2023 Mid Suffolk District Council election
4 May 2023 (2023-05-04)
All 34 seats to Mid Suffolk District Council
18 seats needed for a majority
Turnout36.9%
  First party Second party
  Blank Blank
Leader Andy Mellen Suzie Morley
Party Green Conservative
Last election 12 seats, 34.0% 16 seats, 40.6%
Seats before 12 16
Seats won 24 6
Seat change Increase 12 Decrease 10
Popular vote 23,274 11,457
Percentage 56.8% 28.0%
Swing Increase 22.8% Decrease 12.6%
  Third party Fourth party
  Blank Blank
Leader John Field[1]
Party Liberal Democrats Independent
Last election 5 seats, 17.7% 1 seat, 3.4%
Seats before 5 1
Seats won 4 0
Seat change Decrease 1 Decrease 1
Popular vote 4,451 n/a
Percentage 10.9% n/a
Swing Decrease 6.8% n/a
Winner of each seat at the 2023 Mid Suffolk District Council election
Leader before election

Suzie Morley
Conservative
No overall control

 Leader after election

Andy Mellen
Green

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

Summary

Ahead of the election the council was identified as a target for the Green Party. The council had been under no overall control since the previous election in 2019, and the Conservatives had retained minority control only with the support of the independent councillor and the chair's casting vote. At the 2019 election in the Stowmarket St Peters ward the Conservative candidate had only won by a single vote.[3]

The Green Party launched their local election campaign in Stowmarket on 5 April 2023.[4]

The council has become highly increasingly closely fought in recent years, partly due to local opposition to large-scale housing development and concerns of damage to the rural environment.[5]

The Greens won majority control following the election, and the Conservative leader of the council, Suzie Morley, lost her seat. It was the first time in the Green Party's history that they had taken majority control of a council.[6] The Green group leader, Andy Mellen, was formally appointed leader of the council at the subsequent annual council meeting on 22 May 2023.[7]

Overall result

The overall results were:[8]

2023 Mid Suffolk District Council election
Party Candidates Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Green 29 24 12 0 Increase 12 70.6 56.8 23,274 +22.8
  Conservative 27 6 0 10 Decrease 10 17.6 28.0 11,457 –12.6
  Liberal Democrats 13 4 0 1 Decrease 1 11.8 10.9 4,451 –6.8
  Labour 8 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 3.6 1,490 –0.3
  Reform UK 2 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 0.7 303 New

Ward results

The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by Mid Suffolk District Council following the close of nominations on 5 April 2023.[9] The results were as follows, with an asterisk (*) indicating an incumbent councillor standing for re-election.[10][11]

Bacton

Bacton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Andy Mellen* 745 75.5 +10.6
Conservative John Davie-Thornhill 207 21.0 –14.1
Liberal Democrats David Appleton 35 3.5 N/A
Majority 538 54.5 +24.5
Turnout 992 42.8 +5.6
Registered electors 2,317
Green hold Swing Increase12.5

Battisford and Ringshall

Battisford & Ringshall
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Dan Pratt* 608 68.6 +11.5
Conservative David Whybrow 226 25.5 –17.4
Liberal Democrats David Payne 52 5.9 N/A
Majority 382 43.1 +39.1
Turnout 888 35.8 +4.3
Registered electors 2,482
Green hold Swing Increase14.5

Blakenham

Blakenham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Adrienne Marriott 434 55.5 +3.8
Conservative Steven Wells 348 44.5 +15.9
Majority 86 9.0 –14.1
Turnout 792 26.8 –1.4
Registered electors 2,956
Liberal Democrats hold Swing Decrease6.0

Bramford

Bramford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Caston* 395 54.3 –3.3
Green Emma Buckmaster 201 27.6 N/A
Liberal Democrats Attila Borzak 132 18.1 –24.3
Majority 194 27.0 +11.8
Turnout 732 34.3 +3.1
Registered electors 2,134
Conservative hold Swing Decrease3.3

Chilton (Stowmarket)

Chilton (Stowmarket) (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Terence Carter* 1,062 71.7 +23.4
Green David Napier 998 67.4 N/A
Conservative Vikash Mantha 426 28.8 –19.9
Turnout 1,481 30.1 +4.6
Registered electors 4,923
Green gain from Conservative
Green hold

Claydon and Barham

Claydon & Barham (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green David Penny 708 42.9 +2.8
Conservative John Whitehead* 654 39.6 –13.8
Green Benjamin MacKinnon 624 37.8 N/A
Conservative Nick Gowrley 572 34.6 –16.5
Liberal Democrats Martin Wheatley 223 13.5 –17.0
Labour Terence Wilson 185 11.2 N/A
Liberal Democrats David Poulson 144 8.7 N/A
Turnout 1,651 35.3 +4.3
Registered electors 4,682
Green gain from Conservative
Conservative hold

Combs Ford (Stowmarket)

Combs Ford (Stowmarket) (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Keith Scarff* 1,059 70.1 +31.6
Green Miles Row 1,029 68.1 +37.4
Conservative Kieren Lathangue-Clayton 672 44.5 +13.8
Reform UK David Card 250 16.5 N/A
Turnout 1,511 32.5 +2.0
Registered electors 4,648
Liberal Democrats hold
Green gain from Independent

Debenham

Debenham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Teresa Davis 684 61.9 N/A
Conservative Henry Dobell 421 38.1 –32.0
Majority 263 23.8 N/A
Turnout 1,108 45.0 +8.0
Registered electors 2,463
Green gain from Conservative

Elmswell and Woolpit

Elmswell & Woolpit (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Sarah Mansel* 1,583 76.7 +17.1
Green Jen Overett 1,358 65.8 +11.0
Conservative Jason Duggan 623 30.2 –12.4
Turnout 2,065 37.2 +2.2
Registered electors 5,558
Green hold
Green hold

Eye

Eye
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Lucy Elkin 693 70.2 N/A
Conservative Kev Crispin 294 29.8 –23.1
Majority 399 40.0 N/A
Turnout 995 44.2
Registered electors 2,249
Green gain from Conservative

Fressingfield

Fressingfield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Lavinia Hadingham* 546 51.5 –3.3
Green Colin MacKinnon 515 48.5 +26.7
Majority 31 3.0 –30.0
Turnout 1,071 44.7 +4.5
Registered electors 2,397
Conservative hold Swing Decrease15.0

Gislingham

Gislingham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Rowland Warboys* 792 71.5 +22.7
Conservative Anne-Marie Hogan 315 28.5 –12.1
Majority 477 43.0 +34.6
Turnout 1,122 42.8 +1.8
Registered electors 2,622
Green hold Swing Increase17.4

Haughley, Stowupland and Wetherden

Haughley, Stowupland & Wetherden (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Rachel Eburne* 1,407 80.2 +2.0
Green Janet Pearson 1,210 69.0 –4.2
Conservative Lesley Canham 425 24.2 +4.9
Turnout 1,754 36.0 –4.0
Registered electors 4,866
Green hold
Green hold

Hoxne and Worlingworth

Hoxne & Worlingworth
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Matthew Hicks* 509 51.2 –7.7
Green Charlie Meyer 287 28.9 +8.8
Liberal Democrats Steve Card 97 9.8 –2.1
Labour Stephen Nixon 92 9.3 +0.2
Majority 222 22.3 –15.2
Turnout 994 42.6 +1.9
Registered electors 2,334
Conservative hold Swing Decrease8.3

Mendlesham

Mendlesham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Andrew Stringer* 816 79.1 +7.1
Conservative Paul Allen 215 20.8 –7.2
Majority 601 58.2 +14.4
Turnout 1,032 41.6 –7.9
Registered electors 2,479
Green hold Swing +7.1

Needham Market

Needham Market (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Ross Piper 943 53.2 N/A
Liberal Democrats Terry Lawrence 673 37.9 –25.6
Liberal Democrats Sylvie Watson 636 35.9 –24.4
Conservative Kay Oakes 564 31.8 –1.3
Turnout 1,774 34.4 +6.2
Registered electors 5,160
Green gain from Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats hold

Onehouse

Onehouse
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green John Matthissen* 534 58.6 +3.0
Conservative James Spencer 283 31.0 +1.6
Labour Rob Davies 87 9.5 N/A
Majority 251 27.5 +1.7
Turnout 912 39.3 +0.9
Registered electors 2,318
Green hold Swing Increase0.7

Palgrave

Palgrave
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Tim Weller 536 51.9 +10.0
Conservative Tim Passmore 444 43.0 –15.1
Reform UK Evan Heasley 53 5.1 N/A
Majority 92 9.0 N/A
Turnout 1,034 43.8 +5.4
Registered electors 2,360
Green gain from Conservative Swing Increase12.6

Rattlesden

Rattlesden
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Nicky Willshere 694 65.4 +2.0
Conservative Stephen Gerrish 351 33.1 +7.4
Majority 343 32.3 +5.0
Turnout 1,061 42.5 +1.6
Registered electors 2,497
Liberal Democrats hold Swing Decrease2.7

Rickinghall

Rickinghall
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gilly Morgan 466 53.0 -9.4
Labour Bob Caley 395 44.9 +7.3
Majority 71 8.1 -15.6
Turnout 879 36.7 +1.4
Registered electors 2396
Conservative hold Swing -9.4

St Peters (Stowmarket)

St Peters (Stowmarket)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Ollie Walters 589 73.7 N/A
Conservative Richard Stevens 210 26.3 –23.8
Majority 379 47.4 N/A
Turnout 808 35.5 +9.7
Registered electors 2,275
Green gain from Conservative

Stonham

Stonham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Nicholas Hardingham 615 59.5 +26.5
Conservative Suzie Morley* 419 40.5 –3.5
Majority 196 19.0 N/A
Turnout 1,045 45.2 +5.4
Registered electors 2,313
Green gain from Conservative Swing Increase15.0

Stow Thorney (Stowmarket)

Stow Thorney (Stowmarket) (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Colin Lay 662 59.3 +14.0
Green James Patchett 525 47.0 N/A
Conservative Steve Runciman 359 32.2 -19.6
Labour Will Howman 280 25.1 -0.9
Turnout 1116 26.5 +4.5
Registered electors 4209
Green gain from Conservative
Green hold

Stadbroke and Laxfield

Stadbroke & Laxfield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anders Linder 441 46.7 -21.5
Green Gemma Whitehouse 263 27.9 N/A
Labour Paul Theaker 155 16.4 N/A
Liberal Democrats James Fawcett 82 8.7 -30.1
Majority 178 18.9 -16.0
Turnout 944 37.1 -1.7
Registered electors 2546
Conservative hold Swing Decrease21.5

Thurston

Thurston (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green David Bradbury 1,288 34.7 -10.9
Green Austin Davies* 1,224 33.0 +5.7
Conservative Harry Richardson* 716 19.3 -20.1
Liberal Democrats Oliver Hurdwell 190 5.1 -7.7
Labour Philip Cockell 164 4.4 -4.1
Labour Jean Staff 132 3.6
Turnout 3714 40.6
Registered electors 5,193
Green hold
Green gain from Conservative

Walsham-le-Willows

Walsham-le-Willows
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Richard Winch 775 68.5 +43.7
Conservative Philippa Wilding 356 31.5 -19.3
Majority 419 37.0
Turnout 1140 42.7
Registered electors 2672
Green gain from Conservative Swing

References

  1. ↑ Middleton, Siobhan (24 April 2023). "Suffolk local elections 2023: The Liberal Democrats set out their stall". Suffolk News. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  2. ↑ "Notice of Election" (PDF). Mid Suffolk District Council. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  3. ↑ Geater, Paul (12 April 2023). "Is Mid Suffolk about to turn Green in council election?". Ipswich Star. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  4. ↑ Walker, Peter (2023-04-05). "Greens launch local elections campaign with pledge to push for rent controls". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
  5. ↑ "Local elections 2023: Greens eye first council win in former Tory heartland". BBC News. 2023-04-18. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
  6. ↑ Irwin, Vikki; Cooper, Pete (5 May 2023). "Local elections 2023: Greens secure victory in Mid Suffolk". BBC News. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  7. ↑ Nicholl, Kaia (23 May 2023). "New Mid Suffolk District Council leader Andy Mellen outlines priorities and promises 'a greener and more sustainable direction'". Suffolk News. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  8. ↑ "Mid Suffolk result – Local Elections 2023". BBC News. Retrieved 2023-05-05.
  9. ↑ "STATEMENT OF PERSONS NOMINATED, NOTICE OF POLL & SITUATION OF POLLING STATIONS" (PDF). Mid Suffolk District Council. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  10. ↑ "Councillors for Mid Suffolk District". Mid Suffolk District Council. Archived from the original on 4 April 2023. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  11. ↑ "Declaration of result of poll". Mid Suffolk District Council. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
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