Canterbury City Council elections are on 6 May 2027, on 24 new wards with 40 councillors. Comment on the proposed polling stations by 9am on 24 November.
Canterbury City Council’s next elections will be held on Thursday 6 May 2027, and the council has started choosing where people will vote. It has published a proposed polling station for every part of the district and wants comments by 9am on Tuesday 24 November.
The council says on its polling district review page that “due to the pause in local government reorganisation, elections to Canterbury City Council must now take place on 6 May 2027.” The consultation opened on 27 October.
That settles a question we left open in September. Under the government’s July plan, May 2027 would have elected a new East Kent Council instead. That plan was paused on 7 September, and the city council now says its own election goes ahead.
New wards for the first time since 2015
The 2027 election is the first on new ward boundaries. The Canterbury (Electoral Changes) Order 2025 abolishes the existing wards and divides the district into 24 wards. It takes effect at the 2027 election.
The current council has 39 councillors elected from 21 wards, under arrangements dating from 2014, according to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England. The council’s spreadsheet for the review gives the new council 40 councillors:
- one ward, Gorrell in Whitstable, elects three
- 14 wards elect two
- nine wards elect one
Some names are new. Herne and Broomfield and West Bay disappear, and Hampton, Herne Village, Hersden with Westbere, St Martin’s and Wantsum appear. Chestfield becomes Chestfield and South Tankerton.
| Ward | Councillors | Electors now |
|---|---|---|
| Barton | 2 | 4,056 |
| Beltinge | 2 | 6,011 |
| Blean Forest | 2 | 6,416 |
| Chartham & Stone Street | 2 | 5,075 |
| Chestfield & South Tankerton | 2 | 5,781 |
| Gorrell | 3 | 8,593 |
| Greenhill | 2 | 4,788 |
| Hampton | 2 | 6,392 |
| Herne Village | 2 | 4,936 |
| Heron | 2 | 5,827 |
| Hersden with Westbere | 1 | 1,998 |
| Little Stour & Adisham | 1 | 3,326 |
| Nailbourne | 1 | 3,194 |
| Northgate | 1 | 3,690 |
| Reculver | 1 | 2,434 |
| Seasalter | 2 | 6,232 |
| St Martin’s | 2 | 5,690 |
| St Stephen’s | 2 | 6,526 |
| Sturry | 2 | 4,986 |
| Swalecliffe | 1 | 3,204 |
| Tankerton | 1 | 3,135 |
| Wantsum | 1 | 3,143 |
| Westgate | 1 | 3,394 |
| Wincheap | 2 | 5,333 |
The elector figures are from the council’s spreadsheet and reflect the current register, 114,160 electors in all. The boundary commission drew the wards on forecasts, so the current figures are not the ones the boundaries were designed around.
What the council is proposing for polling stations
The spreadsheet splits the 24 wards into 95 polling districts, served by 74 different buildings. Most are church halls, village halls and schools. You can download the spreadsheet or use the interactive map on the consultation page to find yours.
The council has flagged three problems itself:
- Windsor House, Belmont Road, Whitstable (Gorrell, two polling districts) will not be available in May 2027 because of building works. The council suggests Whitstable Football Club, used at previous elections, instead.
- St Peter’s Church House, Cromwell Road, Whitstable (Gorrell) has closed and may not be available. The council suggests Whitstable Football Club again, as a double station.
- Herne Bay Sports Hub, Parkland Road would become a double station serving Greenhill (North) and Eddington and Stillwater Park in Heron ward. The council notes that the hub sits outside Heron ward, though it is close for voters.
The council is especially keen to hear from disabled residents, from people with experience of accessibility, and from groups that represent them. It asks anyone who objects to a building to suggest an alternative and say why it would suit better.
What happens next
- 9am, Tuesday 24 November 2026: comments close.
- 15 December 2026: the General Purposes Committee considers final proposals.
- 14 January 2027: recommendations go to Full Council.
- 1 February 2027: the electoral register is republished to reflect the new wards.
- 6 May 2027: polling day.
Parish elections may not happen the same day
A separate council consultation proposes to move parish and town council elections from May 2027 to May 2028. The council says that would let changes from its community governance review take effect in 2028 rather than 2031. No decision has been made. Comments on that proposal close at 9am on Thursday 19 November, through the parish election timing page. We covered the review’s proposals for parishes such as Chestfield and Swalecliffe in our report on stage 2.
What it means for you
- Check your polling station. If the proposed building is hard to reach, has steps, or is further than you would walk, say so now. Full Council decides on 14 January.
- Email your comments to electoral.services@canterbury.gov.uk before 9am on 24 November.
- Your ward may have changed. The new register on 1 February 2027 will show which ward you vote in. Make sure you are registered at your current address; the annual canvass is the easiest way to check.
- Whitstable voters in Gorrell should expect to see Whitstable Football Club on their poll card if the alternatives go ahead.
Have your say