clapperton, Melvin Norman Seymour, and Eliot Smith for Conservatives; Stuart Paul Carter for Greens; Ahman Brooke, Katty Sillah, and Ray Williams for Labour; Andrew Michael Kellett for Liberal Democrats; Sue Ford, Ian Rowlands, and David Simmons for Reform.
This comprehensive candidate list reveals the intense political competition across Bexley's wards, with multiple parties vying for influence in what promises to be a closely watched local election. The outcome will determine whether the Conservatives can extend their twenty-year control or if opposition parties can make significant inroads into the council's composition.
