2023 Darlington Borough Council election

Last updated
2023 Darlington Borough Council election
Flag of County Durham.svg
  2019 4 May 2023 (2023-05-04)2027 

All 50 seats to Darlington Borough Council
26 seats needed for a majority
 First partySecond partyThird party
  No image wide.svg No image wide.svg No image wide.svg
LeaderStephen HarkerJonathan DulstonMatthew Snedker
Party Labour Conservative Green
Last election20 seats, 33.2%22 seats, 41.5%2 seats, 13.2%
Seats won24157
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 4Decrease2.svg 7Increase2.svg 5
Popular vote24,79826,32413,271
Percentage34.9%37.1%18.7%
SwingIncrease2.svg 1.7%Decrease2.svg4.4%Increase2.svg 5.5%

 Fourth partyFifth party
  No image wide.svg No image wide.svg
LeaderAnne-Marie Curry
Party Liberal Democrats Independent
Last election3 seats, 4.2%3 seats, 6.6%
Seats won31
Seat changeSteady2.svg 0Decrease2.svg 2
Popular vote3,3473,273
Percentage4.7%4.6%
SwingIncrease2.svg 0.5%Decrease2.svg 2.0%

Darlington UK ward map 2023.svg
Winner of each seat at the 2023 Darlington Borough Council election

Leader before election

Jonathan Dulston
Conservative
No overall control

Leader after election

Stephen Harker
Labour
No overall control

The 2023 Darlington Borough Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect all 50 members of Darlington Borough Council in County Durham, England. This was at the same time as other local elections across England.

Contents

The council was under no overall control prior to the election, being led by a Conservative minority administration. The council remained under no overall control after the election, but Labour overtook the Conservatives to become the largest party. A Labour and Liberal Democrat coalition formed after the election, with Labour group leader Steven Harker being appointed leader of the council at the subsequent annual council meeting on 25 May 2023. [1]

Results

Following the results, the council remained with no overall control, but Labour became the largest party. [2] [3] [4]

2023 Darlington Borough Council election
PartyCandidatesSeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Labour 502451Increase2.svg 448.034.924,798+1.7
  Conservative 491507Decrease2.svg 730.037.126,324–4.4
  Green 50770Increase2.svg 514.018.713,271+5.5
  Liberal Democrats 16300Steady2.svg 06.04.73,347+0.5
  Independent 11102Decrease2.svg 22.04.63,273–2.0

[5] [6]

Ward results

The candidates for each ward were named on 13 April 2023. [7]

Bank Top and Lascelles

Bank Top and Lascelles (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Helen Crumbie* 593 52.9 +16.3
Labour David Ray 579 51.6 +15.2
Labour Andrew Anderson 577 51.4 +19.4
Conservative Jo Barker35431.6+8.4
Conservative Emily Chamberlain32228.7+5.8
Conservative Pat Tobin31227.8N/A
Independent Darrien Wright*15714.0–38.3
Green Helen Whittington958.5–13.8
Green Geoff Hill847.5N/A
Green Ian MacMurray746.6N/A
Turnout 1,122
Labour hold
Labour gain from Independent
Labour hold

Brinkburn and Faverdale

Brinkburn and Faverdale (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Rebecca Baker 987 47.0 +14.9
Labour David Beckett 949 45.2 +14.8
Conservative Scott Durham* 891 42.4 –4.0
Labour Sarah Holt88041.9+12.0
Conservative Sally Clarke87741.7–2.7
Conservative Andrew Raw84340.1+0.4
Green Sarah Siddle1667.9–14.4
Green Ty Hankinson1396.6N/A
Green Nick Wilson1296.1N/A
Liberal Democrats Paul Bennett864.1N/A
Turnout 2,101
Labour gain from Conservative
Labour gain from Conservative
Conservative hold

Cockerton

Cockerton (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Jan Cossins* 738 51.8 +7.2
Labour Jim Garner 652 45.7 +2.9
Labour Neil Johnson 634 44.5 +5.6
Conservative Vicky Bartch48634.1–2.6
Conservative Sam Bell48534.0+3.8
Conservative Jonathan Hodgson47333.2+3.0
Green Vicky Atkinson18412.9–8.2
Green Susie Broughton14310.0N/A
Green Tamara Ullyart1289.0N/A
Liberal Democrats Malcolm Dunstone715.0–6.7
Turnout 1,426
Labour hold
Labour hold
Labour hold

College

College (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Green Matthew Snedker* 1,255 64.9 +10.9
Green Bryony Holroyd* 1,245 64.3 +19.2
Conservative Mark Hardy47924.8–16.2
Conservative Andy Maughan44222.8–10.1
Labour Elizabeth Watson1527.9–2.9
Labour Lian Hutchings1437.4–2.2
Liberal Democrats Charlie Curry321.7N/A
Turnout 1,935
Green hold
Green hold

Eastbourne

Eastbourne (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Kevin Nicholson* 629 42.4 –28.8
Conservative Jonathan Dulston* 622 42.0 +5.2
Labour Joe Dillon 529 35.7 +13.6
Labour Chris Taylor47632.1+11.3
Labour Jan Taylor46631.4+12.1
Independent Maureen Martin36824.8N/A
Conservative Alison Raynolds27618.6N/A
Independent Steven Tait*26818.1–44.3
Green Sue Morley1006.7–16.2
Green Stuart Bramley906.1N/A
Green Richard Wise694.7N/A
Turnout 1,482
Independent hold
Conservative hold
Labour gain from Independent

Harrowgate Hill

Harrowgate Hill (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Green Roz Henderson 846 44.4 +21.9
Green Anna-Maria Toms 765 40.1 N/A
Green Richard Lawley 720 37.8 N/A
Labour Martin Landers58630.7–6.9
Labour Joe Passman56329.5–7.2
Labour Sophie Landers56129.4–4.2
Conservative Jon Clarke*48925.6–14.8
Conservative Samantha Bedingfield-Weller47524.9–14.8
Conservative Mikey Vasey42122.1–14.6
Independent Ian Ferguson703.7–16.8
Turnout 1,907
Green gain from Conservative
Green gain from Conservative
Green gain from Labour

Haughton and Springfield

Haughton and Springfield (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Chris McEwan* 904 54.8 +8.7
Labour Nick Wallis* 846 51.3 +10.7
Labour Dawn Storr 811 49.2 +4.3
Conservative Paul Culley62738.0–1.0
Conservative Robert Mills58735.6+2.5
Conservative Joe Dunn54833.2+0.3
Green Andrew Bramfitt1519.2–13.2
Green Bill Stuart1307.9N/A
Green Alex Swainston1247.5N/A
Turnout 1,649
Labour hold
Labour hold
Labour hold

Heighington and Coniscliffe

Heighton and Coniscliffe (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Gerald Lee* 869 55.9 –14.2
Conservative Paul Crudass* 665 42.8 –15.7
Independent Holly White42527.3N/A
Labour Paul Harman27517.7+4.0
Labour Tony Roberts27317.6+4.0
Green Michael Cooke17811.4–10.1
Green Michael Fearneyhough1227.8N/A
Liberal Democrats Bill Oliver674.3N/A
Turnout 1,555
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Hummersknott

Hummersknott (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Green Thomas Robinson 1,009 53.2 +32.2
Green Kate Mammolotti 985 51.9 N/A
Conservative Bill Galbraith79842.1–13.0
Conservative Jack Sowerby*73238.6–13.3
Labour Clare McAdam934.9–9.6
Labour Rebecca Taylor854.5–6.7
Turnout 1,897
Green gain from Conservative
Green gain from Conservative

Hurworth

Hurworth (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Lorraine Tostevin* 716 54.4 +3.3
Conservative Paul Walters 644 49.0 +4.1
Liberal Democrats Joe Kelley32524.7–9.6
Liberal Democrats Nigel Boddy27821.1N/A
Labour Hannah Guy19014.4+3.2
Green Peter Commane16912.9–18.1
Labour Elizabeth Muggleton15711.9+1.7
Green Chris Fishwick755.7N/A
Turnout 1,315
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Mowden

Mowden (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Pauline Culley* 871 56.9 –5.8
Conservative Alan Marshall* 842 55.0 –5.0
Labour Bob Carson44128.8+8.5
Labour Tom Paver42627.8+8.0
Green Vanessa Hilton18712.2–8.9
Green Paul Hilton15910.4N/A
Liberal Democrats Laura Wilson603.9N/A
Turnout 1,532
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

North Road

North Road (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Anne-Marie Curry* 465 41.1 –5.7
Liberal Democrats Hilary Allen* 438 38.7 –3.0
Liberal Democrats James Coe 394 34.8 +0.5
Labour Jan Bowles35331.2+1.9
Labour Jonnie Vasey32328.5+2.8
Labour Syed Haque29325.9+2.2
Conservative Nigel Kendrew22620.0+8.6
Conservative Rachael Booth19717.4+6.7
Conservative Pratish Thakkar17915.8+5.7
Green Jon Barley1119.8–4.3
Green Kathy Barley1049.2N/A
Green Faith Lawley1008.8N/A
Turnout 1,132
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats hold

Northgate

Northgate (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Sonia Kane 380 50.6 –1.8
Labour Syeda Ali 373 49.7 +0.4
Conservative Yvonne Richardson20727.6+5.4
Conservative Eldhose Saju18825.0+7.5
Liberal Democrats David Collinge8010.7N/A
Green Louise Maddison729.6–8.4
Green Neil Kang-Scarth506.7N/A
Turnout 751
Labour hold
Labour hold

Park East

Park East (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Libby McCollom* 704 52.7 +8.8
Labour Michael Nicholson* 680 50.9 +13.3
Labour Matthew Roche 663 49.6 +4.7
Conservative Martin Bell41330.9+10.7
Conservative Chris Lowery38528.8+9.0
Conservative Sarah Rose34225.6+7.6
Green Ann Hunter17212.9–9.0
Green Jane Mitchell13710.2N/A
Green Kulvanth Kaur1339.9N/A
Liberal Democrats Scott Wood926.9–8.9
Independent Janne Gandy705.2N/A
Turnout 1,337
Labour hold
Labour hold
Labour hold

Park West

Park West (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Heather Scott* 789 42.5 –4.2
Conservative Bob Donoghue* 757 40.8 –2.9
Labour Mel McEvoy39921.5+2.9
Liberal Democrats Sarah Sams39921.5N/A
Liberal Democrats Simon Thorley36419.6N/A
Green Martin Wood32417.5–17.8
Labour John Sloss31917.2–1.3
Green William Rowell22612.2–18.8
Turnout 1,856
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Pierremont

Pierremont (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Steve Harker* 872 56.4 +6.4
Labour Mary Layton* 809 52.3 +7.7
Labour James McGill 756 48.9 +2.1
Conservative Roger Clark48831.5–0.7
Conservative Mags Donoghue46129.8–1.5
Conservative Catherine Hart37424.2–2.4
Green Cat McConnachie19412.5–11.0
Green Megan Hemsley16210.5N/A
Green Amy Mycock1509.7N/A
Liberal Democrats Gary Potter976.3N/A
Turnout 1,547
Labour hold
Labour hold
Labour hold

Red Hall and Lingfield

Red Hall and Lingfield (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Mandy Porter 551 52.6 +4.3
Labour Amanda Riley 534 51.0 +5.7
Conservative KJ Hawkins40838.9+5.6
Conservative David Willis40038.2+6.9
Green Joanne Ashwood646.1–17.0
Green Mary Gravenor615.8N/A
Turnout 1,048
Labour hold
Labour hold

One of the two Red Hall and Lingfield seats had been vacant prior to the election, following the death in March 2023 of Labour councillor Hilary Lucas. [8]

Sadberge and Middleton St George

Sadberge and Middleton St George (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Deborah Liang* 909 48.5 –13.3
Conservative Yvonne Renton 750 40.0 –31.9
Conservative Colin Pease 744 39.7 –31.7
Independent Maria Darling64534.4N/A
Independent David Darling59631.8N/A
Labour Sandy Thorne-Wallis36319.4–3.4
Labour Lee Vasey28315.1–0.6
Labour Paul Webster25913.8–1.2
Green Suzy Lucas22712.1–10.5
Green Paul Foster22412.0N/A
Green Fred Greenhow1829.7N/A
Liberal Democrats Christopher Marlowe995.3N/A
Turnout 1,874
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Stephenson

Stephenson (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Ian Haszeldine* 483 50.6 +14.6
Labour Mohammad Mahmud 432 45.2 +10.0
Conservative Mike Renton*40342.2–11.1
Conservative Michael Walker33134.7N/A
Green Lucy Chapman798.3–19.3
Green Pete Greenwood485.0N/A
Independent Monty Brack232.4N/A
Independent Frazer Spence222.3N/A
Turnout 955
Labour hold
Labour gain from Conservative

Whinfield

Whinfield (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Jamie Bartch* 615 44.6 –10.4
Conservative Andy Keir* 612 44.4 –10.5
Green Mike McTimoney47434.4+19.5
Green Terri Hankinson45633.1N/A
Labour Amanda McEwan26619.3–11.6
Labour Josh Spears23417.0–11.4
Turnout 1,379
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Changes 2023–2027

Yvonne Renton, elected as a Conservative, left the party in October 2023 to sit as an independent. [9]

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References

    1. Edgar, Bill (26 May 2023). "Cllr Steve Harker elected as new Darlington Council Leader". Northern Echo. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
    2. "Local Elections 2023: All you need to know as Darlington Labour become majority party". Yahoo News. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
    3. "Darlington result - Local Elections 2023". BBC News. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
    4. "Your councillors [pre-2023 election]". Darlington Borough Council. Archived from the original on 5 April 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
    5. "Election results by party, 4 May 2023 Darlington Borough Council". Darlington Borough Council. Retrieved 2023-05-09.
    6. "Election results by Wards, 4 May 2023 Darlington Borough Council". Darlington Borough Council. Retrieved 2023-05-09.
    7. "Darlington local elections 2023: Full list of candidates standing". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
    8. Edgar, Bill (16 March 2023). "Tributes paid to Darlington councillor Hilary Lucas after death". Northern Echo. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
    9. Edgar, Bill (4 October 2023). "Darlington Tory councillor Yvonne Renton becomes Independent". Northern Echo. Retrieved 3 March 2024.