# 2024 Portsmouth City Council election

The 2024 Portsmouth City Council election took place on Thursday 2 May 2024, alongside the other local elections in the United Kingdom on the same day. 14 of the 42 members of Portsmouth City Council in Hampshire were elected.
The council remained under no overall control, being led by a Liberal Democrat minority administration.

## Background

Portsmouth was created as a unitary authority in 1997. Labour controlled the council from its creation until 2000, when the council fell into no overall control. The Liberal Democrats first won the council in 2010, and held a majority until 2014. The Conservatives ran the council as a minority administration, with support from UKIP, until 2018, when the Liberal Democrats formed a minority administration which has governed Portsmouth since. In the previous election, the Liberal Democrats won 7 seats (up 1) with 29.3% of the vote, Labour won 2 with 27.5%, the Conservatives won 1 (down 5) with 19.6%, the Portsmouth Independent Party won 3 (up 3) with 16.2%, and independents won 1 (up 1) with 2.1%.
The seats up for election in 2024 were last contested in 2021; because of the delay of all local elections due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the seats are up for election after 3 years rather than the usual 4. In that election, the Conservatives gained 1 seat with 36.0% of the vote, the Liberal Democrats lost 2 with 26.6%, Labour held their 2 seats up for election with 28.0%, and independents gained 1 with 3.7%.

## Previous council composition

| After 2023 election | After 2023 election | After 2023 election | Before 2024 election | Before 2024 election | Before 2024 election | After 2024 election | After 2024 election | After 2024 election |
| Party | Party | Seats | Party | Party | Seats | Party | Party | Seats |
| | Liberal Democrats | 18 | | Liberal Democrats | 18 | | Liberal Democrats | 19 |
| | Conservative | 8 | | Conservative | 8 | | Conservative | 4 |
| | Labour | 7 | | Labour | 8 | | Labour | 8 |
| | PIP | 6 | | PIP | 6 | | PIP | 9 |
| | Independent | 3 | | Independent | 2 | | Independent | 2 |
Changes:
* Judith Smyth readmitted to Labour

## Results

2024 Portsmouth City Council election :
| Party | Party | This election | This election | This election | Full council | Full council | Full council | This election | This election | This election |
| Party | Party | Seats | Net | Seats % | Other | Total | Total % | Votes | Votes % | +/− |
| | Liberal Democrats | 7 | 1 | 50.0 | 12 | 19 | 45.2 | 12,492 | 30.0 | 0.7 |
| | PIP | 4 | 3 | 28.6 | 5 | 9 | 21.4 | 9,578 | 23.0 | 6.8 |
| | Labour | 2 | | 14.3 | 6 | 8 | 19.0 | 11,556 | 27.7 | 0.2 |
| | Conservative | 1 | 4 | 7.1 | 3 | 4 | 9.5 | 6,745 | 16.2 | 3.4 |
| | Independent | 0 | | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4.8 | 0 | 0.0 | 2.1 |
| | Green | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 2,050 | 4.5 | 0.1 |
| | Reform UK | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 423 | 1.0 | 0.4 |
| | TUSC | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 197 | 0.5 | 0.4 |

## Ward results

Comparisons for the purpose of determining a gain, hold or loss of a seat, and for all percentage changes, is to the last time these specific seats were up for election in 2021. An asterisk indicates the incumbent councillor. The results for each ward were:
Incumbents are marked with an asterisk:*

### Baffins

Baffins :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Darren Sanders* | 1,595 | 50.4 | 3.3 |
| | Conservative | Joseph Standen | 539 | 17.0 | 11.9 |
| | Labour | Mark Andrew Farwell | 503 | 15.9 | 1.6 |
| | PIP | Brannen Sime | 310 | 9.8 | N/A |
| | Green | Bob Simmonds | 173 | 5.5 | 1.2 |
| | TUSC | Rachel Rebecca Nolan | 42 | 1.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1056 | 33.4 | 15.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3162 | 28.4 | 4.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Central Southsea

Central Southsea :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Charlotte Rachel Gerada* | 1,780 | 48.7 | 6.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Felix Totolici | 1298 | 35.5 | 3.7 |
| | Conservative | Alison Hoare | 237 | 6.5 | 7.4 |
| | Green | Dillon Alexander Jarman | 208 | 5.7 | 1.1 |
| | PIP | Paris-Jade Wilson | 130 | 3.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 482 | 13.2 | 10.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3653 | 29.7 | 4.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Raj Ghosh | 907 | 45.0 | 0.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Renu Raj | 368 | 18.3 | 4.8 |
| | Conservative | Thomas Gosling | 319 | 15.8 | 11.7 |
| | PIP | Jaime Angela Custerson | 240 | 11.9 | N/A |
| | Green | Miles Plested | 109 | 5.4 | N/A |
| | TUSC | Chris Pickett | 72 | 3.6 | 0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 539 | 26.7 | 7.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2015 | 14.8 | 4.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Copnor

Copnor :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | PIP | Lee Matthew Tindal | 1,111 | 39.5 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Lewis Mark David Gosling* | 740 | 26.3 | 26.9 |
| | Labour | Andy Butterworth | 640 | 22.7 | 3.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | James Howitt | 190 | 6.7 | 3.3 |
| | Green | Tim Sheerman-Chase | 135 | 4.8 | 5.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 371 | 13.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2816 | 29.0 | 2.6 |
| | PIP gain from Conservative | PIP gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Cosham

Cosham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | PIP | Derek James North | 1,149 | 37.8 | N/A |
| | Labour | Amanda Martin | 1009 | 33.2 | 2.0 |
| | Conservative | Matthew Atkins* | 641 | 21.1 | 26.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Julie Ann Spurgeon | 118 | 3.9 | 5.7 |
| | Green | Josie McNally | 100 | 3.3 | N/A |
| | TUSC | Nikki Doyle | 20 | 0.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 140 | 4.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3037 | 30.1 | 3.7 |
| | PIP gain from Conservative | PIP gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Drayton & Farlington

Drayton & Farlington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Spencer Roy Gardner | 1,389 | 37.8 | 30.6 |
| | PIP | Benjamin Simon Portet | 1267 | 34.5 | N/A |
| | Labour | Ian Martin Ayres | 695 | 18.9 | 0.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Claire Udy | 193 | 5.3 | 6.7 |
| | Green | Paul Bleachy | 130 | 3.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 122 | 3.3 | 45.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3674 | 35.1 | 3.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Eastney & Craneswater

Eastney & Craneswater :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nicholas Leigh Dorrington | 1,156 | 31.1 | 1.6 |
| | Labour | Edward Batterbury | 1017 | 27.4 | 1.4 |
| | PIP | Jack Smith | 725 | 19.5 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Terry Henderson | 604 | 16.3 | 21.5 |
| | Green | Tamara Liloutee Barbara Groen | 214 | 5.8 | 0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 139 | 3.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3716 | 37.8 | 7.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Fratton

Fratton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stuart William Brown* | 824 | 31.7 | 3.5 |
| | PIP | Jacob Lee Short | 729 | 27.9 | N/A |
| | Labour | Steph Richards | 728 | 27.9 | 5.6 |
| | Conservative | Tim Edwards | 208 | 8.0 | 16.4 |
| | Green | Samet Menguc Chering-Alves | 111 | 4.3 | 1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 95 | 3.8 | 1.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2600 | 24.6 | 3.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Hilsea

Hilsea :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | PIP | Matthew William Stringer Cordy | 1,493 | 54.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Charles Douglas | 533 | 19.5 | 38.7 |
| | Labour | Nicky Potts | 461 | 16.9 | 9.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter John Williams | 148 | 5.4 | 3.4 |
| | Green | Emma Louise Kimberley Murphy | 95 | 3.5 | 3.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 960 | 35.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2730 | 27.0 | 2.7 |
| | PIP gain from Conservative | PIP gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Milton

Milton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kimberly Emma Barrett* | 1,817 | 53.0 | 15.3 |
| | Labour | Arif Hasan Choudhury | 949 | 27.7 | 4.3 |
| | Green | Sarah Louise Shilling Gilbert | 231 | 6.7 | 0.6 |
| | Conservative | Stephen Alexander Gorys | 220 | 6.4 | 16.7 |
| | Reform UK | Rachel Faith Zimmer | 214 | 6.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 868 | 25.3 | 19.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3431 | 32.5 | 4.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Nelson

Nelson :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Richard James Adair | 903 | 37.1 | 6.5 |
| | PIP | Gary Richard Fyles | 687 | 28.2 | N/A |
| | Labour | Robin Stanley Head | 505 | 20.7 | 1.0 |
| | Conservative | Erin May Hunt | 223 | 9.2 | 21.8 |
| | Green | Duncan Stuart Robinson | 99 | 4.1 | 1.7 |
| | TUSC | Nick Doyle | 19 | 0.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 216 | 8.9 | 3.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2436 | 23.8 | 0.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Paulsgrove

Paulsgrove :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | PIP | George David Madgwick* | 1,561 | 63.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Thomas Christopher Hoare | 375 | 15.3 | 21.7 |
| | Labour | Patrick Charles Keefe | 358 | 14.6 | 3.0 |
| | Green | Ian David McCulloch | 84 | 3.4 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | James Campbell | 72 | 2.9 | 0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1186 | 48.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2450 | 24.2 | 9.5 |
| | PIP gain from Independent | PIP gain from Independent | Swing | | |

### St Jude

St Jude :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Hugh Laurence Mason* | 1,266 | 40.5 | 4.9 |
| | Labour | Joshua Anthony Allen | 1,221 | 39.0 | 5.9 |
| | Conservative | Lee Kewell | 282 | 9.0 | 14.5 |
| | Green | Harry Bernard Mallinder | 184 | 5.9 | 1.9 |
| | PIP | John Malcolm Hill | 176 | 5.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 45 | 1.4 | 1.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3129 | 33.6 | 5.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### St Thomas

St Thomas :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ian Holder* | 1,199 | 42.1 | 0.3 |
| | Labour | Julian Thomas Lewis | 783 | 27.5 | 4.9 |
| | Conservative | David Michael Chandler | 435 | 15.3 | 12.7 |
| | Reform UK | Mark Zimmer | 209 | 7.3 | N/A |
| | Green | Elliot Lee | 177 | 6.2 | 0.8 |
| | TUSC | John Burrows | 44 | 1.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 416 | 14.6 | 0.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2847 | 25.2 | 5.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |