Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council has confirmed its political composition and committee appointments for the 2026/27 municipal year after last night’s Annual Council meeting.
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The local elections on Thursday 7 May left the authority with no overall control. Labour, as the largest group, will continue to lead the council as a minority administration under a Leader and Executive Board model.
The council’s political make-up is now Labour group – 21 councillors, including one Independent; 4BwD independent group – 16 councillors; Reform UK group – 9 councillors; and Conservative group – 5 councillors.
The council said it will continue to use cross-party working where appropriate to make decisions in residents’ best interests.
Councillor Phil Riley will remain Leader of the Council and Chair of the Executive Board, with Councillor Quesir Mahmood and Councillor Julie Gunn as Deputy Leaders.
The Executive Board members have also been confirmed. They are Councillor Jackie Floyd for Adults Social Care and Health; Councillor Julie Gunn for Children, Young People and Education; Councillor Damian Talbot for Housing and Public Health; Councillor Jim Casey for Environment and Communities; Councillor Quesir Mahmood for Growth and Development; Councillor Vicky McGurk for Finance and Governance; Councillor Zamir Khan for Digital and Customer Services; and Opposition Member Councillor Mustafa Desai.
At Annual Council on 21 May, committee chairs, vice-chairs and memberships were also agreed to reflect the political balance and ensure representation across the council’s governance structures.
Councillors have been appointed to a range of overview and scrutiny committees, regulatory committees and boards.
Leader of the Council Councillor Phil Riley said: “Blackburn with Darwen is a politically diverse borough, and that diversity is reflected in our Council composition. While no single party holds overall control, we remain committed to working constructively across political lines to deliver the best possible outcomes for our residents.”
The elections on Thursday 7 May were for one third of the council’s 51 seats, with 17 councillors elected across the borough’s wards as part of the usual election-by-thirds system.
