The Green Party has successfully held the Castle ward seat on Lancaster City Council following the by-election held on Thursday 21st May 2026.

The by-election was triggered after Green councillor Isabella Metcalf-Riener resigned her seat after moving away from the Lancaster district for work reasons.

Full Castle Ward By-Election Result

Green Party candidate Will Farley secured a commanding victory, comfortably ahead of Labour, Reform UK and the Liberal Democrats.

Results

  • Will Farley (Green Party) – 845 votes
  • Will Evans (Labour Party) – 190 votes
  • Marco Wright (Reform UK) – 132 votes
  • Malcolm Allan Martin (Liberal Democrats) – 41 votes

The Green Party won around 70% of the vote, strengthening its position in one of Lancaster’s strongest Green wards.

Turnout

Voter turnout for the Castle ward by-election was reported at 24.75%.

Although turnout was relatively low compared to full council elections, the result still represented a decisive endorsement for the Green Party locally.

The Candidates

Four candidates stood in the by-election:

  • Will Farley – Green Party
  • Will Evans – Labour Party
  • Marco Wright – Reform UK
  • Malcolm Allan Martin – Liberal Democrats

The election used the first-past-the-post voting system, with voters selecting one preferred candidate.

Why The Result Matters

The result will be viewed as another strong performance for the Green Party in Lancaster, where the party has built significant local support in recent years.

Castle ward has increasingly become a Green stronghold, with voters again backing the party by a substantial margin.

Labour finished second but trailed far behind the winning candidate, while Reform UK secured third place and continued its push to establish a presence in local elections across Lancashire.

The Liberal Democrats finished fourth with a small share of the vote.

Background To The By-Election

The vacancy arose after former councillor Isabella Metcalf-Riener stepped down from the council following a move away from the Lancaster area.

During the campaign, Green Party candidate Will Farley said he wanted to “stand up for local democracy, defend public services and protect our green spaces”.

The result means the Green Party retains representation in Castle ward and further strengthens its influence within Lancaster politics.