NALC unveils key insights from the 2024 parish and town council elections

We have released a fascinating headline analysis of the May 2024 parish and town council elections, uncovering trends and outcomes that paint a vivid picture of grassroots democracy in action.

No national stakeholders (including the Electoral Commission or the Association of Electoral Administrators) currently hold datasets of parish and town elections, so we teamed up with the Democracy Club to gather datasets from the 2024 elections.

The data revealed that elections were held in 18 county areas, 33 principal authority areas, and 446 parish and town councils. Still, the deeper story lies in the numbers:

• Just 0.02% of parish and town councils were inquorate following the elections, a rare and noteworthy occurrence.
• Around 15% of parish and town councils saw contested elections, showing where competition for seats was fiercest.
• A striking 70% of parish and town councils ended up with vacancies, raising questions about engagement and representation.
• Approximately 6.7% of parish and town councils elected some members on party-political tickets, highlighting the role of political affiliations in certain areas.

These findings offer invaluable insights into the dynamics of local government and the challenges and opportunities facing communities across England.

Want to dig deeper into these intriguing election trends and discover what they mean for the future of parish and town councils? Dive into the full report now!