Lewes District Council elections

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Lewes District Council in East Sussex, England is elected every four years. Since the last boundary changes in 2019, 41 councillors are elected from 21 wards.

Contents

Political parties

From its formation, until 2013, the council comprised mainly Conservative and Liberal Democrat or Liberal councillors, with a small number of independents and some Labour councillors at different points. However, in 2013 two Conservative members of the council crossed the floor and joined UKIP, giving the party its first Lewes District councillors. This also meant that the Conservatives lost control of the council, putting it in No overall control. In 2015, neither of the previous UKIP members were re-elected; however, a new UKIP District Councillor was elected to the council, and, for the first time in its history, three Green Party councillors.

2019 saw the Conservative Party return 19 councillors, and the Green Party increase their representation to nine councillors, becoming the second largest party, ahead of the Liberal Democrats, who managed eight. The Labour Party elected three councillors, and they were joined by two Independents.

However in 2021, one Green Party Councillor left the Green Party to join the Liberal Democrats on Lewes Council, making the Liberal Democrats the second largest party. [1] In 2022 the Labour Party gained a seat from the Conservatives in a by-election. Then, in the 2023 local elections for all 41 Council seats, the Conservatives and Independents lost all of their remaining seats of Lewes Council, leaving the Green Party as the largest group, the Liberal Democrats as the second largest group, and the Labour Party as the remaining group.

Council composition

Composition of the council [2]
Year Conservative Liberal Democrats [a] Labour Green UKIP Independents
& Others		Council control
after election
Local government reorganisation; council established (47 seats)
1973 29010––8Conservative
1976 37060–4Conservative
1979 38150–3Conservative
New ward boundaries (47 seats)
1983 39400–5Conservative
1987 341100–3Conservative
1991 182700–3Liberal Democrats
1995 16282002Liberal Democrats
1999 16300002Liberal Democrats
New ward boundaries (40 seats)
2003 11280002Liberal Democrats
2007 17230001Liberal Democrats
2011 22180001Conservative
2015 24110312Conservative
New ward boundaries (40 seats)
2019 1983902No overall control
2023 01591700No overall control

Results maps

By-election results

1999–2003

Peacehaven North By-Election 6 December 2001
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative 45049.3+10.1
Labour 29332.1+10.5
Liberal Democrats 16918.5−20.7
Majority 15717.2
Turnout 91216.3
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing

2003–2007

Peacehaven North By-Election 15 December 2005 [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Chistopher Bishop40664.6+12.7
Liberal Democrats Carla Butler11318.0−12.0
Labour John Carden10917.4−0.8
Majority 29346.6
Turnout 62818.2
Conservative hold Swing
Ouse Valley and Ringmer By-Election 17 August 2006 [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Peter Gardiner71543.7+21.6
Conservative Paul Gander52131.8+6.5
SeagullsEdward Bassford35921.9+21.9
Labour Trevor Hopper412.5−10.7
Majority 19412.9
Turnout 1,63633.4
Liberal Democrats gain from Independent Swing

2015–2019

Lewes Bridge by-election 2 June 2016 [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Will Elliott54344.6+17.1
Green Johnny Denis34528.3+7.7
Labour Richard Hurn21217.4+1.3
Conservative Roy Burman1179.6−2.4
Majority 19816.3
Turnout 1,217
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Seaford West by-election 8 June 2017 [6]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Liz Boorman1,57351.8+6.6
Liberal Democrats Will Elliott80626.6−0.5
Labour Barbara Hayes36312.0+12.0
UKIP Eric Woodward1525.0−14.2
Green Zoe Ford1414.6−3.9
Majority 76725.3
Turnout 3,035
Conservative hold Swing
Ouse Valley & Ringmer by-election 7 September 2017 [7]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Green Johnny Denis83538.7+22.3
Conservative Clare Herbert66030.6+1.6
Liberal Democrats James Gardiner45721.2−8.0
Labour Tim Telford1677.7−4.4
UKIP Phil Howson381.8−11.5
Majority 1758.1
Turnout 2,16142
Green gain from Conservative Swing
Chailey and Wivelsfield by-election 2 July 2018 [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Nancy Bikson56353.6+4.9
Liberal Democrats Marion Hughes32430.8+5.0
Labour Nicholas Belcher1049.9+9.9
Green Brenda Barnes605.7−6.4
Majority 23922.7
Turnout 1,051
Conservative hold Swing

2019–2023

Seaford East by-election 6 May 2021 [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Richard Turner82047.5+6.8
Green James Meek45226.2+4.1
Liberal Democrats Pinky Adil34720.1+20.1
Labour Ann Biddle1096.3−10.2
Majority 36821.3
Turnout 1,728
Conservative hold Swing
Seaford West by-election 6 May 2021 [10]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Linda Wallraven1,02856.3+9.9
Liberal Democrats Olivia Honeyman40122.0+22.0
Green Gemma McFarlane27715.2−19.0
Labour Chris Purser1206.6−12.8
Majority 62734.3
Turnout 1,826
Conservative hold Swing
Peacehaven West by-election 12 May 2022 [11]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Ciarron Clarkson64154.7+54.7
Conservative Katie Sanderson46739.8+13.8
Green Holly Atkins322.7−14.9
Liberal Democrats Elizabeth Lee322.7−13.8
Majority 17414.8
Turnout 1,172
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

2023–2027

Wivelsfield by-election 10 October 2024 [12]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Green Sue Morris31542.3−10.6
Liberal Democrats Nadine Stothard21629.0+18.2
Conservative Sarah Webster21328.6−7.9
Majority 9913.3
Turnout 744
Green hold Swing
Newhaven North by-election 29 May 2025 [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Corina Watts69751.7
Reform UK Bill Payne38928.9
Green David Hoare1229.1
Conservative Richard Turner594.4
Independent Steve Saunders574.2
Labour Linda Drabble231.7
Majority 30822.9
Turnout 1,347
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Includes totals for the predecessors of the Liberal Democrats, the Liberal Party and SDP (both of which participated in the Alliance).

References

  1. ↑ "Council's mental health champion resigns from Lewes Green group". sussexexpress.co.uk. 12 March 2020. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
  2. ↑ "Composition calculator". Colin Rallings & Michael Thrasher . The Elections Centre, Plymouth University . Retrieved 14 May 2025.
  3. ↑ "Lib Dem infighting sees mixed byelection results". guardian.co.uk . 16 December 2005. Retrieved 22 October 2009.
  4. ↑ "By-election – Lewes District Council" (PDF). Lewes District Council. Retrieved 12 February 2009.[ dead link ]
  5. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Lewes Bridge Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  6. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Seaford West Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  7. ↑ "Result of poll" (PDF). Lewes District Council. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
  8. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Chailey and Wivelsfield Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  9. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Seaford East Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  10. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Seaford West Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  11. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Peacehaven West Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  12. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Wivelsfield Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  13. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Newhaven North Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
  14. ↑ legislation.gov.uk – The District of Lewes (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1979. Retrieved on 19 November 2015.
  15. ↑ legislation.gov.uk – The East Sussex, West Sussex and Kent (County Boundaries) Order 1992. Retrieved on 5 November 2015.
  16. ↑ "Lewes". BBC Online . Retrieved 12 February 2009.
  17. ↑ legislation.gov.uk – The District of Lewes (Electoral Changes) Order 2001. Retrieved on 4 October 2015.
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