2023 Fenland District Council election

Last updated

2023 Fenland District Council election
Cambridgeshire Flag.svg
←  2019 4 May 2023 (2023-05-04)2027 →
All 43 seats to Fenland District Council
22 seats needed for a majority
 First partySecond party
  No image wide.svg No image wide.svg
LeaderChris BodenMike Cornwell (defeated)
Party Conservative Independent
Last election26 seats, 50.1%10 seats, 20.4%
Seats before2610
Seats after356
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 9Decrease2.svg 4
Popular vote25,0757,827
Percentage56.9%17.8%
SwingIncrease2.svg 6.8%Decrease2.svg 2.6%
 Third partyFourth party
  No image wide.svg No image wide.svg
Party Liberal Democrats Green
Last election2 seats, 10.5%1 seat, 12.8%
Seats before21
Seats after20
Seat changeSteady2.svgDecrease2.svg 1
Popular vote2,2021,942
Percentage5.0%4.4%
SwingDecrease2.svg 5.5%Decrease2.svg 8.4%
Fenland UK ward map 2023.svg
Map of the results
Leader before election

Chris Boden
Conservative

Leader after election

Chris Boden
Conservative

The 2023 Fenland District Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Fenland District Council in Cambridgeshire, England. This was on the same day as other local elections across England. The Conservatives increased their majority on the council, against the national trend for local elections held on that day, giving the Conservative Party their largest numerical majority of any lower tier principal authority in the country.

Contents

Overview

Prior to the election the council had been under Conservative majority control since 1999, and the leader of the council was Chris Boden, who had been in post since 2019. [1] The independent councillors, Liberal Democrats and the Green councillor formed a single political group called the "Fenland Independent Alliance", led by independent councillor Mike Cornwell. [2]

New ward boundaries took effect for this election, increasing the number of seats on the council from 39 to 43. [3] [4]

The Conservatives won 35 of the seats on the council, increasing their majority on the Council from 13 to 27. The Green Party lost their only seat on the council, and the opposition group leader, Mike Cornwell, lost his seat by a single vote. [5] [6]

Overall results

Fenland District Council's composition after the 2023 local elections Cambridgeshire Fenland District Council 2023.svg
Fenland District Council's composition after the 2023 local elections

The overall results were: [7]

2023 Fenland District Council election
PartyCandidatesSeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Conservative 433510Increase2.svg 981.456.925,075+6.8
  Independent 19601Decrease2.svg 414.017.87,827–2.6
  Liberal Democrats 5200Steady2.svg4.75.02,202–5.5
  Labour 20000Steady2.svg0.014.46,325+7.9
  Green 6000Decrease2.svg 10.04.41,942–8.4
 Alliance for Democracy and Freedom (UK)2000Steady2.svg0.01.0424N/A
  Breakthrough Party 1000Steady2.svg0.00.3154N/A
  Reform UK 1000Steady2.svg0.00.3115N/A

Ward results

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

Chatteris North & Manea

Chatteris North & Manea (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Charlie Marks* 825 56.2
Conservative Alan Gowler 701 47.8
Conservative James Carney 692 47.2
Green Emma Pollard52735.9
Labour Janet O'Keefe42529.0
Green Liz Wright39627.0
Turnout 1,46725.48
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Chatteris South

Chatteris South (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Ian Benney* 578 48.0
Conservative Peter Murphy* 517 42.9
Conservative Anne Hay* 509 42.2
Independent Daniel Divine*38331.8
Labour Amanda Hirson30725.5
Independent Aurelia Stempien-Wyrwal29624.6
Green Steven Chappell28623.7
Breakthrough Party Matt Jeal15412.8
Turnout 1,20525.92
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Doddington & Wimblington

Doddington & Wimblington (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Maureen Davis* 732 60.5
Conservative David Connor* 708 58.6
Labour Katie Clark25621.2
Labour Philip Snowdon24620.3
Liberal Democrats Liam O'Rourke21818.0
Turnout 1,20930.9
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing

Elm & Christchurch

Elm & Christchurch (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Matthew Summers 447 45.7
Independent Dal Roy 402 41.1
Conservative Petya Kneksis39640.5
Conservative Boryana Pehlivanova31732.4
Labour Marian Phillips21121.6
Turnout 97825.11
Independent hold Swing
Independent hold Swing

Leverington & Wisbech Rural

Leverington & Wisbech Rural (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Samantha Clark* 926 59.9
Conservative Chris Seaton* 889 57.5
Conservative Brenda Barber 818 52.9
Labour Benedict Allen40626.3
ADF Hermien Dyer21513.9
ADF Mark Dyer20913.5
Independent Charles Cutler16710.8
Turnout 1,54630.07
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

March East

March East (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent John Clark* 604 41.4
Conservative Mark Purser* 555 38.0
Conservative Stuart Harris 509 34.9
Conservative Levent Ali47732.7
Independent Jennifer Lawler45531.2
Labour Martin Field44530.5
Labour Angela Mayes41928.7
Labour Katharine Bultitude41028.1
Turnout 1,45928.28
Independent hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative gain from Independent Swing

John Clark was elected in 2019 as a Conservative, but had left the party to sit as an independent in February 2023. [10]

March North

March North (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Steve Count* 563 33.5
Conservative Kim French* 558 33.2
Independent Paul Hicks 553 32.9
Independent Mike Cornwell*55232.9
Labour Hannah Orbell47128.1
Conservative Ashley Smith44726.6
Labour Martyn Balmont39223.3
Labour George Broughton37222.2
Liberal Democrats Stephen Court31919.0
Reform UK David Maryan1156.8
Turnout 1,67928.29
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Independent hold Swing

March South

March South (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Jan French* 416 51.7
Conservative Gary Christy 409 50.8
Labour Clare Hale26332.7
Labour Robert Williams20725.7
Green Simon Wilkes*17421.6
Turnout 80526.76
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

March West & Benwick

March West & Benwick (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Andrew Woollard 549 59.0
Conservative Tim Taylor 533 57.3
Labour Stewart Hearn35938.6
Turnout 93025.11
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Parson Drove & Wisbech St Mary

Parson Drove & Wisbech St Mary (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Gavin Booth* 706 50.8
Conservative Michael Humphrey* 688 49.5
Liberal Democrats Diane Cutler 617 44.4
Conservative Anthony Georgiou55239.7
Conservative Clayton Payne49535.6
Liberal Democrats Rasa McGill34224.6
Labour Sebastian O'Keefe19414.0
Turnout 1,39026.77
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Conservative win (new seat)

Whittlesey East & Villages

Whittlesey East & Villages (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Chris Boden* 698 53.9
Conservative Alex Miscandlon* 631 48.8
Conservative Haq Nawaz 579 44.7
Independent Bob Wicks*52040.2
Green David Habbin31224.1
Labour Stephen Clay30223.3
Turnout 1,29425.92
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Whittlesey Lattersey

Whittlesey Lattersey
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Jason Mockett* 190 61.3
Labour Ian Moyes12038.7
Turnout 31224.51
Conservative hold Swing

Whittlesey North West

Whittlesey North West (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Dee Laws* 689 69.9
Conservative Elisabeth Sennitt Clough 597 60.5
Labour Peter Gilman26627.0
Green John Male24725.1
Turnout 98625.95
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Whittlesey South

Whittlesey South (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Kay Mayor* 537 51.1
Independent Roy Gerstner 472 45.0
Conservative Maria Boccia43241.1
Independent Peter Bibb33732.1
Turnout 1,05028.90
Conservative win (new seat)
Independent win (new seat)

Wisbech North

Wisbech North
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Lucie Foice-Beard 198 60.2
Independent Alan Wheeldon9629.2
Independent Marina Jennings3510.6
Turnout 33617.01
Conservative win (new seat)

Wisbech Riverside

Wisbech Riverside (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Nick Meekins* 447 61.8
Conservative Dave Oliver 400 55.3
Labour Kathryn Hearn25535.3
Turnout 19.85
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Nick Meekins had stood unsuccessfully for UKIP in 2015 and had been elected in 2019 as an independent, but had rejoined the Conservatives in 2021. [11]

Wisbech South

Wisbech South (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Samantha Hoy* 859 62.8
Conservative Steve Tierney* 823 60.2
Conservative Susan Wallwork* 793 58.0
Independent Ruth Freeman49636.3
Independent Peter Freeman49135.9
Turnout 1,36824.70
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Wisbech Walsoken & Waterlees

Wisbech Walsoken & Waterlees (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Sidney Imafidon 656 49.5
Conservative Billy Rackley* 638 48.2
Independent David Patrick* 557 42.0
Conservative Sylwia Salvidge54941.4
Independent Garry Monger52339.5
Independent Simon Crowson44133.3
Turnout 1,32525.24
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Independent win (new seat)

By-elections

Whittlesey South

Whittlesey South by-election: 4 July 2024
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Gurninder Gill 988 47.0 –16.4
Independent Martin Curtis84140.0N/A
Workers Party Clayton Payne27413.0N/A
Majority 1477.0N/A
Turnout 2,10358.2+29.3
Conservative hold

Whittlesey North West

Whittlesey North West by-election: 23 October 2025
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Alec Branton
Independent Martin Curtis
Reform UK Kevin Marston
Labour Theresa Okogwa

References

  1. ↑ "Your councillors". Fenland District Council. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  2. ↑ "Independent people truly representing communities". Fenland Citizen. 3 March 2021. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  3. ↑ "The Fenland (Electoral Changes) Order 2023", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 2023/48, retrieved 7 May 2023
  4. ↑ "Notice of Election" (PDF). Fenland District Council . Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  5. ↑ Burnett, Tom; Senior, Matthew; Taylor, Joanna (5 May 2023). "Fenland District Council 2023 local election results in full as Tories retain control". Cambridgeshire Live. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  6. ↑ "Local elections 2023: Tories hold East Cambs as 18-year old wins seat". BBC News. 6 May 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  7. ↑ "Fenland election result". BBC News. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  8. ↑ "Statement of Persons Nominated" (PDF). Fenland District Council . Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  9. ↑ "District Election Results". Fenland District Council. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  10. ↑ Elworthy, John (9 February 2023). "Former Fenland Council leader John Clark quits Conservative Party". Cambs News. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  11. ↑ "Why I quit as an independent to re-join Tories". Wisbech Standard. 17 May 2021. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
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