2023 Brighton and Hove City Council election

Last updated

2023 Brighton and Hove City Council election
  2019 4 May 20232027 

All 54 council seats on Brighton and Hove City Council
28 seats needed for a majority
 First partySecond partyThird party
 
Party Labour Green Conservative
Last election20 seats, 32.5%19 seats, 34.1%14 seats, 21.0%
Seats before162011
Seats won3876
Seat changeIncrease2.svg18Decrease2.svg12Decrease2.svg8

 Fourth partyFifth party
 
Party Brighton and Hove Independents Independent
Last electionNew party1 seat, 1.6%
Seats before07
Seats won21
Seat changeIncrease2.svg2Steady2.svg

2023 Brighton City Council Election Map.svg
2023 Brighton City Council Election Map

Leader before election

Phélim Mac Cafferty
Green
No overall control

Leader after election

Bella Sankey
Labour

The 2023 Brighton and Hove City Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Brighton and Hove City Council, England. This was at the same time as other local elections in England. Due to a boundary review, there was a change in ward boundaries, but the city council continued to comprise 54 members. [1]

Contents

The council had been under no overall control prior to the election, being run by a Green minority administration led by Phélim Mac Cafferty. At this election Labour gained several extra seats to win an overall majority, whilst the Greens lost several seats, including Mac Cafferty's.

Background

Results map of the 2019 election Brighton and Hove City Council election 2019 map.svg
Results map of the 2019 election

The outcome of the 2019 election in the city saw the Labour Party form a minority administration, with support from the Green Party of England and Wales. This shifted following resignations and expulsions of councillors from the Labour Party, leading to the Green Party forming a minority administration instead, with their leader Phélim Mac Cafferty being appointed leader of the council in July 2020. [2]

In 2022, the selection process in the major parties and political groupings in Brighton began. Of the 16 Labour councillors, 7 announced that they were standing down at the next election. This included the co-leaders of the Labour group, Carmen Appich and John Allcock, and previous leaders Nancy Platts and Daniel Yates. [3]

In 2022, the Local Government Boundary Commission for England undertook a review of ward boundaries in the city. Following the review, there were 23 wards across the council, an increase of two, and only five wards remained the same. The overall number of seats on the council stayed the same at 54. [1]

At the 2023 election Labour won a majority on the council for the first time since 1999. [4] After the election, with the previous Labour leaders having not stood for re-election, the party selected Bella Sankey to be its new leader. [5] She was formally appointed leader of the council at the subsequent annual council meeting on 25 May 2023. [6]

Summary

Pre-election composition

20
16
11
7
PartySeats
Green Party of England and Wales20
Labour Party16
Conservative Party11
Independents7

Election result

|-

2023 Brighton and Hove City Council election
PartyCandidatesSeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Labour 5438180+1870.446.485,185+11.8
  Green 547012-1213.026.548,570-10.0
  Conservative 50608-811.116.530,301-9.4
 Brighton and Hove Independents921013.74.27,779N/A
  Liberal Democrats 3000000.03.46,319-0.4
  Independent 1311011.92.24,067+0.3
  TUSC 800000.00.5922N/A
  UKIP 300000.00.1173-0.9
  Reform UK 100000.00.1127N/A

Ward results

[7]

Phélim Mac Cafferty and Hannah Allbrooke were sitting councillors for Brunswick and Adelaide ward.

Brunswick and Adelaide

Brunswick and Adelaide (2)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Co-op Jilly Stevens 1,141 39.3
Labour Co-op Andrei Czolak 1,047 36.0
Green Hannah Allbrooke*1,04135.8
Green Phélim Mac Cafferty*90131.0
Brighton and Hove Independents Chris Woodley55018.9
IndependentDave Hall2669.2
Conservative Richard Latham2037.0
Conservative Keith Sharpe1625.6
Liberal Democrats Claire Lachlan1545.3
TUSC David Maples792.7
Turnout 2,905
Labour win (new boundaries)
Labour win (new boundaries)

Central Hove

Central Hove (2)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Co-op Emma Daniel 1,832 54.6
Labour Co-op Joy Robinson 1,710 50.9
Green Helen Dixon98829.4
Green Christopher Hawtree73021.7
Conservative Peter Goodman41912.5
Conservative Mark Watson39211.7
Liberal Democrats David Sears1935.7
IndependentNigel Furness1604.8
TUSC Glenn Kelly932.8
Turnout 3,358
Labour win (new boundaries)
Labour win (new boundaries)

Coldean and Stanmer

Coldean and Stanmer (2)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Mitchie Alexander 688 46.7
Labour Tobias Sheard 510 34.6
Independent Kate Knight37325.3
Green Laura Pizzolo36825.0
Green Martin Farley35223.9
Conservative Roz Rawcliffe18612.6
Liberal Democrats Jack Moxley1208.2
TUSC Penelope Iveson765.2
Liberal Democrats Martin Wooller594.0
Turnout 1,472
Labour win (new boundaries)
Labour win (new boundaries)

Goldsmid

Jackie O'Quinn was a sitting councillor for Goldsmid ward

Goldsmid (3)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Birgit Miller 2,426 51.2
Labour Jackie O'Quinn* 2 421 51.1
Labour Trevor Muten 2,261 47.7
Green Rebecca Duffy1,36928.9
Green Ollie Sykes1,21125.5
Green Alexander Louis Sallons1,08522.9
Conservative Edward de Souza49810.5
Brighton and Hove Independents Linda Elisha49010.3
Conservative David Lewis48110.1
Conservative Mike Long4569.6
Liberal Democrats Andrew England3507.4
Liberal Democrats Paul Chandler3427.2
Liberal Democrats Owen Sharp2745.8
Turnout 4,741
Labour win (new boundaries)
Labour win (new boundaries)
Labour win (new boundaries)

Hangleton and Knoll

Hangleton and Knoll (3)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Co-op John Hewitt 2,501 52.5
Labour Co-op Amanda Grimshaw 2,490 52.2
Labour Co-op Faiza Baghoth 2,435 51.1
Conservative Dawn Barnett*1,90640.0
Conservative Nick Lewry*1,62934.2
Conservative Tim Hodges1,58233.2
Green Sarah Fitzgerald3607.6
Green Andrew Coleman2385.0
Independent Jamie Gillespie2114.4
Green Nigel Tart1693.5
Reform UK Ian Harris1272.7
Turnout 4,767
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Hanover and Elm Grove

Steph Powell was a sitting councillor for Hanover & Elm Grove ward

Hanover and Elm Grove (3)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Tim Rowkins 2,484 48.0
Labour Ty Galvin 2 453 47.4
Labour Maureen Winder 2,273 43.9
Green Fiona Wright2,06239.8
Green Wai Lee1,99938.6
Green Steph Powell*1,88736.4
Brighton and Hove IndependentsBev Barstow74014.3
Independent Laura King3586.9
Conservative Susan Ellerton1893.7
Liberal Democrats Laura Mullin1613.1
Conservative Kenneth Mills1522.9
Liberal Democrats Samantha Waugh1392.7
Conservative Wayne Sturt1122.2
Turnout 5,178
Labour gain from Green Swing
Labour gain from Green Swing
Labour gain from Green Swing

Hollingdean and Fiveways

Siriol Hugh-Jones was a sitting councillor for Preston Park ward, Zoe John and Theresa Fowler in Hollingdean and Stanmer and Jamie Lloyd in Withdean.

Hollingdean and Fiveways (3)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Theresa Fowler* 2,770 51.0
Labour Mohammed Asaduzzaman 2,643 48.7
Labour Bruno de Oliveira 2,540 46.8
Green Zoë John*2,05937.9
Green Siriol Hugh-Jones*2,04937.7
Green Jamie Lloyd*1,67430.8
Conservative Peter Revell3676.8
Liberal Democrats Ashley Ridley3386.2
Conservative Lesley Wilson3286.0
Conservative Janice Bates3215.9
IndependentGary Jones3065.6
TUSC Megan Churchland1673.1
UKIP Daniel Goodhand1082.0
Turnout 5,431
Labour win (new boundaries)
Labour win (new boundaries)
Labour win (new boundaries)

Kemptown

Kemptown (2)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Bharti Gajjar 1,794 50.7
Labour Gary Wilkinson 1,643 46.4
Green Lynn-Ora Knott82723.4
Green Ben Simmonds73920.9
Brighton and Hove Independents Alan Towler51414.5
Conservative Josephine O'Carroll3469.8
Conservative Ewan Clinch3439.7
Liberal Democrats Robert Brown3399.6
Liberal Democrats Dominique Hall2547.2
Turnout 3,539
Labour win (new boundaries)
Labour win (new boundaries)

Moulsecoomb and Bevendean

Amanda Evans was a sitting councillor for Queen’s Park ward

Moulsecoomb and Bevendean (3)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Amanda Evans* 2,033 67.1
Labour Ty Goddard 1,882 62.1
Labour Jacob Taylor 1,785 58.9
Green Frances Hunt70323.2
Green Anna Roberts57218.9
Conservative Gemma Powell43414.3
Green Ed Roberts41713.8
TUSC Julie Donovan2779.1
Turnout 3,030
Labour win (new boundaries)
Labour win (new boundaries)
Labour win (new boundaries)

North Portslade

North Portslade (2)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Peter Atkinson* 1,065 42.7
Labour Lucy Helliwell 1,045 41.9
Labour Alice Burton95938.4
Conservative Gary Taylor47319.0
Independent Anne Pissaridou*45918.4
Conservative Kirk Taylor35814.3
Green Debbie Shipton1285.1
Green Mike Dixon883.5
Liberal Democrats Marjorie Leeds873.5
Turnout 2,495
Independent gain from Labour Swing
Labour hold Swing

Patcham and Hollingbury

Patcham and Hollingbury (3)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Alistair McNair* 2,037 38.5
Conservative Anne Meadows* 1,821 34.4
Conservative Carol Theobald* 1,799 34.0
Green Sophie Broadbent1,54429.2
Labour Tyler Bennington-Poulter1,41726.8
Labour Benjamin Kent1,36625.8
Green Norma Fletcher1,35925.7
Labour Elizabeth Wheeler1,35925.7
Green Daniel Rue1,30724.7
Brighton and Hove Independents Paul Denyer79014.9
Liberal Democrats Caroline Brown2955.6
Turnout 5,296
Conservative win (new boundaries)
Conservative win (new boundaries)
Conservative win (new boundaries)

Preston Park

Leo Littman was a sitting councillor for Preston Park ward and Steve Davis was a sitting councillor for Withdean.

Preston Park (3)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Green Steve Davis* 2,162 43.2
Labour Liz Loughran 2,139 42.7
Green Kerry Pickett 2,135 42.6
Green Leo Littman*2,10342.0
Labour Theresa Mackey1,97239.4
Labour David Messent1,72834.5
Conservative Lisa Watson53010.6
Conservative Hugh Robinson4749.5
Conservative Alex Wild4619.2
IndependentJan Turner3947.9
Liberal Democrats Hyder Khalil3817.6
Turnout 5,008
Green win (new boundaries)
Labour win (new boundaries)
Green win (new boundaries)

Queen's Park

Clare Rainey was a sitting councillor for Queen’s Park ward.

Queen's Park (2)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Tristram Burden 1,822 58.4
Labour Chandni Mistry 1,702 54.6
Green Clare Rainey*85627.4
Green Mark Strong68221.9
Brighton and Hove Independents Adrian Hart46715.0
Conservative Martin Kenig2668.5
Liberal Democrats Thomas Osborne1635.2
Turnout 3,119
Labour win (new boundaries)
Labour win (new boundaries)

Regency

Regency (2)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Green Chloë Goldsmith 1,162 41.9
Labour Alison Thomson 920 33.2
Green Ricky Perrin91933.2
Labour Peter Devonport90732.7
Liberal Democrats Lawrence Eke38513.9
Brighton and Hove Independents Gary Farmer36913.3
Liberal Democrats Trevor Freeman31311.3
Conservative Timothy Catt2328.4
Conservative Robert Greenfield1906.9
Turnout 2,771
Green hold Swing
Labour gain from Green Swing

Rottingdean and West Saltdean

Bridget Fishleigh was previously elected as an Independent, but was re-elected as a member of the Brighton and Hove Independents.

Rottingdean and West Saltdean (2)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Brighton and Hove Independents Bridget Fishleigh* 2,266 52.9
Brighton and Hove Independents Mark Earthey 1,593 37.2
Labour Ron White1,29930.3
Labour Carole McIver-Wren1,26829.6
Conservative Daniel Harrison55212.9
Conservative Steven Smith50111.7
Independent Nigel Smith3277.6
Green Carol Bullock2034.7
Green Georgia Wrighton1423.3
Liberal Democrats Caroline Ellis1353.1
TUSC Ronald Reader300.7
Turnout 4,287
Brighton and Hove Independents win (new boundaries)
Brighton and Hove Independents win (new boundaries)

Round Hill

Pete West was a sitting councillor for St Peter’s and North Laine.

Round Hill (2)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Green Pete West* 1,408 52.9
Green Raphael Hill 1,383 52.0
Labour Most Ara1,06139.9
Labour Yassin Hassan92034.6
Liberal Democrats Matthew Davies1676.3
Conservative Tony Meadows1355.1
Conservative Clare Rogers1325.0
Turnout 2,661
Green win (new boundaries)
Green win (new boundaries)

South Portslade

South Portslade (2)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Les Hamilton* 1,767 67.8
Labour Alan Robins* 1,589 61.0
Conservative Steve Harmer-Strange36514.0
Green Sally Cranfield33012.7
Conservative Aijuan Wang29111.2
Liberal Democrats Ken Rist2519.6
Green Danny Booth2168.3
IndependentHelen Dear2047.8
Turnout 2,605
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

West Hill and North Laine

Sue Shanks was a sitting councillor for St Peter’s and North Laine ward.

West Hill and North Laine (2)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Green Ellen McLeay 1,346 51.0
Green Sue Shanks* 1,256 47.6
Labour Tom Chatfield92835.2
Labour John Cooper90534.3
Conservative Katherine Janio2067.8
Conservative Linda Murray1977.5
Liberal Democrats Rob Heale1877.1
Liberal Democrats Anthony Seymour1455.5
Turnout 2,637
Green win (new boundaries)
Green win (new boundaries)

Westbourne and Poets' Corner

Westbourne and Poets' Corner (2)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Co-op Julie Cattell 1,911 56.5
Labour Co-op Leslie Pumm 1,741 51.5
Green Renato Marques74322.0
Green Geoff Shanks69120.4
Conservative Michael Bates44813.3
Conservative Mark Clayton42112.5
IndependentJames Verguson2116.2
Liberal Democrats Geoff Date2086.2
TUSC Dave Hill1113.3
UKIP Patricia Mountain 651.9
Turnout 3,381
Labour win (new boundaries)
Labour win (new boundaries)

Westdene and Hove Park

Samer Bagaeen was a sitting councillor in the former Hove Park ward.

Westdene and Hove Park (3)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Samer Bagaeen* 2,246 41.9
Conservative Emma Hogan 2,237 41.7
Conservative Ivan Lyons 2,181 40.7
Labour Lundy Mackenzie2,08138.8
Labour Warren Morgan2,04038.0
Labour Ben Philipsborn1,88135.1
Green Melanie Poots81915.3
Green Jake Sharpstone60511.3
Green Steve Griffiths58410.9
Liberal Democrats Carolyn Dunn3566.6
Liberal Democrats Andrew Harrison2895.4
Liberal Democrats Simon Jardine2795.2
Turnout 5,363
Conservative win (new boundaries)
Conservative win (new boundaries)
Conservative win (new boundaries)

Whitehawk and Marina

Whitehawk and Marina (2)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour David McGregor 1,366 54.1
Labour Gill Williams 1,330 52.7
Conservative Paul Wood64225.4
Conservative Robb Young60023.8
Green Aditi Bhonagiri38515.2
Green Mat Sunderland2198.7
Liberal Democrats Stewart Stone2068.2
TUSC Bill North893.5
Turnout 2,525
Labour win (new boundaries)
Labour win (new boundaries)

Wish

Wish (2)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Bella Sankey 2,216 65.0
Labour Paul Nann 2,062 60.5
Conservative Benjamin Franks74721.9
Conservative Paul Tanner70520.7
Green Sharon Hamlin2677.8
IndependentGeorgia McKinley-Fitch2096.1
Green Guy Davidson1634.8
Liberal Democrats Stamati Crook1614.7
UKIP John Gartside491.4
Turnout 3,408
Labour win (new boundaries)
Labour win (new boundaries)

Woodingdean

Steve Bell and Dee Simson were sitting councillors for Woodingdean ward.

Woodingdean (2)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Jacob Allen 1,581 50.2
Labour Jacqui Simon 1,551 49.2
Conservative Dee Simson*1,32242.0
Conservative Steve Bell*1,27540.5
Green Geraldine Keenan1625.1
Green Luke Walker1043.3
Liberal Democrats Ian Newman1023.2
Turnout 3,150
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Changes 2023–2027

Affiliation changes

By-Elections

South Portslade by-election 11 January 2024 (resignation of Les Hamilton) [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Josh Guilmant 874 54.6 Decrease2.svg6.0
Conservative Benjamin Franks24615.4Decrease2.svg2.9
Liberal Democrats Kenneth Rist18611.6Increase2.svg3.0
Green Danny Booth1499.3Decrease2.svg2.0
TUSC David Maples533.3N/A
Democratic Liberation PartyGeorgia McKinley-Fitch493.1N/A
Independent Jamie Gillespie442.7N/A
Majority 62839.2
Turnout 1,601
Labour hold Swing
Queen’s Park by-election, 2 May 2024 (resignation of Chandni Mistry) [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Milla Gauge 1,214 46.1 Decrease2.svg12.3
Green Luke Walker76628.4Increase2.svg1.1
Brighton and Hove IndependentsAdrian Hart44916.6Increase2.svg1.6
Conservative Sunny Choudhury1686.2Decrease2.svg2.3
Liberal Democrats Dominique Hall672.4Decrease2.svg2.8
Majority 44816.5
Turnout 2,71839.0
Labour hold Swing
Kemptown ward by-election, 2 May 2024 (resignation of Bharti Gajjar) [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Théresa Mackey 1,382 45.8 Decrease2.svg4.9
Green Ricky Perrin59019.5Decrease2.svg3.9
Liberal Democrats Robert Brown40613.4Increase2.svg3.8
Brighton and Hove IndependentsGary Farmer36912.2Decrease2.svg2.3
Conservative Josephine O’Carroll2227.4Decrease2.svg2.4
Majority 79226.3
Turnout 3,01334.8
Labour hold Swing
Brunswick and Adelaide by-election, 4 July 2024 (resignation of Jilly Stevens) [13] [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Green Ollie Sykes 2,193 42.7
Labour Alice Burton1,87336.4
Brighton and Hove IndependentsChris Woodley58811.4
Liberal Democrats Claire Lachlan3897.6
Independent Jamie Gillespie981.9N/A
Majority
Turnout 65.14
Green gain from Labour Swing
Westbourne & Poets’ Corner by-election, 1 May 2025 (resignation of Leslie Pumm)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Sam Parrott 894 32.5 Decrease2.svg19.2
Green Geoff Shanks68524.9Increase2.svg4.8
Liberal Democrats Michael Wang59821.7Increase2.svg16.1
Reform UK Gary Farmer2589.4N/A
Conservative Tony Meadows1294.7Decrease2.svg8.4
Democratic Liberation PartyGeorgia McKinley-Fitch933.4N/A
Independent (TUSC)David Maple913.3N/A
Independent Keith Jago70.3N/A
Majority 209
Turnout
Labour hold Swing

References

  1. 1 2 Green, Daniel (4 October 2022). "New 'Whitehawk and Marina' ward among council boundary changes". The Argus. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  2. "Greens tipped to run Brighton council after 'anti-Semitic' resignations". BBC News. 22 July 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  3. Frank, le Duc (14 December 2022). "Seven of Labour's 16 councillors to step down at next local elections". Brighton and Hove News. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
  4. Luck, Flaminia (5 May 2023). "Sussex election results 2023". BBC News. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  5. "Brighton's new leader Bella Sankey says city needs some TLC". The Argus. 9 May 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  6. Booker-Lewis, Sarah (30 May 2023). "Brighton and Hove's new leader elected". The Argus. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  7. "Statement of persons nominated and notice of poll - Brighton & Hove Election of City Councillors, Thursday 4 May 2023". Brighton and Hove City Council. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  8. Barlow, Patrick (19 April 2024). "Brighton councillor Samer Bagaeen quits Conservative party". The Argus. Brighton. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  9. Booker-Lewis, Sarah (26 February 2025). "Brighton and Hove Labour councillor resigns from party". The Argus. Brighton. Retrieved 26 February 2025.
  10. "Local Elections Archive Project — South Portslade Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
  11. "Brighton and Hove City Council website — Results of the Kemptown and Queen's Park by-elections". www.brighton-hove.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  12. "Brighton and Hove City Council website — Results of the Kemptown and Queen's Park by-elections". www.brighton-hove.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  13. "Brighton and Hove City Council website — Results of the Kemptown and Queen's Park by-elections". www.brighton-hove.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  14. Le Duc, Frank (5 July 2024). "By-election result: Greens win Brunswick and Adelaide". Brighton and Hove News. Retrieved 7 July 2024.