Broadstone and Poole Town Council Election Results 2026
The latest local election results across Broadstone and Poole show a strong performance for the Liberal Democrats, particularly in Broadstone Town Council, where they secured 6 of the 8 seats. The elected Liberal Democrat councillors in Broadstone were Mike Brooke, Andy Maxey, Peter Sidaway, David O’Neil, Paul Slade, and Sally Walls. Independents Colin Elkins and Jo Tebbs won the remaining two seats, meaning while the Liberal Democrats hold a clear majority, there is an independent presence on the council, and setting the council up for a really positive start.
In Poole Town Council, the picture was more closely contested at ward level. In Canford Heath, representation was split between Sandra Moore (Liberal Democrat) and Kevin Stewart (Reform UK), reflecting a more divided vote. Rachael Gilder (Liberal Democrat) finished a close third and narrowly missed out on a seat. In Bearwood, the result was also closely contested, with Liberal Democrat candidate David Brown narrowly securing victory over Reform UK. In Merley, Liberal Democrat candidate Marcus Andrews was successful, adding to the party’s overall strength in the area.
Taken together, the MDNP results show a strong Liberal Democrat performance locally, with wins in all three wards and a clear majority in Broadstone. However, they also sit within a wider political picture across the broader Poole and Bournemouth area that remains mixed overall, with representation split between Reform UK, the Liberal Democrats, the Conservatives, Labour, and the Green Party all taking seats.
In those areas where we were not successful but had targeted the seat, the margins were very small and the Liberal Democrats were a close second. This provides a great place to build our campaign for 2027, when all seats on BCP Council will be up for election.
These town councils are well placed to deliver on very local projects and priorities, usually the things that are no longer possible for BCP Council to fund, and the new councillors will be settling in over the coming weeks. It will be 'business as usual' on BCP Council as those councillors continue their work, grappling with the difficult funding landscape handed to them by the Government and ensuring that services like social care, SEND and regeneration are managed and vulnerable people supported wherever they live.
Results down below for the participating MDNP wards.
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Broadstone Town Council -
Broadstone East:
Mike Brooke, Liberal Democrat: 972 (Elected)
Colin Elkins, Independent: 947 (Elected)
Richard Farrow, Independent: 672
Andy Maxey, Liberal Democrat: 779 (Elected)
Tracey Newman, Reform UK: 737
John Sheldon, Reform UK: 674
Peter Sidaway, Liberal Democrats: 863 (Elected)
Kevin Stewart, Reform UK: 616
Mark Watson, Reform UK: 649
Broadstone West:
David O'Neil, Liberal Democrats: 883 (Elected)
Peter Roberts, Green Party: 524
Paul Slade, Liberal Democrats: 896 (Elected)
Jo Tebbs, Independent: 965 (Elected)
Sally Walls, Liberal Democrat: 954 (Elected)
Christopher Warricker, Reform UK: 775
Adrian Witt, Reform UK: 738
Cameron Witt, Independent: 441
Harry Witt, Reform UK: 691
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Poole Town Council -
Bearwood:
David Brown, Liberal Democrats: 940 (Elected)
Simon Cutter, Green Party: 145
John Sheldon, Reform UK: 938
Canford Heath:
Jemima Astill, Green Party: 472
Rachael Glider, Liberal Democrats: 1741
Sandra Moore, Liberal Democrats: 1788 (Elected)
Kevin Stewart, Reform UK: 1834 (Elected)
Harry Witt, Reform UK: 1698
Merley:
Marcus Andrews, Liberal Democrats: 1187 (Elected)
Vivienne Arkell, Labour Party: 71
Peter Kazmierczak, Independent: 351
Gordon Reeves, Reform UK: 804