2023 Forest of Dean District Council election

Last updated

2023 Forest of Dean District Council election
Severn Cross.svg
←  2019 4 May 2023 (2023-05-04)2027 →
All 38 seats to Forest of Dean District Council
20 seats needed for a majority
 First partySecond partyThird party
  No image wide.svg No image wide.svg No image wide.svg
LeaderJackie Dale Matt Bishop
Party Green Independent Labour
Last election6 seats, 21.6%15 seats, 25.8%5 seats, 16.4%
Seats before720 [a] 3
Seats won15115
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 9Decrease2.svg 4Steady2.svg
Popular vote11,6219,9603,244
Percentage28.8%24.7%8.0%
SwingIncrease2.svg 7.2%Decrease2.svg 0.9%Decrease2.svg 8.4%
 Fourth partyFifth party
  No image wide.svg No image wide.svg
LeaderHarry IvesGill Moseley
Party Conservative Liberal Democrats
Last election10 seats, 30.0%2 seats, 5.2%
Seats before62
Seats won43
Seat changeDecrease2.svg 6Increase2.svg 1
Popular vote11,2584,242
Percentage27.9%10.5%
SwingDecrease2.svg 2.4%Increase2.svg 5.3%
Forest of Dean UK ward map 2023.svg
Winner of each seat at the 2023 Forest of Dean District Council election
Leader before election

Tim Gwilliam
Independent
No overall control

Leader after election

Mark Topping
Green
No overall control

The 2023 Forest of Dean District Council election was held on 4 May 2023 to elect members to the Forest of Dean District Council in Gloucestershire, England. This was part of the 2023 United Kingdom local elections.

Contents

Following publication of the English devolution white paper on 16 December 2024, the Forest of Dean District Council will be required to merge with neighbouring authorities in Gloucestershire. [1] No further elections are expected beyond 2023.

Overview

Prior to the election the majority of the seats on the council were held by independent councillors, with 20 of the 38 councillors not representing a political party. The independents did not act as one political group, instead sitting as four different groups. [2] Since 2017 the council had been led by Tim Gwilliam of the "Progressive Independents" group.

Following the election, the council consisted of fifteen Green, eleven Independent, five Labour, four Conservative and three Liberal Democrat councillors. Of the wards where more than 3 candidates stood, Labour councillor Di Martin and newly elected Labour councillor Matt Bishop achieved the highest share individually where they received 34% and 32% of the vote respectively in Cinderford East. [3] [4] At the subsequent annual council meeting on 25 May 2023, Green councillor Mark Topping was appointed Leader of the Council with support from Labour on a confidence and supply basis. Former Labour group leader Di Martin was appointed as chair of the council at the same meeting. [5] [6] [7]

Election result

2019 Forest of Dean District Council election
PartyCandidatesSeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Green 211590Increase2.svg 939.528.811,621+7.2
  Independent 271126Decrease2.svg 428.924.79,960–0.9
  Labour 7511Steady2.svg13.28.03,244–8.4
  Conservative 38406Decrease2.svg 610.527.911,258–2.1
  Liberal Democrats 8310Increase2.svg 17.910.54,242+5.3

Ward results

The results for each ward were as follows, with an asterisk (*) indicating a sitting councillor standing for re-election. [8]

Berry Hill

Berry Hill (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Tim Gwilliam* 571 44.2 −16.0
Independent Jamie Elsmore* 560 43.4 N/A
Green Stephen Yeates39130.3+16.8
Green Richard Henson28221.8+1.0
Independent Nigel Bluett20916.2−10.2
Conservative Clive Dunning20215.6−10.8
Conservative Valerie Nurden14010.8−10.7
Independent Scott Baine584.5N/A
Turnout 1,29134.55
Independent hold Swing
Independent hold Swing

Bream

Bream (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Green Alison Bruce 537 44.5 +25.1
Green Beth Llewellyn 377 31.3 +13.6
Labour Barry Faulkner28823.9−1.1
Independent Alan Grant28323.5N/A
Independent Paul Hiett *28323.5−9.4
Conservative Rob Whittaker21317.7+2.9
Conservative Sarah Price14912.4+0.6
Independent Emma Gleave816.7N/A
Turnout 1,20632.61
Green gain from Independent Swing
Green hold Swing

Cinderford East

Cinderford East (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Di Martin* 458 60.5 +6.1
Labour Matt Bishop 421 55.6 +0.2
Conservative Alan Bensted16321.5+0.7
Independent Jeremy Charlton-Wright15720.7−8.5
Conservative Freda Gittos13718.1+2.0
Turnout 75722.47
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

Cinderford West

Cinderford West (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Jacob Sanders 367 49.8 +12.1
Independent Mark Turner* 359 48.7 +7.2
Independent Lynn Sterry*29940.6+2.9
Conservative Andrew Plummer13117.8−0.7
Conservative John Clissold10414.1−0.7
Turnout 73723.73
Labour hold Swing
Independent hold Swing

Coleford

Coleford (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Clive Elsmore* 643 40.2 −6.1
Labour Patrick Kyne 619 38.7 +17.6
Independent Ian Whitburn* 577 36.1 +4.5
Conservative Carole Allaway-Martin *53033.1+3.3
Green Rachel Lane52632.9+5.6
Liberal Democrats Peter Taylor36422.8+5.4
Conservative Denis Riley28818.0−2.5
Conservative Joseph Price22614.1−10.6
Turnout 1,59926.44
Independent hold Swing
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Independent hold Swing

Dymock

Dymock (1 seat)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Gill Kilmurray 431 62.5 N/A
Conservative Eli Heathfield25937.5−27.8
Turnout 69042.41
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing

Hartpury & Redmarley

Hartpury & Redmarley (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Philip Burford* 759 52.6 −6.8
Conservative Clayton Williams 658 45.6 +9.3
Green John Turvill42429.4±0.0
Green David Gregory33723.4N/A
Conservative Geoff Woodyatt28719.9−18.3
Turnout 1,44340.49
Independent hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing

Longhope & Huntley

Longhope & Huntley (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent John Francis 465 35.2 N/A
Green David Tradgett 449 34.0 −9.0
Independent Alan Wood38729.3N/A
Independent Jeremy Rebbeck34025.7N/A
Conservative Gary Nicholas31623.9−27.4
Conservative Venk Shenoi25919.6−26.5
Turnout 1,32240.68
Independent gain from Conservative Swing
Green gain from Conservative Swing

Lydbrook

Lydbrook (1 seat)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Green Sid Phelps* 502 85.5 +18.1
Conservative Rosie Ker8514.5+10.6
Turnout 58732.96
Green hold Swing

Lydney East

Lydney East (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Alan Preest* 448 38.1 −1.4
Independent James Bevan* 441 37.5 +1.7
Green Andrew McDermid 440 37.4 +19.1
Independent Claire Vaughan *43937.4+7.5
Labour Andy Hewlett39033.2+10.5
Conservative Julie Kirkham34429.3−0.6
Conservative Elliott James31426.7+10.6
Turnout 1,17523.15
Conservative hold Swing
Independent hold Swing
Green gain from Conservative Swing

Lydney North

Lydney North (1 seat)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Harry Ives* 483 76.3 +32.6
Green Jane Carr15023.7+8.8
Turnout 63337.46
Conservative hold Swing

Lydney West & Aylburton

Lydney West & Aylburton (1 seat)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Green Mark Topping* 512 77.6 +36.7
Conservative Will Windsor-Clive14822.4−16.8
Turnout 66034.17
Green hold Swing

Mitcheldean Ruardean & Drybrook

Mitcheldean Ruardean & Drybrook (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Green Jackie Fraser* 958 49.0 +16.6
Green Trevor Roach 816 41.7 +19.3
Labour Shaun Stammers 701 35.9 +13.0
Independent Thom Forester *67334.4+4.6
Independent Andrew Gardiner *54227.7−7.9
Conservative Guy Hollier46123.6+2.0
Conservative Tracy Heathfield27514.1−5.0
Conservative Pam Plummer25613.1−3.5
Liberal Democrats Stewart Bean20010.2−8.0
Turnout 1,95533.93
Green gain from Independent Swing
Green gain from Independent Swing
Labour hold Swing

Newent & Taynton

Newent & Taynton (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Gill Moseley* 1,044 64.0
Independent Julia Gooch* 894 54.8
Liberal Democrats Julie Hudson 865 53.1
Conservative Jonathon Beeston49830.6
Liberal Democrats Martin Roper36622.5
Conservative Nick Winter27316.7
Conservative Maria Edey25815.8
Turnout 1,63030.46
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Independent hold Swing
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

Newland & Sling

Newland & Sling (1 seat)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Green David Wheeler* 409 69.4 +26.6
Conservative Pam Woodyatt18030.6+6.2
Turnout 58930.45
Green hold Swing

Newnham

Newnham (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Green Richard Burton 763 56.7 −0.8
Green Andy Moore 744 55.3 N/A
Conservative Carol Thomas41130.5−9.9
Conservative Kevin Oversby29922.2−12.9
Independent Richard Ashton24718.4N/A
Turnout 1,34634.63
Green hold Swing
Green gain from Conservative Swing

Pillowell

Pillowell (1 seat)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Green Jackie Dale 493 77.3 +39.0
Conservative Alison Taylor14522.7+3.4
Turnout 63837.16
Green hold Swing

Ruspidge

Ruspidge (1 seat)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Bernie O'Neill* 230 50.9 −8.5
Liberal Democrats James Green12627.9N/A
Conservative Judy Parsons9621.2−19.4
Turnout 45225.10
Independent gain from Labour Swing

St Briavels

St Briavels (1 seat)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Green Chris McFarling* 650 74.5 −6.4
Conservative Roger Stuart18821.6+2.5
Independent Rose Collins343.9N/A
Turnout 87245.61
Green hold Swing

Tidenham

Tidenham (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Green Johnathan Lane 1,034 48.3 +29.2
Green Adrian Birch 977 45.6 +19.6
Conservative Nick Evans* 884 41.3 +6.0
Liberal Democrats Jan Koning84639.5+20.9
Conservative Julian McGhee-Sumner66130.9+8.6
Conservative Gareth Hughes55726.0+4.4
Independent Maria Edwards *38117.8−16.5
Independent Gethyn Davies37117.3−3.0
Turnout 2,14138.74
Green gain from Independent Swing
Green gain from Independent Swing
Conservative hold Swing

Westbury-on-Severn

Westbury-on-Severn (1 seat)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Simon Phelps* 557 87.4 +25.5
Conservative Suzanne Bowen8012.6−6.8
Turnout 63739.29
Independent hold Swing

References

  1. ↑ Of the 20 independent councillors prior to the election, seven formed the "Progressive Independents Group" (which included council leader Tim Gwilliam), six formed the "Independent Group", four formed the "Independent Alliance Group", and three formed "Independent Group 2".
  1. ↑ https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/english-devolution-white-paper-power-and-partnership-foundations-for-growth
  2. ↑ "Find a district councillor". Forest of Dean District Council. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  3. ↑ "Green Party makes huge gains and is set to lead a coalition at Forest of Dean District Council". Gloucestershire Live. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  4. ↑ Elson, Mark (11 May 2023). "Greens become largest single group on Forest of Dean District Council following local elections". The Forester. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  5. ↑ ""Leader announces new cabinet members for Forest of Dean District Council"". Forest of Dean District Council. 2 June 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  6. ↑ Garcia, Carmelo (19 May 2023). "Labour to vote for Green council leader but rules out Forest of Dean coalition administration". Gloucestershire Live. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  7. ↑ "Green Party form administration to run Forest Council for the next four years". The Forester. 26 May 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  8. ↑ Norris, Phil (5 May 2023). "Forest of Dean local elections 2023 results". Gloucestershire Live. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
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