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%

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 retained their majority on the council.

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, retaining their majority. 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

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)

Related Research Articles

Fenland District Council in Cambridgeshire, England is elected every four years. Since the last boundary changes in 2023, the council has comprised 43 councillors representing 18 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cambridgeshire County Council</span> The elected administrative body governing Cambridgeshire, England

Cambridgeshire County Council is the county council of Cambridgeshire, England. The council consists of 61 councillors, representing 59 electoral divisions. The council is based at New Shire Hall in Alconbury Weald, near Huntingdon. It is part of the East of England Local Government Association and a constituent member of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2007 Fenland District Council election</span>

The 2007 Fenland District Council election took place on 4 May 2007 to elect members of Fenland District Council in Cambridgeshire, England. The whole council was up for election and the Conservative Party stayed in overall control of the council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 Fenland District Council election</span>

The 2011 Fenland District Council election took place on 5 May 2011 to elect members of Fenland District Council in Cambridgeshire, England. The whole council was up for election and the Conservative Party stayed in overall control of the council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 Wealden District Council election</span>

The 2011 Wealden District Council election took place on 5 May 2011 to elect members of Wealden District Council in East Sussex, England. The whole council was up for election and the Conservative Party stayed in overall control of the council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2013 Cambridgeshire County Council election</span>

An election to Cambridgeshire County Council took place on 2 May 2013 as part of the 2013 United Kingdom local elections. 69 councillors were elected from 60 electoral divisions, which returned either one or two county councillors each by first-past-the-post voting for a four-year term of office. The electoral divisions were the same as those used at the previous election in 2009. No elections were held in Peterborough, which is a unitary authority outside the area covered by the County Council. The election saw the Conservative Party lose overall control of the council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 Torridge District Council election</span>

The 2011 Torridge District Council election took place on 5 May 2011 to elect members of Torridge District Council in Devon, England. The whole council was up for election and the council stayed under no overall control.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Huntingdonshire District Council election</span>

The 2010 Huntingdonshire District Council election took place on 6 May 2010 to elect members of Huntingdonshire District Council in Cambridgeshire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Conservative Party stayed in overall control of the council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 Huntingdonshire District Council election</span>

The 2012 Huntingdonshire District Council election took place on 3 May 2012 to elect members of Huntingdonshire District Council in Cambridgeshire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Conservative Party stayed in overall control of the council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 Christchurch Borough Council election</span> Conservatives retain control of Christchurch Borough Council (Dorset, England) in may 2015 election

The 2015 Christchurch Borough Council election took place on 7 May 2015 to elect members of Christchurch Borough Council in Dorset, England. The whole council was up for election and the Conservative party stayed in overall control of the council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 Cambridgeshire County Council election</span>

The 2017 Cambridgeshire County Council election was held on 4 May 2017 as part of the 2017 local elections in the United Kingdom. All 61 councillors were elected from 59 electoral divisions, which returned either one or two county councillors each by first-past-the-post voting for a four-year term of office.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough mayoral election</span>

The inaugural Cambridgeshire and Peterborough mayoral election was held on 4 May 2017 to elect the Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. The supplementary vote system was used to elect the mayor for a four-year term of office. Subsequent elections will be held in May 2021 and every four years after.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough mayoral election</span>

The 2021 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough mayoral election was held on 6 May 2021 to elect the mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 Fenland District Council election</span> 2019 local election in Fenland, Cambridgeshire, England

The 2019 Fenland District Council election took place on 2 May 2019 for all 39 seats of the Fenland District Council in England. It was held on the same day as other local elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 Cambridgeshire County Council election</span>

The 2021 Cambridgeshire County Council election took place on 6 May 2021 as part of the 2021 local elections in the United Kingdom. All 61 councillors were elected from 59 electoral divisions, which returned either one or two county councillors each by first-past-the-post voting for a four-year term of office. The election was held alongside a full election for Cambridge City Council, the Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and one-third of Peterborough City Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Angus Council election</span> Angus Council election

Elections to Angus Council took place on 5 May 2022, the same day as the 31 other Scottish local government elections. As with other Scottish council elections, it was held using single transferable vote (STV) – a form of proportional representation – in which multiple candidates are elected in each ward and voters rank candidates in order of preference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Argyll and Bute Council election</span> Argyll and Bute Council election

Elections to Argyll and Bute Council took place on 5 May 2022 on the same day as the 31 other Scottish local government elections. As with other Scottish council elections, it was held using single transferable vote (STV) – a form of proportional representation – in which multiple candidates are elected in each ward and voters rank candidates in order of preference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Aberdeenshire Council election</span> Aberdeenshire Council election

Elections to Aberdeenshire Council took place on Thursday 5 May 2022 on the same day as the 31 other Scottish local government elections. As with other Scottish council elections, it was held using single transferable vote (STV) – a form of proportional representation – in which multiple candidates are elected in each ward and voters rank candidates in order of preference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 United Kingdom local elections</span> Elections to local councils and mayoralties

The 2023 United Kingdom local elections were held on Thursday, 4 May 2023 in England and on Thursday 18 May 2023 in Northern Ireland. These included district councils, unitary authorities, and directly elected mayors in England, and included all local councils in Northern Ireland. Notably, these elections were the first to be held under the Elections Act 2022, a new voter identification law that is controversial, meaning voters were required to show photo ID when attending a polling station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 East Cambridgeshire District Council election</span> 2023 English local election

The 2023 East Cambridgeshire District Council election took place on 4 May, 2023, to elect all 28 members of East Cambridgeshire District Council in Cambridgeshire, England.

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.