Reform UK are now the largest party on Hartlepool Borough Council after securing all 12 seats contested at the town’s local elections on May 7.

Their landslide victory included removing the authority’s Labour leader, Councillor Pamela Hargreaves, from her Manor House seat.

But Reform’s triumph – which was confirmed shortly before 2am on Friday – was not enough to secure overall control of the council.

They now have 15 of the borough’s 36 seats after gaining 11 new seats and retaining a 12th.

Reform UK councillors and supporters after their landslide victory at the 2026 Hartlepool Borough Council elections.

placeholder image — Reform UK councillors and supporters after their landslide victory at the 2026 Hartlepool Borough Council elections.

With only a third of the seats contested on May 7, Labour, who previously held overall control with 20 seats, now have 14 seats.

Talks are now expected to go on behind the scenes to see if either party can broker a deal with the remaining councillors to form a working coalition.

Such an alliance would require 19 councillors, meaning Reform would need the support of four additional councillors and Labour five.

Aside from the 29 Reform and Labour councillors, the remaining seven seats are all held by independents.

The Conservatives unsuccessfully defended two seats on May 7 and now have no councillors.

Ms Hargreaves, who is married to town Labour MP Jonathan Brash, said the result was “very disappointing” and warned Reform that “with power comes great responsibility”.

She added: "What is sad is that Hartlepool has lost a lot of councillors, hard working councillors, who have achieved a lot and that’s really sad.

“Hopefully it gives the national party the message that change needs to happen and that starts right from the Prime Minister."

Graham Harrison, chairman of the Reform group in Hartlepool, said they will “take stock” and “stop and have a look at the situation and see what we can do”.

He added: “I’m really happy, it’s a good result for Hartlepool.

“We’re not politicians, we’re just normal people and we’re here to help Hartlepool."

Labour had previously run the council with an outright majority since May 2024.

Their new losses saw Moss Boddy, Gary Allen, Melanie Morley and Owen Riddle, who all held committee chair positions over the past year, lose their seats along with De Bruce ward representative Rachel Creevy and Ms Hargreaves.

The Green Party, with candidates standing in all 12 wards, and the Liberal Democrats, standing in six wards, were also unsuccessful in their attempts to gain a seat on the council.

Voter turnout was 31.51%.