Following the local elections on Thursday 1 May 2025, we have created a quick Gloucestershire-focused briefing to help VCSE leaders understand what’s changed and what might come next for our sector.  

Election Results in Gloucestershire

In Gloucestershire, the Liberal Democrats have become the largest party on Gloucestershire County Council having taken a total of 27 seats - one short of the 28 needed to gain overall control of the council. 

Reform UK is now the second largest party on the council with 11 seats, with the Green Party third with nine seats. The Conservatives are reduced to six with Labour also losing seats and are now down to just one councillor, and there is one Independent Councillor. Councillors will look to form a cabinet at next week’s AGM on the 21 May. 

The Liberal Democrats have previously supported policies that align with early intervention, mental health, community wellbeing, and localism. Their presence may offer renewed opportunities for co-production and partnership with the VCSE sector. 

In contrast, Reform UK’s platform is more focused on reducing public expenditure and the size of the state. Their increased presence could shape debates around public service priorities and the future of non-statutory funding. 

The Green Party also made gains and is likely to influence discussions around environmental policy, sustainability, and climate action - areas in which VCSE organisations often play a key role.

With a more politically diverse council, the next phase of decision-making may require greater collaboration across party lines. While this could lead to more inclusive and deliberative policymaking, it is also likely to introduce complexity and differing views on priorities, pace, and process.

Key Issues and Potential VCSE Sector Impact

Reform UK’s presence in Gloucestershire County Council - while not dominant - may influence council debates, especially on budget scrutiny. As with national messaging, early signs suggest focus areas could include:

• Challenges to equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) funding or initiatives.
• Opposition to climate action policies, including net zero targets.
• Increased scrutiny of council expenditure, potentially affecting grants or partnership funding.

Locally, we also expect continued efforts to:

• Reorganise or review local government structures in anticipation of devolution and local government reform.
• Prioritise economic recovery and regeneration initiatives that may open opportunities for VCSE collaboration.
• Explore changes to public sector commissioning - making the VCSE case for ‘local first’ more important than ever.

Strategic Considerations for Gloucestershire’s VCSE sector

1. Strengthen ‘Local First’ Advocacy - reinforce messaging about the value of locally based, trusted VCSE organisations. 
2. Build Cross-Sector Relationships - with political leadership more fragmented, VCSE organisations may need to work harder to build influence across party lines and at both district and county levels.
3. Demonstrate Impact and Efficiency - in a context of tight budgets and increased scrutiny, clear outcomes and strong performance evidence will be crucial to sustaining funding and partnership roles.
4. A More Complex Policy Landscape - with no overall control and a wide range of political views represented, the council may face challenges in maintaining a clear and consistent direction. This could result in uncertainty or delays in decision-making, especially around budgets and long-term planning.

Looking Ahead

This election marks the start of a new political cycle in Gloucestershire. The next key milestones will include:

• Potential devolution developments, depending on national policy direction.
• Further mayoral elections elsewhere in the South West, which could set a precedent for future regional governance arrangements.
• We will continue monitoring developments and working with partners to ensure the VCSE sector’s voice is heard locally.

If you have insight, intelligence or case studies you’d like to share, please get in touch—we want to reflect the whole sector's voice as changes unfold. You can contact us by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Warm regards,
Matt Lennard (CEO)

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