The 2024 Fareham Borough Council election was held on Thursday 2 May 2024, alongside the other local elections in the United Kingdom. All 32 members of Fareham Borough Council in Hampshire were elected following boundary changes.
The council remained under Conservative majority control.
Background
Since its creation in 1974, only the Conservatives have ever formed majorities on the council. The party has held majorities on the council for its entire history, except between 1986 and 1987, and between 1994 and 1999.[1] The Liberal Democrats briefly overtook the Conservatives as the largest party in this second period of no overall control, but never formed a majority.
In the previous election in 2022, the Conservatives gained 2 seats with 45.7% of the vote, the Liberal Democrats maintained their 5 seats with 25.7%, and independents won 1 with 3.9%. The leader of the council prior to the election was Conservative councillor Seán Woodward, who had held the post since 1999. He did not stand for re-election in 2024. After the election, the Conservatives chose Simon Martin to be their new group leader; he was formally appointed as the new leader of the council at the subsequent annual council meeting on 16 May 2024.[2]
Boundary changes
Fareham usually elects its councillors in halves, on a 4-year cycle. However, following boundary changes, all councillors will be elected to the new wards.[3] The change increases the number of councillors by 1.
^"Fareham Borough Council Election Results 1973-2012" (PDF). Elections Centre. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
^Needs, Noni (20 May 2024). "New Fareham Borough Council leader confirmed". Daily Echo. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
^"The Fareham (Electoral Changes) Order 2023", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2023/796, retrieved 11 March 2024
^"The Borough of Fareham (Electoral Changes) Order 2001", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2001/1020, retrieved 11 March 2024
^"Your Councillors by Party". Fareham Borough Council. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
^"Fareham result - Local Elections 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 2024-05-05.
^Paine, Toby (2 September 2022). "Fareham councillor Jean Kelly quits after moving to Liverpool - sparking political row between Liberal Democrats and Conservatives". The News. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
^"Local Elections Archive Project — Portchester East Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
^Paine, Toby (28 February 2023). "'Laziest councillor' criticised after quitting Tory group over minimum wage hike". Daily Echo. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
^Paine, Toby. "New political balance at Fareham Borough Council following the resignation of Sarah Pankhurst". The News. Retrieved 11 March 2024.