2023 Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council election

Last updated
2023 Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council election
FlagOfHertfordshire.PNG
  2022 4 May 2023 (2023-05-04) 2024  

16 out of 48 seats to Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council
25 seats needed for a majority
Turnout26,836, 32.8%
 First partySecond partyThird party
  No image wide.svg No image wide.svg No image wide.svg
LeaderTony KingsburyPaul ZukowskyjLynn Chesterman
Party Conservative Liberal Democrats Labour
Last election26 seats, 37.1%12 seats, 29.6%10 seats, 29.8%
Seats before261210
Seats after221412
Seat changeDecrease2.svg 4Increase2.svg 2Increase2.svg 2
Popular vote901769088239
Percentage33.8%25.9%30.9%
SwingDecrease2.svg 3.3 pp Decrease2.svg 3.7 pp Increase2.svg 1.1 pp

2023 Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council election map.png
Winner of each seat at the 2023 Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council election

Leader before election

Tony Kingsbury
Conservative

Leader after election

Paul Zukowskyj
Liberal Democrat
No overall control

The 2023 Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council in Hertfordshire, England. [1] This would be on the same day as other local elections across England.

Contents

Prior to the election the Conservatives held a narrow majority of the seats on the council. Out of the sixteen seats up for election, five seats changed party hands, leading to the Conservative Party losing their majority and the council going under no overall control. [2] [3] Whilst the Conservatives remained the largest party after the election, a Liberal Democrat and Labour party coalition subsequently took control of the council. [4]

Summary

Election result

Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council's composition following the 2023 elections. United Kingdom Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council 2023.svg
Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council's composition following the 2023 elections.
2023 Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council election
PartyThis electionFull councilThis election
SeatsNetSeats %OtherTotalTotal %VotesVotes %+/−
  Conservative 4Decrease2.svg 425.0182245.8901733.8 [5] Decrease2.svg 3.3
  Liberal Democrats 6Increase2.svg 237.581429.2690825.9Decrease2.svg 3.7
  Labour 6Increase2.svg 237.561225.0823930.9Increase2.svg 1.1
  Green 0Steady2.svg0.00.000.023658.9Increase2.svg 6.3
  Reform UK 0Steady2.svg0.00.000.01620.6 [a] N/A

Results

The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council following the close of nominations on 5 April 2023. [6]

Brookmans Park and Little Heath

Brookmans Park and Little Heath
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Jonathan Boulton* 1,044 61.6 −3.4
Labour Graham Beevers30818.2−0.9
Liberal Democrats Peter Basford20412.0−3.9
Green William Berrington1287.6n/a
Rejected ballots100.6n/a
Majority 73643.4−2.5
Turnout 169433.9−5
Conservative hold Swing Decrease2.svg1.3

Haldens

Haldens
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Astrid Scott 856 50.6 +0.2
Conservative Neil Bradbury52130.8−4.5
Liberal Democrats Jason Payne17510.3−4.0
Green Lesley Smith1317.7n/a
Rejected ballots80.5n/a
Majority 33519.8+4.7
Turnout 169134.5−1.4
Labour gain from Conservative Swing Increase2.svg 2.4

Handside

Handside
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Michal Siewniak 1,403 55.7 +0.5
Conservative Brian Seeger69527.6+0.5
Labour Mbizo Mpofu25310.0−1.1
Green Philip Hopley1546.1−3.8
Rejected ballots160.6n/a
Majority 70828.1n/a
Turnout 252146.4−4.0
Liberal Democrats hold Swing Steady2.svg 0

Hatfield Central

Hatfield Central
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Kieran Thorpe 713 57.2 +4.4
Conservative Patrick Short27622.2−11.2
Liberal Democrats Adam Edwards14811.9−1.9
Green Rody Ribeiro1028.2n/a
Rejected ballots70.6n/a
Majority 43735.0+15.6
Turnout 124623.1−3.1
Labour hold Swing Increase2.svg 7.8

Hatfield East

Hatfield East
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Cathy Watson 712 39.6 −4.5
Conservative Caron Juggins*59232.9−5.5
Liberal Democrats Muhammed Joglu38821.6+11.2
Green Ian Gregory995.5−1.6
Rejected ballots90.5n/a
Majority 1206.7−12.7
Turnout 180032.90.0
Labour gain from Conservative Swing Increase2.svg 0.5

Hatfield South West

Hatfield South West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Helena Goldwater 659 43.5 −1.9
Labour Vaishali Shah55936.9+5.3
Conservative David Perkins21614.3−5.5
Green Antony Henn755.0n/a
Rejected ballots50.3n/a
Majority 1006.6−7.2
Turnout 151427.1−1.6
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour Swing Decrease2.svg 3.6

Hatfield Villages

Hatfield Villages
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Rose Grewal 707 43.9 −2.3
Conservative Phil Kurland47629.5−10.7
Liberal Democrats Brad Taylor28917.9+5.0
Green Andreas Kukol865.3n/a
Reform UK Pete Whitehead483n/a
Rejected ballots50.3n/a
Majority 23114.4+9.1
Turnout 161128.2−1.3
Labour gain from Conservative Swing Increase2.svg 4.2

Hollybush

Hollybush
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Margaret Birleson* 723 57.7 −0.1
Conservative Abbie Cook30624.4−7.1
Liberal Democrats Paul Wilson1139.0−1.7
Green Joseph Bristow987.8n/a
Rejected ballots121.0n/a
Majority 41733.3+7.0
Turnout 125225.5−5.8
Labour hold Swing Increase2.svg 3.5

Howlands

Howlands
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Jill Weston* 861 54.4 −4.1
Conservative Ahmad Chattha50231.7−2.8
Liberal Democrats Hillary Skoczylas1036.5−0.5
Green Penelope Berrington1026.4n/a
Rejected ballots140.9n/a
Majority 35922.7−1.3
Turnout 158230−4.9
Labour hold Swing Decrease2.svg 0.7

Northaw and Cuffley

Northaw and Cuffley
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative George Michaelides* 1,095 66.3 −1.5
Labour Sheila Barrett25515.4−2.2
Liberal Democrats Anthony Green1519.1−5.5
Green Brian Edwards1398.4n/a
Rejected ballots110.7n/a
Majority 84050.9+0.7
Turnout 165135.2+1.3
Conservative hold Swing Increase2.svg 0.4

Panshanger

Panshanger
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Jane Quinton* 728 47.0 +7.7
Conservative Liz McAuliffe44128.5−5.6
Labour Perry Hewitt30419.6−7.0
Green Cheryl Miles684.4n/a
Rejected ballots80.5n/a
Majority 28718.5+13.3
Turnout 154935.2+0.9
Liberal Democrats hold Swing Increase2.svg 7.4

Peartree

Peartree
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Simon Goldwater 582 44.2 −7.6
Labour Tom Green46635.4+2.0
Conservative Jeet Dhelaria16712.7+1.1
Green Claudia Ferlisi916.9n/a
Rejected ballots100.8n/a
Majority 1168.8−9.6
Turnout 131624.3−3.7
Liberal Democrats hold Swing Decrease2.svg 4.8

Sherrards

Sherrards
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Frank Marsh* 1,020 52.9 −1.5
Labour Leo Gilbert41621.6+7.3
Conservative Siva Kumar33717.5−6.8
Green David Cox834.3−0.6
Reform UK Jack Aaron693.6n/a
Rejected ballots30.2n/a
Majority 60431.3+1.2
Turnout 192844.2−2.5
Liberal Democrats hold Swing Decrease2.svg 4.4

Welham Green and Hatfield South

Welham Green and Hatfield South
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Adrienne Nix 613 37.9 −7.7
Conservative Teresa Travell56635.0+1.8
Labour Linda Mendez33520.7+3.2
Green Ian Nendick503.1n/a
Reform UK Shane Scott452.8n/a
Rejected ballots90.6n/a
Majority 472.9−9.5
Turnout 161831.2−0.8
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing Decrease2.svg 4.8

Welwyn East

Welwyn East
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Roger Trigg* 849 45.6 −6.7
Labour Alan Chesterman57130.6+1.7
Green Mary Barton23512.6n/a
Liberal Democrats Pashang Fatemi20410.9−8.2
Rejected ballots120.6n/a
Majority 27815.0−8.3
Turnout 187135.7−7.2
Conservative hold Swing Decrease2.svg 4.2

Welwyn West

Welwyn West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Tony Kingsbury* 934 46.9 −7.5
Green Sarah Butcher72436.3+20.2
Labour Daniel Carlen20010.0−5.3
Liberal Democrats Simon Archer1286.4−7.7
Rejected ballots60.6n/a
Majority 21010.6−27.6
Turnout 199241.3+2.2
Conservative hold Swing Decrease2.svg 13.9

Footnotes

  1. The missing 0.5% of total percentage consists of 145 rejected votes across the wards.

References

  1. "Notice of Election". Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council. 27 March 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  2. "Local elections 2023: Tories lose Dacorum, Hertsmere, East Herts and Welwyn Hatfield". BBC News. 6 May 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  3. "RECAP: Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council election results 2023 on historic day". Welwyn Hatfield Times. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  4. Mountney, Dan (19 May 2023). "Labour and Lib Dem joint administration to lead Welwyn Hatfield". Welwyn Hatfield Times. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  5. "Local Election Results 2023 - Welwyn Hatfield". Local Elections Archive Project. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  6. "Election Day - Thursday 4 May 2023". Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council . Retrieved 11 April 2023.