Labour takes control of Barnet Council after tied election
Councillor Barry Rawlings has been re-elected as the Leader of Barnet Council, heading a minority Labour administration following a high-stakes vote at Hendon Town Hall. The decision, reached during the council’s Annual Meeting on 19 May, resolves the political uncertainty that followed the deadlocked election results earlier this month.
Minority administration confirmed at Hendon Town Hall
Labour returned to the council’s administration after a narrow vote among the 63 newly elected councillors. The process began with a Conservative nomination for Council Leader, which was defeated by 32 votes to 31. Subsequently, in the vote for a Labour Leader, the Conservative group abstained, allowing Cllr Barry Rawlings to be appointed by 31 votes to one.
This outcome was necessitated by the local election results on 7 May, where both the Labour and Conservative parties secured exactly 31 seats each. With the Green Party holding the final seat, no single party reached the 32-seat threshold required for an overall majority. Under the council’s constitution, the leadership must be determined by a majority vote of the full council chamber.
Cabinet appointments and cross-party representation
Following his re-election, Cllr Rawlings announced a cabinet tasked with managing the borough’s strategic priorities, including housing, social care, and financial sustainability. A notable inclusion in the new governance structure is Cllr Peter Zinkin, Leader of the Barnet Conservatives, who will attend Cabinet meetings as a non-executive member. This arrangement is designed to facilitate opposition input into executive discussions.
| Party | Seats Won (2026) | Previous Seats (2022) |
|---|---|---|
| Labour | 31 | 40 |
| Conservative | 31 | 19 |
| Green Party | 1 | 1 |
| Reform UK / Other | 0 | 3 |
The new Cabinet members and their portfolios include:
– Cllr Barry Rawlings: Leader; Strategic Partnerships, Economy & Effective Council
– Cllr Ross Houston: Deputy Leader; Homes & Regeneration
– Cllr Anne Clarke: Culture, Leisure, Arts & Sport
– Cllr Pauline Coakley-Webb: Family Friendly Barnet
– Cllr Sara Conway: Community Safety, Community Cohesion and Ending Violence Against Women & Girls
– Cllr Alison Moore: Adult Social Care and Health
– Cllr Nagus Narenthira: Equalities, Poverty Reduction and the Voluntary and Community Sector
– Cllr Simon Radford: Financial Sustainability
– Cllr Alan Schneiderman: Environment and Climate Change
Oversight and scrutiny committee restructuring
To balance the minority administration, councillors approved enhanced scrutiny arrangements giving the opposition significant oversight roles. The Conservative group will now chair the majority of Overview & Scrutiny sub-committees. This includes two newly established sub-committees dedicated to Finance & Growth and Environment matters.
Furthermore, the Conservatives will take the chair of the Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee (GARMS) and the Pension Fund Committee. Labour will maintain control over decision-making bodies, including the Planning and Licensing committees.
Local priorities and financial targets
Cllr Rawlings stated that the administration would focus on public realm improvements and meeting Net Zero targets while addressing the borough’s financial sustainability. The leadership has committed to working constructively with the opposition to deliver services in the interest of Barnet residents.
The 2026 election saw a significant increase in local engagement, with 312 candidates contesting the 63 seats across 24 wards, compared to 207 candidates in the previous cycle. The shift from a 40-seat Labour majority in 2022 to the current 31-seat tie marks a substantial change in the borough’s political landscape.
Source: Barnet Council
