The votes have been counted and the results are in and Labour will be taking stock of what has happened in the morning. The results were not what they were hoping for having lost 11 councillors to Reform who currently have 14 councillors on the council and the Green Party UK who managed to gain 3 seats. The conservatives lost a seat alongside Your Party who did not do as well as expected. Labour retain overall control of the council but Reform are now the second largest party in Salford and will be looking to take more seats in 2027 unless Labour can pull something out of the bag quickly.
Reform managed to take down Deputy Mayor Jack Youd and came close to dethroning another of Paul Dennetts deputies with just 6 votes between Labour stalwart John Merry and Reforms Gary Mark Bardsley who was snapping at his heals following a recount. A lot of the credit for him holding on has to go to fellow councillor Maria Brabiner who has been a powerhouse relentlessly campaigning in his corner.
Labour managed to hang on in both Eccles and Barton & Winton with Nathanial Tetteh comfortably romping home and John Mullen managing to tip the vote over the line.
Labour is now clearly on the back foot with similar results up and down the country, which has made itself clear when it comes to the continued tenure at number 10 of PM Sir Kier Starmer.
Much of the damage has clearly come from the the absolute and resoundingly clear public rejection of the current parliament. Until things change then Labour will only continue to haemorrhage votes and lose vital ground with a General Election in the not too distant future.
Returning Officer and Salford City Council Chief Executive, Stephen Young, oversaw the count.
Following all the results being declared, the political makeup of the council is now as follows:
| Labour | 34 previously 45 * |
| Reform UK | 14 previously 1 |
| Conservative | 6, previously 7 |
| Green Party | 3, previously 0 |
| Liberal Democrats | 1, previously 2 |
| Democratic Socialist Party | 1, previously 1 |
| Your Party | 0, previously 1 |
| Independent | 1, previously 1 |
There were 10 votes rejected in Walkden North
There were 6 votes rejected in Eccles Ward
The total number of ballot papers rejected: 11
There were 6 ballots rejected in Pendlebury and Clifton Ward
There were 11 votes rejected in Blackfriars and Trinity
There were 6 ballot papers rejected in the Little Hulton Ward
13 votes were rejected in Pendleton and Charlestown Ward
13 votes were rejected in the Weaste and Seedley Ward
There were 7 votes rejected in the Ordsall Ward
The total number of ballot papers rejected: 13
The total number of ballot papers rejected: 14
The total number of ballot papers rejected: 7
The total number of ballot papers rejected: 14
The total number of ballot papers rejected: 16
The total number of ballot papers rejected: 7
The total number of ballot papers rejected: 16
