2023 Babergh District Council election
4 May 2023 (2023-05-04)
All 32 seats to Babergh District Council
17 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
  Blank Blank Blank
Leader Leigh Jamieson Simon Barrett
Party Green Independent Conservative
Last election 4 seats, 23.3% 8 seats, 19.5% 15 seats, 34.8%
Seats before 4 14[lower-alpha 1] 10
Seats won 10 9 7
Seat change Increase 6 Increase 1 Decrease 8
Popular vote 11,116 5,671 8,610
Percentage 31.1% 15.9% 24.1%
Swing Increase 7.8% Decrease 3.6% Decrease 10.7%
  Fourth party Fifth party
  Blank Blank
Leader Sue Carpendale
Party Liberal Democrats Labour
Last election 3 seats, 10.3% 2 seats, 9.6%
Seats before 3 1
Seats won 5 1
Seat change Increase 2 Decrease 1
Popular vote 5,645 4,680
Percentage 15.8% 13.1%
Swing Increase 5.5% Increase 3.5%
Winner of each seat at the 2023 Babergh District Council election
Leader before election

John Ward
Independent
No overall control

 Leader after election

David Busby
Liberal Democrat
No overall control

The 2023 Babergh District Council election was held on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Babergh District Council in Suffolk, England.[1] This was on the same day as other local elections.

Summary

Prior to the election the council was under no overall control, being run by a coalition of independents, Greens, Liberal Democrats and Labour, led by independent councillor John Ward who had been initially appointed as a Conservative before leaving the party in 2022.[2][3]

All parties, excluding the Conservatives, stood increased numbers of candidates since the 2019 election. The number of Labour and Liberal Democrat candidates doubled and the Green Party stood a full-slate for the first time at a Babergh District Council election. In contrast to the other parties, the number of Conservative candidates substantially declined, with several former councillors opting to stand as Independents.

The council remained under no overall control, with the Greens emerging as the largest party.[4] Conservative group leader Simon Barrett lost his seat.[5] Conversely, Deputy Council Leader and Independent Group Leader Clive Arthey was heavily defeated in Lavenham, which the Conservatives targeted hard, thus culminating in their only gain of the election.

A coalition of the Greens, independents and Liberal Democrats formed after the election with an agreement that leadership would rotate between the groups across the four years to the next election, with Liberal Democrat councillor David Busby being leader for the first year, Green councillor Deborah Saw leading for the second and fourth years and independent councillor John Ward leading for the third year.[6][7]

Overall results

2023 Babergh District Council election
Party Candidates Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Green 32 10 7 1 Increase 6 31.3 31.1 11,116 +7.8
  Independent 13 9 3 1 Increase 1 28.1 15.9 5,671 –3.6
  Conservative 21 7 1 9 Decrease 8 21.9 24.1 8,610 –10.7
  Liberal Democrats 23 5 2 0 Increase 2 15.6 15.8 5,645 +5.5
  Labour 22 1 0 1 Decrease 1 3.1 13.1 4,680 +3.5

Ward results

The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by Babergh District Council following the close of nominations on 5 April 2023.[8] The results for each ward were as follows, with an asterisk (*) indicating an incumbent councillor standing for re-election.[5][9][10]

Assington

Assington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Lee Parker 452 49.8 N/A
Conservative Richard Sunderland 341 37.6 +4.5
Green Amy Aylett 115 12.7 –4.7
Majority 111 12.2 N/A
Turnout 917 41.0 +1.6
Registered electors 2,237
Liberal Democrats gain from Independent Swing N/A

Box Vale

Box Vale
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Bryn Hurren* 684 64.0 –16.1
Conservative Fred Topham 180 16.8 –3.1
Green Theresa Munson 154 14.4 N/A
Labour Rupert Perry 51 4.8 N/A
Majority 504 47.2 –13.9
Turnout 1,071 46.3 –1.5
Registered electors 2,313
Liberal Democrats hold Swing Decrease6.5

Brantham

Brantham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Alastair McCraw* 560 77.7 –8.2
Green Miriam Burns 101 14.0 +7.0
Labour Steven Hunter 60 8.3 N/A
Majority 459 63.7 –15.1
Turnout 721 33.9 –7.0
Registered electors 2,127
Independent hold Swing Decrease7.9

Brett Vale

Brett Vale
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent John Ward* 457 39.7 N/A
Conservative Shaun Davis 352 30.6 –16.2
Green Peter Lynn 158 13.7 –6.2
Labour Lindsay Francis 102 8.9 N/A
Liberal Democrats Benjamin Herbig 81 7.0 N/A
Majority 105 9.1 N/A
Turnout 1,151 43.7 +2.9
Registered electors 2,636
Independent gain from Conservative Swing N/A

Bures St Mary & Nayland

Bures St Mary & Nayland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Isabelle Reece 369 39.8 –13.4
Green Patrick McKenna 319 34.4 –12.4
Liberal Democrats Rain Welham-Cobb 165 17.8 N/A
Labour Julian Freeman 73 7.9 N/A
Majority 50 5.4 –1.0
Turnout 932 41.6 +7.4
Registered electors 2,242
Conservative hold Swing Increase0.5

Capel St Mary

Capel St Mary
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats John Whyman 635 79.0 –0.1
Green Andrew Iredale Jaswal 169 21.0 N/A
Majority 466 58.0 –0.2
Turnout 821 31.4 –6.2
Registered electors 2,616
Liberal Democrats hold Swing N/A

Chadacre

Chadacre (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Michael Holt* 748 46.5 –5.6
Independent Stephen Plumb* 712 44.3 –21.3
Green Ralph Carpenter 541 33.6 +8.8
Green Polly Rodger-Brown 314 19.5 –2.1
Labour Matthew Marshall 278 17.3 N/A
Liberal Democrats Cheryl Schmidt 203 12.6 N/A
Turnout 1,609 33.4 +2.1
Registered electors 4,824
Conservative hold
Independent hold

Copdock & Washbrook

Copdock & Washbrook
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats David Busby* 591 56.4 –5.0
Conservative Christopher Hudson 309 29.5 –9.1
Green Karen Marshall 147 14.0 N/A
Majority 282 26.9 +4.1
Turnout 1,061 39.8 ±0.0
Registered electors 2,663
Liberal Democrats hold Swing Increase2.1

East Bergholt

East Bergholt
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Sallie Davies 546 52.7 +27.0
Independent John Hinton* 253 24.4 –20.0
Conservative Stephen Williams 141 13.6 –16.4
Labour Adrian James 74 7.1 N/A
Liberal Democrats Lauren De Banks 22 2.1 N/A
Majority 293 28.3 N/A
Turnout 1,044 46.5 +5.6
Registered electors 2,243
Green gain from Independent Swing Increase23.5

Ganges

Ganges
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Derek Davis* 310 45.9 –25.0
Conservative Shane Rolin 190 28.1 +14.1
Green Shazz Kennedy 67 9.9 +1.7
Labour Simon Whitney 63 9.3 N/A
Liberal Democrats Paul Woodcraft 45 6.7 –0.1
Majority 120 17.8 –39.1
Turnout 676 34.1 –7.9
Registered electors 1,982
Independent hold Swing Decrease19.6

Great Cornard

Great Cornard (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Ruth Hendry 694 35.4 +14.6
Conservative Mark Newman* 660 33.7 –4.5
Conservative Peter Beer* 658 33.6 –5.7
Conservative Judith Wilson 627 32.0 –3.8
Labour Emma Bishton 545 27.8 –3.1
Labour Kevin Graham 542 27.6 –0.6
Labour Tom Keane 450 22.9 –3.0
Green Melanie Boyce 438 22.3 +5.0
Green Heather James 396 20.2 +4.0
Liberal Democrats Marjorie Bark 387 19.7 +5.5
Turnout 1,961 27.4 +2.0
Registered electors 7,152
Green gain from Conservative
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Hadleigh North

Hadleigh North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Simon Dowling 230 33.8 +13.8
Conservative Sian Dawson* 199 29.3 –6.7
Independent Gordon McLeod 101 14.9 N/A
Liberal Democrats David Butcher 80 11.8 –10.5
Labour Andy Kennedy 70 10.3 –11.5
Majority 31 4.5 N/A
Turnout 686 30.3 –2.2
Registered electors 2,266
Green gain from Conservative Swing Increase10.3

Hadleigh South

Hadleigh South (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Jane Carruthers 539 40.4 +16.2
Independent Kathryn Grandon* 498 37.3 –17.5
Green Alex Parvu 483 36.2 +20.1
Conservative Alan Ferguson 418 31.3 +2.6
Liberal Democrats Duncan Read 250 18.7 N/A
Labour Mark Heath 171 12.8 –8.8
Turnout 1,334 30.1 –3.9
Registered electors 4,435
Green gain from Conservative
Independent hold

Lavenham

Lavenham (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Margaret Maybury* 966 52.7 +6.8
Conservative Paul Clover 844 46.1 +7.6
Independent Clive Arthey* 376 20.5 –22.9
Liberal Democrats Nigel Adam 363 19.8 N/A
Green Shaun Moffat 355 19.4 –14.0
Green Steve Nuttall 256 14.0 N/A
Labour Andrew Worpole 242 13.2 N/A
Turnout 1,832 40.7 +1.6
Registered electors 4,499
Conservative hold
Conservative gain from Independent

Long Melford

Long Melford (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent John Nunn* 1,069 65.2 –11.2
Independent Liz Malvisi* 571 34.8 N/A
Conservative Melanie Barrett 399 23.4 –13.1
Green Fae Gilfillan 279 17.0 –5.9
Labour Michael Fitzmaurice 228 13.9 N/A
Green Michael Chapman 201 12.3 ±0.0
Liberal Democrats Alan Scott 124 7.6 N/A
Turnout 1,639 32.8 –3.6
Registered electors 4,993
Independent hold
Independent gain from Conservative

North West Cosford

North West Cosford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Deborah Saw 630 82.9 +12.3
Liberal Democrats Mark Whyman 130 17.1 N/A
Majority 500 65.8 +24.6
Turnout 804 36.8 –8.8
Registered electors 2,187
Green hold Swing N/A

Orwell

Orwell
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Daniel Potter 509 63.4 –9.0
Liberal Democrats Chris Janes 191 23.8 N/A
Labour Keith Wade 103 12.8 N/A
Majority 318 39.6 –6.1
Turnout 824 38.7 –6.1
Registered electors 2,129
Green hold Swing N/A

South East Cosford

South East Cosford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Leigh Jamieson* 811 88.9
Liberal Democrats Rebecca Simpson 101 11.1 +11.1
Majority
Turnout
Registered electors
Green hold Swing

Sproughton & Pinewood

Sproughton & Pinewood (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Helen Davies 496 41.3 N/A
Conservative Brian Riley 474 39.4 +2.6
Green Mary Cook 327 27.2 –4.4
Labour Mary Manuel 237 19.7 –11.9
Labour Graham Manuel 223 18.6 N/A
Green John Lyall 176 14.6 N/A
Turnout 1,202 26.6 +2.5
Registered electors 4,511
Liberal Democrats gain from Green
Conservative hold

Stour

Stour
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Mary McLaren* 448 46.0 N/A
Green Carrie Wheeler 216 22.2 +5.0
Liberal Democrats James Gilchrist 194 19.9 –4.1
Labour Tracy De Bernhardt Wood 116 11.9 N/A
Majority 232 23.8 N/A
Turnout 980 40.4 –0.1
Registered electors 2,428
Independent gain from Conservative Swing N/A

Sudbury North East

Sudbury North East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Alison Owen* 176 37.7 +1.3
Independent Jan Osborne 129 27.6 N/A
Conservative Simon Barrett 79 16.9 –9.2
Green Julie Fowles-Smith 48 10.3 –1.8
Liberal Democrats Gareth Evans 35 7.5 N/A
Majority 47 10.1 –0.2
Turnout 472 23.4 –2.1
Registered electors 2,013
Labour Co-op hold Swing N/A

Sudbury North West

Sudbury North West (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Jessie Carter 800 55.7 +38.1
Green Tim Regester 537 37.4 +23.9
Conservative Nicholas Younger 348 24.3 –9.1
Liberal Democrats Nigel Bennett 312 21.7 –3.0
Labour Adrian Stohr 272 19.0 –11.3
Labour Matthew Olyver 265 18.5 –4.7
Turnout 1,435 34.6 +3.8
Registered electors 4,142
Green gain from Conservative
Green gain from Labour

Sudbury South East

Sudbury South East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Adrian Osborne* 187 28.3 N/A
Labour Co-op David Finnigan 172 26.0 –8.1
Green Debo Adams 136 20.6 +7.8
Conservative Portia Berry-Kilby 117 17.7 –24.5
Liberal Democrats Martin Bark 49 7.4 –3.5
Majority 15 2.3 N/A
Turnout 662 34.6 +3.8
Registered electors 1,911
Independent gain from Conservative Swing N/A

Sudbury South West

Sudbury South West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Laura Smith 414 50.1 +38.4
Conservative Jacqueline Rawlinson 191 23.1 –12.5
Labour Luke Cresswell 167 20.2 –7.7
Liberal Democrats Andrew Welsh 55 6.7 –6.8
Majority 223 27.0 N/A
Turnout 841 38.0 +3.2
Registered electors 2,215
Green gain from Conservative Swing Increase25.5

References

  1. ↑ Of the fourteen independent councillors prior to the election, ten formed the "Independent" group led by Clive Arthey and four formed the "Independent Conservative" group led by John Ward.
  1. ↑ "NOTICE OF ELECTION" (PDF). Babergh District Council. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  2. ↑ "Public document pack, 25 May 2022" (PDF). Babergh District Council. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  3. ↑ Davis, Derek (27 April 2022). "New Babergh rainbow cabinet revealed after Tories split". Shotley Peninsula Nub News. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  4. ↑ "Babergh election result". BBC News. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  5. 1 2 Geater, Paul (5 May 2023). "Greens advance in Babergh but district remains hung". Ipswich Star. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  6. ↑ "Council minutes, 23 May 2023". Babergh District Council. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  7. ↑ Malina, Thomas (2 June 2023). "New coalition cabinet appointed at Babergh District Council". Suffolk News. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  8. ↑ "Statement of Persons Nominated" (PDF). Babergh District Council. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  9. ↑ "Councillors for Babergh District". Babergh District Council. Archived from the original on 4 April 2023. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  10. ↑ "Declaration of result of poll". Babergh District Council. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
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