All 50 Hammersmith and Fulham Council seats are up for grabs on May 7
Expectations of a Reform ‘surge’, as the unfortunate term goes, or a drastic swing to the Greens dominate most predictions ahead of the local elections on May 7.
From the impending collapse of parts of the so-called Red Wall to the loss of long-standing councils like Southwark and Islington, the potential hit to Labour is thought to be huge, with some anticipating around 70 per cent of its seats to go to other parties.
On the western edge of Inner London however sits one of the few London local authorities Labour is expected to retain without too much of a scare: Hammersmith and Fulham. The borough has been Labour-led since 2014 when it was won from a Conservative administration which had been in power for eight years.
It’s only tightened its grip since then – but what do residents think are the key issues that need sorting out, in order to secure their vote?
See our full guide: London elections 2026 – everything you need to know
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) went out to ask that very question and was told of concerns ranging from the condition of housing to crime ahead of the vote. Among the issues that came up repeatedly were parking and transport.
On the White City Estate, just north of Shepherd’s Bush and an area of particularly high levels of deprivation, the cost of parking came up on several occasions.
Kenneth Lansiquot, 74, said parking, alongside any council tax rises, did worry him. He said: “Because you have to pay. Everybody has to pay so much just to park.”
Nihayat Abdullah, 40, reiterated concerns about not only the cost but the distance she often has to park from her home.
“If you ask me [what’s wrong with this estate], I say everything. The parking,” she told the LDRS. “If you ask me about the estate I say, it’s a very old building.”
She added: “My building has a lot of disabled people and old people who have to go downstairs. And there’s a problem with the parking spaces.”
Stella Strong, 65, said she has lived on the estate for more than 40 years. Asked what will impact her vote, she said: “To be honest a lot of [the issues] they are addressing anyway. Because they sorted out all of our repairs and they are really good at coming straight out, which they never used to.”
She added the council has made the area “look really pleasant to live in”, though she would like a more visible security presence.
Another long-time local resident, Della Rozycka, who lives just off the estate, was clear about what she hopes a future administration will deliver.
“Services for the vulnerable. Services for the poor in the community. Community services. We’ve got to build community, that’s really important.”
‘Voting for the betterment of everyone’
In South Fulham, by Wandsworth Bridge Road, one issue dominated those the LDRS spoke to: the condition of the highway.
Top of the list were concerns about a series of parklets and planters installed by the council about 19 months ago. Louise Connell, 67, said she would vote “because of these annoying parklets on Wandsworth Bridge Road, and the traffic”.
Alison Franks, 45, also told the LDRS the condition of the road “is a huge problem”.
She said: “All the small businesses here are suffering. Two roads down you’ve got no cars whatsoever…so this situation will definitely [impact] who I’m going to vote [for].”
Ms Franks added funding for young people locally will also be a major issue for her when she enters the voting booth.
“Just having some sort of funding put into the area for youth clubs, there’s nowhere for children to go. When I was a kid – I’m born and bred here, lived here all of my life, I’ve seen the changes – there were so many things and places for me to go as a kid, it was a fantastic place.
“And now it’s so sad to see that the Tory Government for those 13 years just cut, cut, cut, and now there’s literally nothing left. So I will be voting for the betterment of everyone in the area.”
By Fulham Broadway, Lily, who has recently graduated from university, was quick to mention the rising cost of journeying across the city.
“Transport, buses and the Tube, they keep getting threatened to get closed down,” she said. “I can’t afford it anymore.”
Teresa Preston, 70, has lived in Hammersmith for 43 years. However she said she is thinking of moving elsewhere, partly due to concerns over local crime.
Ms Preston, who is disabled and uses a mobility scooter, said: “The key thing is the thieves that smash the cars in on the road, coming round my house, going through my gates. It’s not the first time they’ve come through my gates.”
Back towards Shepherd’s Bush, Wullie Struthers, who said he is “over 60”, struck an even more downbeat tone.
“I don’t pay any attention to any political party’s manifesto, because I don’t trust them,” he said. “I think they’re all f***ing liars, and I believe local elections don’t have any importance. I might like a local councillor because he’s got a view that I’m akin to, but I don’t like the general party.”
The local elections are to be held on May 7. You can see the full list of candidates in Hammersmith and Fulham in our dedicated article, broken down by ward, and a summary of the key promises in each local party’s manifesto.
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