The local elections are fast approaching and voters in Bexley will soon be going out to vote.
But who can you vote for, what’s at stake and what’s going on in the area?
Where is Bexley?
Bexley is located in south-east London, forming part of Outer London. It borders Kent to the south and the River Thames to the north. The borough is 13 miles away from central London. It is most known for being a leafy, suburban and residential borough.
What happened in the last election?
In 2022, The Conservative Party maintained its control of the council winning 33 of the 45 council seats available and 51% of the total vote.
The Labour Party took the remaining 12 council seats.
Since the last local election in 2022, three Conservative Party council members have become independent candidates.
Local issues
Local issues in Bexley include concerns over shops closing down and the high street disappearing and how this is impacting young people’s opportunities to find work in the area.
Another major issue is road infrastructure. Increased potholes on many of the busy roads in the area has made driving difficult.
Who are the ones to watch?
Reform have been tipped to do well in Bexley and, given their success in nearby Kent, campaigners are hoping for a similar breakthrough nexth month. A new YouGov poll has tipped them to end up with the most seats on the council.
Reform candidate Miles Jones said: “Reform’s ethos in local government is about saving money where we can, about cutting wasteful spending and delivering value for money to locals.”
Green Party candidate in Belvedere Edwin Clement Hollands is campaigning for a greener community for everyone.
He plans to protect, restore and expand public green spaces, bridge the gap between councils and community.
Hollands wants to work with the Metropolitan Police to increase visibility in town centres to counteract crime and refresh the local high street by opening up empty council owned buildings to independent businesses.
Brendan Keenan, Labour party candidate in Bexleyheath, said in a statement on The Labour Party website: “This year’s election is the opportunity to look to the future and build better housing for everyone, including good quality homes to buy, more family homes, genuinely affordable housing and council housing for the first time in a generation, so future generations can afford to live in Bexley and invest in a better future with new fresh ideas, not out of date and tired ideas that have not worked for years and cannot work in the future.”
Conservative council leader David Leaf told BBC London: “What’s important for us is investing in the services that matter to our residents – whether it’s supporting the thousands of residents who are elderly who benefit from social care, the hundreds of vulnerable children we protect and keep safe every day, or investing in ensuring our streets are clean.”
What are locals saying?
Jamie Russell, 49, said: “I am on long-term sick leave and the local NHS services have been incredible and very efficient. However, the area could do with more roadsweepers. There’s so much litter everywhere. The bins are everywhere but no one uses them.”
Patricia Leahy, 52, works with young people with mental health challenges and she said: “Anti-social behaviour has increased a lot lately. I’m concerned about the rising levels of crime in the area. The police station in Bexleyheath is closing down and a lot of people are concerned about what impact that is going to have.”
Paulette Brett, 69, said: “All the shops are closing and being knocked down and that’s a concern for me. Where do we go if all the shops are closing down? There are new flats being built and that is apparently meant to bring in new shops to the local area but I’m not convinced.”
One man – who wished to remain anonymous – said the area of Bexleyheath is now known as “Bexley grief”. He said young people in the area are causing havoc and being a nuisance, which is concerning many older residents who fear for their safety.
In response, council Leader Leaf said: “Bexley is a great place to live, work and raise a family. We have a strong local record investing in and improving the services that matter most to our residents and helping the most vulnerable in our society.
“At this local election, it is only the Conservative Party in Bexley that has a fully costed plan to invest in services, stand up to the Government and Mayor of London, and support the aspirations and ambitions of our residents. That’s why we’re investing in improving our roads, opposing green belt developments and backing Bexley’s hardworking families and businesses.”
Interesting Facts
As of 2024, the population of Bexley is 256,434.
According to the 2021 consensus, 71.9% of residents identify as white, a further 12.2% are Black, 9.9% are Asian and 3.5% are mixed-race.
London’s longest publicly-accessible pier is in Erith. Shaped like a boomerang, it is around 360m (1,180ft) long and popular with anglers and walkers.
Children’s author and poet Roald Dahl lived in Bexley from 1927-1934, while the area was also once home to TV chef Delia Smith and acclaimed singer Kate Bush.
Elections will be held on Thursday 7 May 2026 elect councillors to all 17 wards in the London Borough of Bexley.
Feature image: Yusuf Tamanna
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