Background At the
2021 election, the Conservatives won an outright majority of seats. After two 2023 by-elections following the deaths of sitting Conservative councillors the party lost overall control of the council. The election is expected to be the last before the council is abolished and replaced with new unitary authorities. The election was originally postponed from 2025, then again delayed by another year until the government u-turned and reinstated the elections for 2026. The Conservatives and Labour Party are expected to be tested heavily due to the growth of Reform UK (notably high polling, a by-election win and a defection from the Conservatives) and the Green Party (who control councils since 2023 in Hastings, Lewes and Wealden) since the last election in 2021. The Liberal Democrats are also strong, controlling councils such as Eastbourne and being the opposition on the county council. == Council composition ==