2023 Colchester City Council election

The 2023 Colchester City Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Colchester City Council in Essex, England.[1] This was on the same day as other local elections across England. There were 17 of the 51 seats on the council up for election, being the usual third of the council, with one seat available for each ward. This set of seats were last contested at the 2019 election.

2023 Colchester City Council election
4 May 2023 (2023-05-04)
17 out of 51 seats to Colchester City Council
26 seats needed for a majority
Turnout31.0% (Decrease1.1%)
  First party Second party
  Blank Blank
Leader Darius Laws Martin Goss
Party Conservative Liberal Democrats
Last election 19 seats, 34.5% 13 seats, 28.2%
Seats before 19 15
Seats won 6 6
Seats after 19 15
Seat change Steady Steady
Popular vote 13,216 13,116
Percentage 30.5% 30.3%
Swing Decrease 4.0% Increase 1.2%
  Third party Fourth party
  Blank Blank
Leader Chris Pearson Mark Goacher
Party Labour Green
Last election 14 seats, 29.1% 3 seats, 8.3%
Seats before 15 2
Seats won 4 1
Seats after 15 2
Seat change Steady Steady
Popular vote 10,610 4,412
Percentage 24.5% 10.2%
Swing Decrease 3.7% Increase 1.9%
Results map of the 2023 Colchester City Council election
Leader before election

David King
Liberal Democrats
No overall control

 Leader after election

David King
Liberal Democrats
No overall control

Prior to the election the council was under no overall control, being run by a Liberal Democrat, Labour and Green coalition. No seats changed party at the election, but after the election the coalition broke down and a minority Liberal Democrat administration formed instead.

Overview

Following the last election in 2022 a Liberal Democrat, Labour and Green coalition had formed to replace the previous Conservative and independent coalition.[2] David King (Mile End), a Liberal Democrat, was subsequently elected leader of the council, replacing Paul Dundas (Stanway) of the Conservatives, who had lost his seat. A new Cabinet was formed consisting of four Liberal Democrats, three Labour, and one Green Party member.

No seats changed party at the 2023 election and so the council remained under no overall control. However, immediately after the election the coalition broke up when the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party directed that the Labour group could only stay in the coalition if a Labour leader of the council was appointed, which the other parties did not agree to. At the subsequent annual council meeting on 24 May 2023 a Liberal Democrat minority administration formed instead, still led by David King. The Labour and Green groups voted in support of the minority administration forming.[3]

Although there were no changes in seats, the Conservatives and Labour both lost vote share compared to 2022, with the Liberal Democrats - who came only 100 votes behind the Conservatives in the overall popular vote - and Green Party both making modest advances.

In the marginal wards of Shrub End and Highwoods, the Liberal Democrats held off strong challenges from Labour, whilst the Conservatives held the formerly safe seat of Prettygate over the Liberal Democrat challenger by less than 1%.

Former Conservative leader Paul Dundas, who had lost his seat in 2022, was re-elected to the council and was reappointed as Conservative group leader in place of Darius Laws.[4] The Labour group also changed its leader after the election, with Julie Young replacing Chris Pearson.[5]

Timeline

2022
  • May 30: Martin Leatherdale (Lexden & Braiswick) leaves the Conservative group to sit as an Independent before resigning several days later, triggering a by-election.[6][7]
  • July 28: A by-election is held in Lexden & Braiswick. Sara Naylor is elected for the Conservatives.[8]
  • September 28: Mark Goacher (Castle) leaves the Green group to sit as an Independent.[9][10]
  • October 20: Independent councillors Gerard Oxford (Highwoods) and Beverly Oxford (Highwoods) resign, triggering a double by-election.[11][12][13]
  • November 24: Colchester is granted City status, with Colchester Borough Council changing its name to Colchester City Council.[14]
  • December 8: A double by-election is held in Highwoods. Catherine Bickersteth (Labour) and Alison Jay (Liberal Democrats) are elected.
  • December 15: Steph Nissen (Castle), the leader of the Green group on the council, leaves the Green Party and defects to Labour. The same day, former Green and sitting Independent, Mark Goacher (Castle), announced he would rejoin the Green group that he had left several months previously.[15] He subsequently becomes leader of the Green group.

2023
  • March 2: Deputy Leader of the Council and Labour group leader, Adam Fox (Old Heath & The Hythe), announces his intention to resign as Labour group leader and stand down as a councillor when his term expires in May 2023.[16]
  • March 8: Chris Pearson (Berechurch) is elected as Labour group leader.[17]
  • March 27: Notice of election published.
  • April 4: Candidate nominations close at 4pm.
  • April 5: Statement of Persons Nominated released.
  • April 17: Deadline to register to vote.
  • April 18: Deadline to register for a postal vote.
  • April 24: Deadline to register for a proxy vote.
  • May 4: Date of election. Polling stations open between 7am and 10pm.

Summary

Candidates by party
Conservative Party (17/17)





Labour Party (17/17)





Liberal Democrats (17/17)





Green Party (17/17)





Reform UK (4/17)





Independent (3/17)





Election result
2023 Colchester City Council election
Party This election Full council This election
Seats Net Seats % Other Total Total % Votes Votes % +/−
  Conservative 6 Steady 35.3 13 19 37.3 13,216 30.5 –4.0
  Liberal Democrats 6 Steady 35.3 9 15 29.4 13,116 30.3 +1.2
  Labour 4 Steady 23.5 11 15 29.4 10,610 24.5 –3.7
  Green 1 Steady 5.9 2 2 3.9 4,412 10.2 +1.9
  Independent 0 Steady 0.0 0 0 0.0 1,368 3.2 N/A
  Reform UK 0 Steady 0.0 0 0 0.0 568 1.3 N/A

Incumbents
Ward Incumbent councillor Party Re-standing
Berechurch Chris Pearson Labour Yes
Castle Mark Goacher Green Yes
Greenstead Tim Young Labour Yes
Highwoods Alison Jay[lower-alpha 1] Liberal Democrats Yes
Lexden & Braiswick Lewis Barber Conservative Yes
Marks Tey & Layer Andrew Ellis Conservative Yes
Mersea & Pyefleet Patricia Moore Conservative No
Mile End Phil Coleman Liberal Democrats No
New Town & Christ Church Sam McLean[lower-alpha 2] Labour Co-op Yes
Old Heath & The Hythe Adam Fox Labour Co-op No
Prettygate Leigh Tate[lower-alpha 3] Conservative Yes
Rural North Nigel Chapman Conservative No
Shrub End Sam McCarthy Liberal Democrats Yes
St. Anne's & St. John's Helen Chuah Liberal Democrats No
Stanway Lesley Scott-Boutell Liberal Democrats Yes
Tiptree Barbara Wood Conservative No
Wivenhoe Mark Cory Liberal Democrats Yes

Ward results

The Statement of Persons Nominated details the candidates standing in each ward. It was released on 5 April 2023.[18]

Incumbent councillors are marked with an asterisk *

Berechurch
Berechurch ward
Berechurch
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Chris Pearson* 1,234 66.1 –3.2
Conservative Amir Anbouche 292 15.6 –4.1
Liberal Democrats Simon Collis 171 9.2 +3.0
Green John Clifton 99 5.3 +0.5
Reform UK Diane Baker 71 3.8 N/A
Majority 942 50.5 +0.9
Turnout 1,867 25.4 –2.4
Registered electors 7,347
Labour hold Swing Increase0.5

Castle
Castle ward
Castle
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Mark Goacher* 1,374 50.4 +0.2
Conservative Simon Crow 655 24.0 –4.1
Labour Charlie Jasper 492 18.0 +5.3
Liberal Democrats Martin Gillingham 206 7.6 –1.4
Majority 719 26.4 +4.3
Turnout 2,727 33.4 –2.1
Registered electors 8,163
Green hold Swing Increase2.2

Greenstead
Greenstead ward
Greenstead
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Tim Young* 1,128 59.3 +0.2
Conservative David Crees 356 18.7 –6.6
Liberal Democrats Chantelle-Louise Whyborn 199 10.5 +1.4
Green Lisa Cross 124 6.5 ±0.0
Reform UK Kevin Blair 94 4.9 N/A
Majority 772 40.6 +8.6
Turnout 1,901 17.0 –1.2
Registered electors 11,195
Labour hold Swing Increase3.4

Highwoods
Highwoods ward
Highwoods
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Alison Jay* 1,029 46.5 +25.2
Labour Pauline Bacon 722 32.7 –8.1
Conservative David Linghorn-Baker 375 17.0 –20.9
Green Ryan Meadows 85 3.8 N/A
Majority 307 13.8 N/A
Turnout 2,211 30.2 +1.7
Registered electors 7,327
Liberal Democrats hold Swing Increase16.7

Lexden & Braiswick
Lexden & Braiswick ward
Lexden & Braiswick
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Lewis Barber* 1,569 58.1 +6.3
Liberal Democrats Thomas Stevenson 492 18.2 –4.0
Labour Sarah Bruce 380 14.1 –0.8
Green Roger Bamforth 258 9.6 –1.5
Majority 1,077 39.9 +2.6
Turnout 2,699 36.8 –0.5
Registered electors 7,328
Conservative hold Swing

Marks Tey & Layer
Marks Tey & Layer ward
Marks Tey & Layer
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Andrew Ellis* 1,314 54.8 –1.8
Labour John Spademan 517 21.6 +3.1
Liberal Democrats Lydia De-Col 285 11.9 –3.6
Green Amy Sheridan 283 11.8 +2.5
Majority 797 33.2 –4.9
Turnout 2,399 29.3 –1.1
Registered electors 8,195
Conservative hold Swing Decrease2.5

Mersea & Pyefleet
Mersea & Pyefleet ward
Mersea & Pyefleet
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Carl Powling 1,244 40.1 –24.9
Independent John Akker 994 32.0 N/A
Labour William Hayton 306 9.9 –9.6
Liberal Democrats John Knight 202 6.5 –9.0
Reform UK Sophie Preston-Hall 193 6.2 N/A
Green Libby Kirkby-Taylor 163 5.3 N/A
Majority 250 8.1 –25.9
Turnout 3,102 38.9 +4.9
Registered electors 7,980
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Mile End
Mile End ward
Mile End
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Venessa Moffat 1,624 61.2 –5.1
Conservative Phoebe Butcher 435 16.4 +0.7
Labour James Pey 352 13.3 +1.0
Green Amanda Kirke 244 9.2 +3.5
Majority 1,189 44.8 –5.8
Turnout 2,655 27.6 –2.8
Registered electors 9,613
Liberal Democrats hold Swing Decrease2.9

New Town & Christ Church
New Town & Christ Church ward
New Town & Christ Church
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Sam McLean* 1,301 41.9 +1.5
Liberal Democrats Catherine Spindler 990 31.9 +1.6
Conservative Chris Piggott 399 12.9 –3.2
Independent Ian Partridge 208 6.7 N/A
Green Bob Brannan 207 6.7 –6.5
Majority 311 10.0 N/A
Turnout 3,105 32.2 –2.2
Registered electors 9,641
Labour Co-op hold Swing Steady0.0

Old Heath & The Hythe
Old Heath & The Hythe ward
Old Heath & The Hythe
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Fay Smalls 1,383 59.3 –4.9
Conservative Richard Martin 366 15.7 –4.6
Liberal Democrats Shaun Boughton 235 10.1 +3.0
Green Andrew Canessa 181 7.8 –0.5
Independent Jeffrey Drew 166 7.1 N/A
Majority 1,017 43.6 –0.3
Turnout 2,331 26.8 –2.0
Registered electors 8,697
Labour hold Swing Decrease0.2

Prettygate
Prettygate ward
Prettygate
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Leigh Tate* 1,301 42.0 –4.4
Liberal Democrats John Loxley 1,279 41.3 +6.7
Labour Richard Bourne 366 11.8 –1.6
Green Natalie Edgoose 152 4.9 –0.7
Majority 22 0.7 –11.1
Turnout 3,098 39.9 +0.9
Registered electors 7,768
Conservative hold Swing Decrease5.6

Rural North
Rural North ward
Rural North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Thomas Rowe 1,625 55.9 –1.6
Liberal Democrats Karen Maxwell 481 16.5 –0.2
Labour Barbara Nichols 405 13.9 +1.1
Green John Burgess 398 13.7 +0.7
Majority 1,144 39.4 –1.4
Turnout 2,909 34.4 –1.5
Registered electors 8,462
Conservative hold Swing Decrease0.7

Shrub End
Shrub End ward
Shrub End
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Sam McCarthy* 835 39.3 +0.1
Labour Luke Hayes 720 33.9 +4.4
Conservative Angela Linghorn-Baker 455 21.4 –9.9
Green Sara Ruth 117 5.5 N/A
Majority 115 5.4 –2.5
Turnout 2,127 26.0 –0.6
Registered electors 8,182
Liberal Democrats hold Swing Decrease2.2

St. Anne's & St. John's
St. Anne's & St. John's ward
St. Anne's & St. John's
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Natalie Sommers 1,370 53.6 +1.8
Conservative Rowan Knight 681 26.6 –7.9
Labour Abigail Chambers 346 13.5 –0.2
Green Sebastian Dwyer 161 6.3 N/A
Majority 689 27.0 +9.7
Turnout 2,558 31.6 –3.4
Registered electors 8,098
Liberal Democrats hold Swing Increase5.4

Stanway
Stanway ward
Stanway
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Lesley Scott-Boutell* 1,375 59.0 +5.2
Conservative Janice Seabrook 698 30.0 –7.5
Labour Ian Yates 180 7.7 –1.0
Green Pam Nelson 77 3.3 N/A
Majority 677 29.0 +12.7
Turnout 2,330 33.4 –1.6
Registered electors 6,984
Liberal Democrats hold Swing Increase6.4

Tiptree
Tiptree ward
Tiptree
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Paul Dundas 1,329 54.5 –7.1
Labour Elizabeth Holford 419 17.2 –0.8
Liberal Democrats Jennifer Stevens 260 10.7 –2.3
Green Clare Burgess 222 9.1 +1.7
Reform UK Ashley Girling 210 8.6 N/A
Majority 910 37.3 –6.3
Turnout 2,440 32.8 +2.7
Registered electors 7,440
Conservative hold Swing Decrease3.2

Wivenhoe
Wivenhoe ward
Wivenhoe
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Mark Cory* 2,083 73.6 +16.8
Labour Heather Lowe 359 12.7 –19.7
Green Jo Wheatley 267 9.4 +4.3
Conservative Andrew Higginson 122 4.3 –1.4
Majority 1,724 60.9 +36.5
Turnout 2,831 38.6 –5.1
Registered electors 7,341
Liberal Democrats hold Swing Increase18.3

By-elections

Highwoods

A by-election was called following the resignation of Cllr Catherine Bickersteth (Labour).

Highwoods: 21 September 2023
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Simon Appleton 563 39.4 –7.1
Labour Gary Braddy 447 31.3 –1.4
Conservative Paul Smith 418 29.3 +12.3
Majority 116 8.1 –5.7
Turnout 1,428 19.9 –10.3
Registered electors 7,188
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour Swing Decrease4.3

References
  1. "Election timetables for scheduled local government elections in England". The Electoral Commission. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
  2. "Colchester Council to be run by three party coalition". Daniel Rees. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
  3. Dedman, Simon (24 May 2023). "Colchester: Power-sharing ends between Labour and Lib Dems". BBC News. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  4. Adams, Lewis (18 May 2023). "Paul Dundas named leader of Colchester Conservative Group". Daily Gazette and Essex County Standard. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  5. Rees, Daniel (9 May 2023). "Colchester Council coalition to be decided as negotiations begin". Daily Gazette and Essex County Standard. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  6. "Colchester councillor Martin Leatherdale becomes Independent". Viktoria Yordanova. Colchester Gazette. 31 May 2022. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  7. "Colchester councillor confirms resignation just weeks after election". Tom Dalby. Colchester Gazette. 1 June 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  8. "2022 - Lexden and Braiswick Ward election - 28 July". Colchester City Council. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
  9. "Councillor Mark Goacher - Party Representation History". Colchester Borough Council. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
  10. "Colchester Green Mark Goacher steps down from local party". Lewis Adams. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  11. "Gerard and Beverley Oxford resign from Colchester Council". Lewis Adams. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  12. "Councillor vacancy for Highwoods ward". Colchester Borough Council. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  13. "Notice of Election Highwoods". Colchester Borough Council. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  14. "Colchester, Britain's oldest town, becomes its newest city". ITV News. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  15. "Colchester Green Party leader defects and councillor returns". Lewis Adams. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  16. "Deputy leader of Colchester Council Adam Fox to leave role". Elliot Deady. Colchester Gazette. 2 March 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  17. "Colchester City Labour Group unveils new leader". George King. Colchester Gazette. 8 March 2023. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  18. "Statement of Persons Nominated" (PDF). Colchester City Council. Retrieved 5 April 2023.

Notes
  1. Elected at the 2022 Highwoods by-election.
  2. Elected at the 2022 New Town & Christ Church by-election.
  3. Elected at the 2021 Prettygate by-election.
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