2023 West Suffolk District Council election

The 2023 West Suffolk District Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of West Suffolk District Council in Suffolk, England.[2] This was on the same day as other local elections in England.

2023 West Suffolk District Council election

← 2019 4 May 2023 (2023-05-04) 2027 →

All 64 seats to West Suffolk District Council
33 seats needed for a majority
Turnout30.4%
  First party Second party Third party
  Blank Blank Blank
Leader John Griffiths[1] Diane Hind
Party Conservative Labour Independent
Last election 36 seats, 48.2% 5 seats, 18.3% 15 seats, 19.7%
Seats before 37 4 13[a]
Seats won 26 17 10
Seat change Decrease 10 Increase 12 Decrease 5
Popular vote 23,997 16,523 5,082
Percentage 44.1% 30.4% 9.3%
Swing Decrease 4.1% Increase 12.4% Decrease 10.4%

  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
  Blank Blank Blank
Party WSI Green Liberal Democrats
Last election 7 seats, 6.1% 1 seat, 2.1% 0 seats, 3.1%
Seats before 6 1 0
Seats won 9 1 1
Seat change Increase 2 Steady Increase 1
Popular vote 4,307 2,266 1,649
Percentage 7.9% 4.2% 3.0%
Swing Increase 1.4% Increase 2.1% Decrease 0.1%

Winner of each seat at the 2023 West Suffolk District Council election

Leader before election

John Griffiths
Conservative

Leader after election

Cliff Waterman
Labour
No overall control

Summary

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The council had been under Conservative majority control prior to the election. After the election the Conservatives remained the largest group, but lost their majority. A coalition of Labour, the West Suffolk Independents, Liberal Democrats, Greens and independent councillors formed after the election, with Labour councillor Cliff Waterman being appointed the new leader of the council at the subsequent annual council meeting on 23 May 2023.[3][4]

Election result

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2023 West Suffolk District Council election
Party Candidates Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative 58 26 2 12   10 40.6 44.1 23,997 –4.1
  Labour 41 17 12 0   12 26.6 30.4 16,523 +12.1
  Independent 19 10 3 8   5 15.6 9.3 5,082 –10.4
  West Suffolk Independents 12 9 3 1   2 14.1 7.9 4,307 +1.8
  Green 6 1 0 0   1.6 4.2 2,266 +2.1
  Liberal Democrats 6 1 1 0   1 1.6 3.0 1,649 –0.1
  Reform UK 2 0 0 0   0.0 0.9 470 N/A
  Communist 1 0 0 0   0.0 0.1 74 N/A

Ward results

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The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by West Suffolk District Council following the close of nominations on 5 April 2023.[5] The results for each ward were as follows, with an asterisk (*) indicating an incumbent councillor standing for re-election:[6][7]

Abbeygate

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Abbeygate (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Julia Wakelam* 796 54.7 +9.1
Conservative Jo Rayner* 575 39.5 +1.5
Labour Nicola Iannelli-Popham 515 35.4 +7.5
Labour Anabelle Mackenzie 433 29.8 N/A
Communist Darren Turner 74 5.1 N/A
Turnout 1,455 40.0 +3.0
Registered electors 3,635
Green hold
Conservative hold

Bardwell

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Bardwell
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Andrew Smith* Unopposed
Registered electors
Conservative hold

Barningham

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Barningham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Carol Bull* 529 66.7 N/A
Labour Alexander Callum 264 33.3 N/A
Majority 265 33.4 N/A
Turnout 804 37.6 N/A
Registered electors 2,139
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Barrow

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Barrow
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Houlder* 350 47.9 N/A
Labour Theo Williams 192 26.3 N/A
Liberal Democrats Zigurds Kronbergs 189 25.9 N/A
Majority 158 21.6 N/A
Turnout 736 36.2 N/A
Registered electors 2,036
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Brandon Central

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Brandon Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
WSI Jools Savage 290 58.9 +0.6
Conservative Tony Simmons 202 41.1 +22.9
Majority 88 17.8 –22.3
Turnout 499 22.6 –0.1
Registered electors 2,208
WSI hold Swing  11.2

Brandon East

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Brandon East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
WSI Phil Wittam* 275 48.5 +17.2
Conservative Christine Mason 154 27.2 –3.0
Independent Susan Smith 138 24.3 N/A
Majority 121 21.3 +20.2
Turnout 570 26.1 –0.3
Registered electors 2,181
WSI hold Swing  10.1

Brandon West

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Brandon West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
WSI Victor Lukaniuk* 310 57.2 +10.5
Conservative David Palmer* 232 42.8 +20.4
Majority 78 14.4 –1.4
Turnout 551 24.7 –1.4
Registered electors 2,227
WSI hold Swing  5.0

Chedburgh & Chevington

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Chedburgh & Chevington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mike Chester* Unopposed
Registered electors
Conservative hold

Clare, Hundon & Kedington

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Clare, Hundon & Kedington (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nick Clarke 1,381 71.6 N/A
Conservative Karen Richardson* 1,226 63.6 +20.3
Conservative Marion Rushbrook* 1,226 63.6 +15.4
Reform UK Robin Turbefield 354 18.4 N/A
Turnout 1,928 31.7 –6.7
Registered electors 6,087
Conservative gain from Independent
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Eastgate

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Eastgate
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Cliff Waterman* 415 63.8 +30.2
Conservative Zachary Bastiani 235 36.2 +3.0
Majority 180 27.6 +27.2
Turnout 663 38.4 +0.4
Registered electors 1,729
Labour hold Swing  13.6

Exning

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Exning
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Jon London 413 64.9 N/A
Conservative Terry Wood 223 35.1 N/A
Majority 190 29.8 N/A
Turnout 639 37.1 N/A
Registered electors 1,723
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing N/A

Haverhill Central

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Haverhill Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Aaron Luccarini* 229 38.2 –2.1
Labour Mary Martin 221 36.9 +10.1
Conservative Heike Sowa 149 24.9 –8.0
Majority 8 1.3 –6.1
Turnout 603 25.1 –0.8
Registered electors 2,401
Independent hold Swing  6.1

Haverhill East

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Haverhill East (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Pat Hanlon* 303 53.5 +16.1
Labour Lora Miller-Jones 279 49.3 +19.2
Independent John Burns* 222 39.2 –1.5
Conservative Abbey Khawaja 160 28.3 –6.0
Turnout 566 19.8 –2.3
Registered electors 2,863
Labour hold
Labour gain from Independent

Haverhill North

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Haverhill North (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Paul Firman 462 47.8 N/A
Conservative Joe Mason* 422 43.6 +2.4
Labour Quinn Cox 412 42.6 +18.2
Conservative Lisa Mason 362 37.4 –7.2
Turnout 967 26.7 –2.6
Registered electors 3,621
Independent gain from Conservative
Conservative hold

Haverhill South

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Haverhill South (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour David Smith* 383 53.0 +19.3
Labour Liz Smith 353 48.8 +16.0
Independent Jason Crooks* 352 48.7 +10.6
Turnout 723 16.9 –1.9
Registered electors 4,276
Labour hold
Labour gain from Independent

Haverhill South East

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Haverhill South East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Tony Brown* 363 72.0 +16.0
Labour Roger Andre 141 28.0 +11.8
Majority 222 44.0
Turnout 517 28.5
Registered electors 1,815
Independent hold Swing  2.1

Haverhill West

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Haverhill West (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Andrew Martin 455 41.6 +4.7
Conservative Margaret Marks* 421 38.5 –6.8
Labour Damian Page 413 37.8 +6.7
Conservative David Roach* 358 32.8 –9.8
Independent Bruce Davidson 335 30.6 N/A
Turnout 1,093 25.7
Registered electors 4,249
Labour gain from Conservative
Conservative hold

Horringer

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Horringer
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Karen Soons 418 49.8 –19.1
Green Mark Ereira-Guyer 249 29.7 N/A
Labour Quentin Cornish 172 20.5 –10.6
Majority 169 20.1
Turnout 843 40.7
Registered electors 2,074
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Iceni

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Iceni (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
WSI Dawn Dicker* 354 47.5 +0.8
Conservative Andy Drummond 240 32.2 +3.7
Green Simon Morse 231 31.0 +8.6
Labour Keith Holland 227 30.4 +17.4
WSI Lee Anderson 201 26.9 –5.5
Turnout 746 19.1
Registered electors 3,917
WSI hold
Conservative gain from WSI

Ixworth

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Ixworth
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Griffiths* 242 39.2 N/A
Independent Ben Lord 211 34.1 N/A
Labour Helen Vicat 165 26.7 N/A
Majority 31 5.1 N/A
Turnout 622 36.4 N/A
Registered electors 1,710
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Kentford & Moulton

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Kentford & Moulton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
WSI Roger Dicker* 517 57.4 –0.7
Conservative Bobby Bennett 216 31.1 +3.3
Labour Hilary Appleton 167 11.6 –2.5
Majority 301 26.3
Turnout 906 39.9
Registered electors 2,269
WSI hold Swing  2.0

Lakenheath

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Lakenheath (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Gerald Kelly 660 55.5 N/A
Independent Tracy Whitehand 606 50.9 N/A
Conservative Stephen Frost* 453 38.1 –7.7
Conservative Colin Noble 379 31.8 –5.6
Turnout 1,190 29.5
Registered electors 4,034
Independent gain from Conservative
Independent hold

Manor

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Manor
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
WSI Dave Taylor 355 50.9 N/A
Conservative Brian Harvey* 342 49.1 N/A
Majority 13 1.8 N/A
Turnout 706 34.4 N/A
Registered electors 2,050
WSI gain from Conservative Swing N/A

Mildenhall Great Heath

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Mildenhall Great Heath
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Richard Alecock* 362 68.4 +2.1
Conservative Russell Leaman 79 31.6 –2.1
Majority 283 36.8
Turnout 444 21.8
Registered electors 2,037
Independent hold Swing  10.6

Mildenhall Kingsway & Market

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Mildenhall Kingsway & Market
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Ian Shipp* 382 61.0 –1.3
Conservative Melanie Thielker 114 30.5 +2.5
Labour Patrick Finn 96 8.5 –1.2
Majority 268 30.5
Turnout 592 28.1
Registered electors 2,107
Independent hold Swing  1.9

Mildenhall Queensway

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Mildenhall Queensway
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Andy Neal* Unopposed
Registered electors
Independent hold

Minden

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Minden (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Donna Higgins 831 49.6 +17.6
Labour Richard O'Driscoll 744 44.4 +14.2
Conservative Robert Everitt* 602 36.0 –4.8
Conservative Chris Turner 482 28.8 –7.0
Liberal Democrats Helen Korfanty 320 19.1 –8.8
Liberal Democrats Robert Pinsker 192 11.5 –14.4
Turnout 1,674 40.0
Registered electors 4,188
Labour gain from Conservative
Labour gain from Conservative

Moreton Hall

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Moreton Hall (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Peter Armitage 810 46.3 +25.0
Labour Rowena Lindberg 797 45.6 N/A
Conservative Birgitte Mager* 781 44.7 +17.2
Labour Umor Haque 757 43.3 N/A
Conservative Peter Thompson* 716 40.9 –0.4
Conservative Derrick Maher 711 40.7 N/A
Turnout 1,749 30.5
Registered electors 5,735
Labour gain from Independent
Labour gain from Independent
Conservative hold

Newmarket East

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Newmarket East (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Sue Perry 358 35.8 +13.6
Conservative Rachel Hood* 317 30.5 –7.1
Liberal Democrats Jonny Edge 309 29.8 +17.6
Conservative Robert Nobbs* 306 29.5 –6.4
WSI Jonathan Richer 292 28.1 +0.4
Independent Tom Kerby 245 23.6 N/A
Turnout 1,038 25.5
Registered electors 4,070
Labour gain from Conservative
Conservative hold

Newmarket North

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Newmarket North (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
WSI Michael Anderson* 483 53.4 +7.0
Labour Janne Jarvis 347 38.4 +16.0
Conservative Chris Burton 313 34.6 –3.4
WSI Paula Stainton 290 32.1 –1.1
Turnout 904 25.0
Registered electors 3,614
WSI hold
Labour gain from Conservative

Newmarket West

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Newmarket West (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Kevin Yarrow 475 48.1 +12.5
Conservative Charlie Lynch 377 38.2 –10.8
Conservative Chloe Pitts 364 36.8 –1.5
Green Caroline Warn 343 34.7 N/A
Reform UK Adrian Whittle 116 11.7 N/A
Turnout 988 26.5
Registered electors 3,734
Labour gain from Conservative
Conservative hold

Pakenham & Troston

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Pakenham & Troston
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Andrew Speed 310 53.4 N/A
Labour Shirley Stephenson 271 46.6 N/A
Majority 39 6.8 N/A
Turnout 592 31.6 N/A
Registered electors 1,875
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Risby

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Risby
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Susan Glossop* 506 64.0 –9.0
Labour Peter Appleton 285 36.0 +9.0
Majority 221 28.0
Turnout 805 35.6
Registered electors 2,264
Conservative hold Swing  9.0

Rougham

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Rougham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sara Mildmay-White* 455 66.1 –8.1
Labour Ian Cullen 233 33.9 +8.1
Majority 222 32.2
Turnout 705 38.1
Registered electors 1,850
Conservative hold Swing  8.1

Southgate

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Southgate (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Patrick Chung* 705 55.4 –17.5
Conservative Sarah Stamp 615 48.3 –9.9
Labour Judith Moore 388 30.5 –2.3
Green Chris Dexter-Mills 339 26.7 N/A
Labour Cheryl Godber 329 25.9 N/A
Turnout 1,272 41.1
Registered electors 3,095
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Stanton

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Stanton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Jim Thorndyke* Unopposed
Registered electors
Independent gain from Conservative

St Olaves

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St Olaves (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Luke Halpin 511 51.1 +15.3
Independent Frank Stennett 440 44.0 N/A
Labour Mike Smith 418 41.8 N/A
Conservative Tom Murray 219 21.9 –11.1
Conservative James Cockram 166 16.6 N/A
Turnout 1,000 24.0
Registered electors 4,161
Labour hold
Independent hold

The Fornhams & Great Barton

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The Fornhams & Great Barton (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Beccy Hopfensperger* 765 53.2 –18.4
Conservative Sarah Broughton* 719 50.0 –17.6
Labour Bruce Martin 383 26.6 –0.1
Green Jonathan King 308 21.4 N/A
Labour Brendan Moore 278 19.3 N/A
Liberal Democrats John Derry 226 15.7 N/A
Turnout 1,438 44.5
Registered electors 3,233
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

The Rows

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The Rows (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
WSI Mick Bradshaw 470 50.2 N/A
WSI Don Waldron* 470 50.2 N/A
Conservative Lance Stanbury 420 44.8 +15.6
Conservative Jordon Millward 378 40.3 +2.0
Turnout 937 24.4
Registered electors 3,836
WSI gain from Independent
WSI gain from Independent

Tollgate

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Tollgate (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Diane Hind* 740 65.5 +22.9
Labour Marilyn Sayer 701 62.0 N/A
Conservative Mark Winter 354 31.3 –0.5
Conservative Daniel Sillett 350 31.0 N/A
Turnout 1,130 27.1
Registered electors 4,174
Labour hold
Labour gain from Independent

Westgate

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Westgate (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Augustine* 785 53.0 –5.3
Conservative Richard Rout* 751 50.7 –13.6
Labour Paul McGoochan 674 45.5 +7.4
Turnout 1,481 39.2
Registered electors 3,782
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Whepstead & Wickhambrook

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Whepstead & Wickhambrook
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sarah Pugh 516 67.5 –12.7
Labour Robert Sanderson 248 32.5 +12.7
Majority 268 35.0
Turnout 771 37.1
Registered electors 2,077
Conservative hold Swing  12.6

Withersfield

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Withersfield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Indy Wijenayaka 339 45.9 N/A
Conservative Peter Stevens* 325 44.0 N/A
Independent Peter Lord 75 10.1 N/A
Majority 14 1.9 N/A
Turnout 744 40.6 N/A
Registered electors 1,833
Labour gain from Conservative Swing N/A

References

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  1. ^ Of the 13 independent councillors on the council before the election, 12 formed the "Independent Group", led by Ian Shipp
  1. ^ "Your councillors by party". West Suffolk Council. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  2. ^ "Current vacancies and elections". West Suffolk District Council. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  3. ^ Green, Tamika (25 May 2023). "Bury St Edmunds councillor Cliff Waterman on 'exciting' new era for West Suffolk Council after being elected coalition leader". Suffolk News. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  4. ^ Sinclair, Andrew (24 May 2023). "West Suffolk: Alliance formed to stop Tories running council". BBC News. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  5. ^ "District Council election notices". West Suffolk District Council. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  6. ^ "West Suffolk Council election results 4 May 2023". West Suffolk Council. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  7. ^ Middleton, Siobhan (5 May 2023). "Suffolk local elections 2023: live coverage from election counts across the county". Suffolk News. Retrieved 7 January 2024.