Here is our guide to the Lancashire County Council elections 2025.
Voters across the county will go to the polls this Thursday, May 1, to decide the political make-up of Lancashire County Council.
The county council is entirely separate to our local District council of Lancaster City Council.
It provides important local government services in Lancashire including education, fostering and adoption, health and social care, cultural services, libraries and archives, registering births, deaths and marriages, recycling, trading standards and highways and transport.
For a full list of services the county council is responsible for, see HERE.
Lancashire County Council's share of Council tax is also by far the largest for taxpayers across the Lancaster and Morecambe District.
As an example, on a Band C property Council tax bill for 2025/26, the county council's share of the overall bill was just over 70 per cent, with the rest of the money going to Lancaster City Council, the police and fire authorities, and local parish councils.
The county council's share of Council tax includes money to fund adult social care.
"This is an important time to have your say on the services that we provide, which can affect the lives of everyone in Lancashire," said Mark Wynn, county council chief executive and returning officer.
"Your vote helps to choose the people who will take important decisions about council services in the coming years."
The polls will be open from 7am to 10pm on Thursday.
Anyone voting in person is reminded they will need an accepted form of photo identification to cast their vote.
More information on the election is available HERE.
LANCASHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL POLITICAL MAKE-UP
There are 84 county councillors elected to cover all the electoral divisions in the 12 Lancashire district areas.
Going into the election, the county council is led by the Conservatives.
They have 46 seats, Labour 26 seats, Independents four seats, Liberal Democrats two seats and Greens two seats. There are also three councillors listed as 'no description' in political grouping, one of which is an independent and two Reform UK. One seat is vacant.
Going into the election, in the Lancaster and Morecambe District, the 10 available seats have been held by the following councillors:
Lancaster East - Lizzi Collinge (Labour)
Lancaster Central - Gina Dowding (Green)
Morecambe South - Charlie Edwards (Conservative)
Heysham - Andrew Gardiner (Conservative)
Lancaster South East - Dr Erica Lewis (Labour)
Lancaster Rural East - Matthew Maxwell-Scott (Conservative)
Morecambe North - Stuart Morris (Conservative)
Skerton - Jean Parr (Labour)
Morecambe Central - Margaret Pattison (Labour)
Lancaster Rural North - Phillippa Williamson (Conservative)
CANDIDATES IN 2025
Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat, Green and Reform UK candidates will be contesting Lancashire County Council seats across the Lancaster and Morecambe District on Thursday May 1.
The full list of candidates in the 10 Lancaster District seats can be found here.
Local election candidates announced - Beyond Radio
You can view the full list of candidates in Lancashire HERE.
Results are due on Friday May 2 and we will bring you them on Beyond Radio on-air and online.
A by-election is also being held for Lancaster City Council John O'Gaunt ward in Lancaster, and for Torrisholme ward on Morecambe Town Council.
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