2023 Luton Borough Council election

Last updated
2023 Luton Borough Council election
Bedfordshire County Flag.svg
  2019 4 May 2023 (2023-05-04)2027 

All 48 seats to Luton Borough Council
25 seats needed for a majority
 First partySecond partyThird party
  No image wide.svg No image wide.svg No image wide.svg
LeaderHazel SimmonsDavid FranksJohn Young
Party Labour Liberal Democrats Conservative
Last election32 seats, 56.7%12 seats, 17.2%4 seats, 19.2%
Seats before28172
Seats won30153
Seat changeDecrease2.svg 2Increase2.svg 3Decrease2.svg 1
Popular vote19,19914,0363,998
Percentage48.7%35.6%10.1%
SwingDecrease2.svg 8.0%Increase2.svg 18.4ppDecrease2.svg 9.1pp

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

Leader before election

Hazel Simmons
Labour

Leader after election

Hazel Simmons
Labour

The 2023 Luton Borough Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Luton Borough Council in Luton, Bedfordshire, England. This was on the same day as other local elections across England. Labour retained its majority on the council.

Contents

Overview

New ward boundaries were drawn up for this election, increasing the number of wards from 19 to 20, although the overall number of councillors stayed the same at 48. [1] [2]

The council had been controlled by Labour since 2007, with its leader since then being Hazel Simmons. Issues debated by the candidates included the ongoing financial impact on the council of money it lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic, when flights from council-owned Luton Airport were stopped. Suggestions for how to improve the town centre were also debated, with Historic England having added the town centre's main street, George Street, to its Heritage at Risk Register in November 2022. [3] [4]

Shortly before the election, three Labour councillors who were not re-selected to be Labour candidates at this election left the party; two (Ghulam Javed and Summara Khurshid) joined the Liberal Democrats and one (Anne Donelon) sat as an independent. [5] [6]

Labour retained a majority on the council, winning 30 of the 48 seats. Of the councillors elected at this election, 20 had not been councillors in the previous term. [7] The two former Labour councillors who joined the Liberal Democrats shortly before the election both stood as Liberal Democrat candidates; both were defeated by Labour. [8]

Summary

Election result

The overall results were: [9]

2023 Luton Borough Council election
PartyCandidatesSeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Labour 483002Decrease2.svg 262.548.719,199–8.0
  Liberal Democrats 331520Increase2.svg 331.335.614,036+18.4
  Conservative 15300Decrease2.svg 16.310.13,998–9.1
  Independent 8000Steady2.svg0.04.31,713+0.4
  Reform UK 2000Steady2.svg0.01.2455N/A

Ward results

The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by Luton Borough Council following the close of nominations on 5 April 2023. [10] The results were as follows, with sitting councillors standing for re-election marked with an asterisk(*): [8]

Barnfield

Barnfield (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats David Franks* 1,690 52.8
Liberal Democrats Jeff Petts* 1,627 50.9
Liberal Democrats Amjid Ali* 1,551 48.5
Labour Shahriar Ahmed1,17436.7
Labour Sameera Saleem*95629.9
Labour Anwar Haque93229.1
Conservative Alex Dearden37811.8
Conservative Sam Deekue37111.6
Conservative Zahid Mohmand2748.6
Turnout 3,19936.1
Registered electors 8,862
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Beech Hill

Beech Hill (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Rumi Chowdhury 2,158 67.6
Labour Javed Hussain* 2,127 66.7
Labour Rehana Malik 1,928 60.4
Liberal Democrats Mahbubul Karim95830.0
Liberal Democrats Adrees Latif94729.7
Liberal Democrats Ghulam Javed*73723.1
Turnout 3,22036.1
Registered electors 8,917
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)

Biscot

Biscot (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Zanib Raja 937 42.7
Labour Tahmina Saleem* 929 42.3
Independent Fazilat Ali-Khan71332.5
Independent Tipu Moheeuddin64329.3N/A
Liberal Democrats Shahin Uddin52523.9
Liberal Democrats Junaid Malik43119.6N/A
Turnout 2,22234.4
Registered electors 6,463
Labour hold
Labour hold

Bramingham

Bramingham (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Stuart Miller 1,601 50.9
Conservative John Baker 1,529 48.6
Conservative Aziz Ambia 1,463 46.5
Labour Desmond Billington1,27940.7
Labour Bodrul Amin1,26840.3
Labour Mehmood Khan1,17137.2
Turnout 3,17933.1
Registered electors 9,591
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
Conservative win (new seat)

Central

Central (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Fatima Begum* 626 73.9
Labour Yaqub Hanif 447 52.8
Independent Belal Ahmed19523.0
Liberal Democrats Abid Aziz12214.4
Liberal Democrats Amir Aziz11013.0
Independent Anwar Hussain789.2
Turnout 85816.5
Registered electors 5,203
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)

Challney

Challney (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Basit Mahmood 1,572 62.7
Labour Khtija Malik* 1,562 62.3
Labour Tom Shaw* 1,546 61.7
Liberal Democrats Mohammed Javid65426.1
Liberal Democrats Shahid Zaman59323.7
Liberal Democrats Farzana Ahktar58723.4
Turnout 2,54027.4
Registered electors 9,270
Labour hold
Labour hold
Labour hold

Dallow

Dallow (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Mohammed Farooq 1,101 62.2
Labour Alia Khan* 1,059 59.8
Liberal Democrats Bashrat Hussain61935.0
Liberal Democrats Abbas Hussain*49227.8
Turnout 1,79332.3
Registered electors 5,556
Labour hold
Labour hold

Dallow ward was represented by three councillors prior to the boundary changes which took effect for this election. Immediately before the election it was represented by two Labour and one Liberal Democrat councillors, the latter being Abbas Hussain who defected from Labour shortly before the election.

Farley

Farley (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Javeria Hussain* Unopposed
Labour Mahmood Hussain* Unopposed
Labour Dave Taylor* Unopposed
Registered electors
Labour hold
Labour hold
Labour hold

High Town

High Town (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour James Taylor 798 56.1
Labour Umme Ali* 783 55.0
Independent John French44631.3N/A
Independent Mohammed Shahid29420.7N/A
Conservative Lesley Hill23116.2
Turnout 1,43623.1
Registered electors 6,224
Labour hold
Labour hold

Leagrave

Leagrave (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Maria Lovell* 1,020 55.1
Labour Francis Steer 842 45.5
Conservative Ifthekher Alom69237.4
Conservative Malik Nikyalvi46525.1
Reform UK James Fletcher22412.1
Turnout 1,86027.1
Registered electors 6,863
Labour hold
Labour hold

Lewsey

Lewsey (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Hazel Simmons* 1,008 74.3
Labour Yarun Begum 912 67.3
Conservative Edward Carpenter27220.1
Independent Afia Parveen14210.5
Turnout 1,36622.0
Registered electors 6,215
Labour hold
Labour hold

Northwell

Northwell (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Rob Roche* 1,400 60.1
Labour Amy Nicholls* 1,397 60.0
Labour Babatunde Ajisola 1,306 56.1
Conservative Philip Turner66428.5
Conservative Ash Ali52022.3
Conservative Shashi Rudrangi48220.7
Reform UK Jim Cohen2319.9
Independent Anwar Hussain2179.3
Turnout 2,33825.4
Registered electors 9,214
Labour hold
Labour hold
Labour win (new seat)

Prior to the election Northwell was represented by two councillors, one of whom (Anne Donelon) had been elected as Labour but subsequently left the party and sat as an independent.

Poets

Poets (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Jacqui Burnett* 919 53.0
Labour Aslam Khan* 866 49.9
Liberal Democrats Taimoor Ali74943.2
Liberal Democrats Evaline Omondi69239.9
Turnout 1,75230.2
Registered electors 5,803
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)

Round Green

Round Green (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Gillian Fry 910 48.6
Liberal Democrats Zahoor Ahmed 799 42.7
Labour Raja Khan78541.9
Labour Yasmin Waheed*68236.4
Conservative Saiful Choudhury1608.5
Conservative Mohammed Shaikh1367.3
Turnout 1,88429.3
Registered electors 6,433
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour
Liberal Democrats hold

Prior to the election Round Green was represented by three councillors: two Liberal Democrats and one Labour.

Saints

Saints (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Saima Hussain* 1,630 54.1
Labour Ghulam Abbas 1,594 52.9
Labour Shahanara Naser 1,525 50.6
Liberal Democrats Anwar Malik1,20239.9
Liberal Democrats Summara Khurshid*1,18739.4
Liberal Democrats Baber Hussain1,07835.8
Turnout 3,05235.4
Registered electors 8,615
Labour hold
Labour hold
Labour hold

South

South (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Steve Stephens 710 51.9
Labour Charmaine Isles 645 47.2
Liberal Democrats Deborah Abodunrin-Olokode60244.0
Labour David Agbley*58943.1
Turnout 1,37822.9
Registered electors 6,025
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour
Labour hold

Stopsley

Stopsley (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Richard Underwood* 2,185 76.1
Liberal Democrats David Wynn* 2,142 74.6
Liberal Democrats Nigel Marshall 2,137 74.4
Labour Shajarul Islam62921.9
Labour Imtiaz Ahmed59620.7
Labour Sadiqul Choudhury59320.6
Turnout 2,88431.5
Registered electors 9,170
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Sundon Park

Sundon Park (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Steve Moore* 1,010 57.5
Liberal Democrats Clive Mead* 962 54.8
Labour Deanne Johnson72241.1
Labour Masood Akhtar63035.9
Turnout 1,76731.6
Registered electors 5,592
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats hold

Vauxhall

Vauxhall (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Terry Keens* 893 66.2
Liberal Democrats Lee Bridgen* 868 64.4
Labour Shana Begum42231.3
Labour Bobby Thomas38928.9
Turnout 1,35426.3
Registered electors 5,142
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Wigmore

Wigmore (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Claire Gallagher 1,809 81.5
Liberal Democrats Alan Skepelhorn* 1,760 79.3
Labour Raja Ahmed*37416.8
Labour Barnes Mayunga33815.2
Turnout 2,24932.4
Registered electors 6,931
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats hold

Changes 2023–2027


Affiliation changes

By-elections

Barnfield

Barnfield: 26 September 2024 [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Anwar Malik 1,169 63.5 +11.4
Labour Karen Roy32117.4–18.8
Conservative Ash Ali20911.4–0.3
Green Edward Carpenter1106.0N/A
Independent Marc Scheimann321.7N/A
Majority 84846.1N/A
Turnout 1,84819.8–16.3
Registered electors 9,353
Liberal Democrats hold Swing Increase2.svg15.1

Barnfield by-election triggered by the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Jeff Petts.

Wigmore

Wigmore: 26 September 2024 [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Adrees Latif 749 54.6 –28.3
Independent Carolyn Cottier20915.2N/A
Conservative Philip Turner15111.0N/A
Labour Farid Ahmed13710.0–7.1
Green Elissa Gordon1259.1N/A
Majority 54039.4N/A
Turnout 1,37119.5–12.9
Registered electors 7,053
Liberal Democrats hold

Wigmore by-election triggered by the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Claire Gallagher.

Stopsley

Stopsley by-election: 4 September 2025 [15]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Matt Fry 935 41.3 –36.3
Reform UK Jim Cohen82036.2N/A
Labour Moazzem Hussain25111.1–11.3
Conservative Roger Nichols1526.7N/A
Green Edward Carpenter873.8N/A
Independent Marc Scheimann190.8N/A
Majority 1155.1N/A
Turnout 2,27924.8–6.7
Registered electors 9,182
Liberal Democrats hold

References

  1. "The Luton (Electoral Changes) Order 2022", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 2022/824, retrieved 29 April 2023
  2. "Notice of election" (PDF). Luton Borough Council . Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  3. Holmes, Amy (25 April 2023). "Local elections 2023: Can Labour continue its winning run in Luton?". BBC News. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  4. "Luton's George Street added to Historic England's at risk register". BBC News. 11 November 2022. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  5. "Luton councillor removed from key roles after leaving Labour Party". Bedfordshire Live. 9 March 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  6. "Councillors". Luton Borough Council. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  7. "Local elections 2023: Conservatives lose control of Central Beds". BBC News. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  8. 1 2 "Local election results 2023". Luton Borough Council. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  9. "Luton election result". BBC News. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2023. Note that when ward boundaries have changed, as here, the BBC coverage compares results to a notional pre-election position which in this case appears to have differed from the actual immediate pre-election position due to the defections shortly beforehand.
  10. "Statement of Persons Nominated" (PDF). Luton Borough Council . Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  11. Duncan, Euan (10 October 2023). "Luton councillor who quit Labour party joins Conservatives". Luton Today. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  12. Duncan, Euan (14 March 2024). "Former Labour deputy leader of Luton Borough Council becomes interim leader of Conservative group". Luton Today. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  13. "Certificate of Result - Barnfield Ward" (PDF). Luton Borough Council. 26 September 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
  14. "Certificate of Result - Wigmore Ward" (PDF). Luton Borough Council. 26 September 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
  15. "Certificate of Result - Stopsley Ward" (PDF). Luton Borough Council. 5 September 2025. Retrieved 5 September 2025.