Dudley Council looks set to remain a Conservative-run authority following a dramatic local election night. Reform UK made significant gains on May 7, now holding 23 councillors, but insufficient seats were contested in the 2026 election to allow the new party to take overall control of the borough.
The Conservatives remain the largest group on the 72-seat council with 27 elected members, ten short of an overall majority. Negotiations are underway between group leaders to shape the council for the next 12 months, with Tory group leader Councillor Patrick Harley continuing as council leader.
Councillor Harley stated: "It's got to be sensible, there has got to be collaboration between the parties. No-one is in a position where they can say 'I'm not working with you', it's in our interests to work together, as difficult as that might be. It is about getting round the table and having those conversations, if people can be mature enough to do that we can have a successful year. It is in our interests to do what's best for the people of the borough."
Reform's new group leader, Councillor Marco Longhi, said his group intends to take a different approach, with an eye on next year's election when his party hopes to win enough seats to take outright control in Dudley. He commented: "We've got new councillors looking to do their best for the people they represent and every one of them is on a learning curve, as time goes by I'm sure they will rapidly get more effective. We have got our own objectives, at the moment we are the official opposition and we will oppose in a professional way. Reform doesn't do any deals, we are elected with a significant mandate to stop what has been going on for a very long time in places like Dudley where the baton has been passed from one party to the next only to fail in the same miserable way."
Councillor Longhi added that his councillors will scrutinise every area of the council, asking questions and developing policies. He said: "We want to foster good relationships with everybody, particularly officers who we will be working closely with, and see where that takes us."
Labour is the third largest group on the council with 15 seats, the Liberal Democrats have four councillors, and The Black Country Party has three. Negotiations between groups will determine the make-up of the council's cabinet, who will chair watchdog scrutiny committees, and who will serve as mayor and deputy mayor for the coming year.
Councillor Harley stressed the importance of collaboration in a chamber where no party has overall control, warning of the consequences of political inertia. He said: "If there is a party that doesn't want to be involved and agree on anything I think they will be quickly found out by the electorate and punished next May. If it is opposing for opposing's sake the council still has to operate as normal – the day-to-day running has got to happen. If there is stalemate, what does that say to investors from outside the borough? We are almost there with some really key projects so it's got to be sensible. When reality hits I think people will get round the table and talk."
The shape of the new council will be confirmed at a full meeting of the authority on May 28.
