2023 East Suffolk District Council election

The 2023 East Suffolk District Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of East Suffolk District Council in Suffolk, England.[1] This was held on the same day as other local elections. All 55 seats on the council were up for election.

2023 East Suffolk District Council election

← 2019 4 May 2023 (2023-05-04) 2027 →

All 55 seats to East Suffolk District Council
28 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
  Blank Blank Blank
Leader Caroline Topping Steve Gallant Peter Byatt
Party Green Conservative Labour
Last election 4 seats, 22.0% 39 seats, 38.2% 7 seats, 17.0%
Seats before 5 39 7
Seats won 16 15 12
Seat change Increase 12 Decrease 24 Increase 5
Popular vote 35,804 49,399 26,279
Percentage 26.8% 37.0% 19.7%
Swing Increase 4.8% Decrease 1.2% Increase 2.7%

  Fourth party Fifth party
  Blank Blank
Leader David Beavan
Party Liberal Democrats Independent
Last election 3 seats, 11.4% 2 seats, 4.8%
Seats before 3 1
Seats won 11 1
Seat change Increase 8 Decrease 1
Popular vote 21,106 641
Percentage 15.8% 0.5%
Swing Increase 4.4% Decrease 4.3%

Winner of each seat at the 2023 East Suffolk District Council election

Leader before election

Steve Gallant
Conservative

Leader after election

Caroline Topping
Green
No overall control

Summary

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Prior to the election the council was under Conservative majority control.[2] The Conservative leader of the council, Steve Gallant, did not stand for re-election in 2023.[3]

Following the results of the election, the Conservatives lost control of the council to no overall control, with the three opposition parties making gains at their expense. A coalition of the Greens, Liberal Democrats and the independent councillor subsequently formed. On 24 May 2023, at the inaugural council meeting for the 2023-2024 term, Caroline Topping, a Green Party councillor for Beccles & Worlingham ward, was elected as leader of the council, with Liberal Democrat leader David Beavan becoming deputy leader. The new administration holds 28 out of 55 seats and has a majority of 1.[4][5]

Overall results

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The overall results were as follows:[6]

2023 East Suffolk District Council election
Party Candidates Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Green 37 16 12 0   12 29.1 26.8 35,804 +4.8
  Conservative 55 15 0 24   24 27.3 37.0 49,399 –1.2
  Labour 37 12 5 0   5 21.8 19.7 26,279 +2.7
  Liberal Democrats 25 11 8 0   8 20.0 15.8 21,106 +4.4
  Independent 3 1 0 1   1 1.8 0.5 641 –4.3
  Communist 2 0 0 0   0.0 0.2 257 N/A
  Heritage 1 0 0 0   0.0 <0.1 56 N/A

Ward results

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The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by East Suffolk District Council following the close of nominations on 4 April 2023.[7] The results for each ward were as follows, with an asterisk (*) indicating an incumbent councillor standing for re-election:[8][9]

Aldeburgh & Leiston

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Aldeburgh & Leiston (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Tom Daly* 2,086 54.8 +35.7
Green Katie Graham 1,961 51.5 +36.1
Green Sarah Whitelock 1,896 49.8 +36.4
Conservative Jocelyn Bond 1,275 33.5 +2.1
Conservative Tony Cooper* 1,233 32.4 –1.3
Conservative Andrew Reid 1,089 28.6 –2.1
Labour David Grugeon 599 15.7 –6.6
Labour Ray Breach 561 14.7 –6.1
Turnout 3,808 38.6 +0.4
Registered electors 9,876
Green gain from Conservative
Green gain from Conservative
Green gain from Independent

Tom Daly previously won a seat in a by-election, however the seat is shown as a gain as compared to the 2019 election.

Beccles & Worlingham

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Beccles & Worlingham (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Caroline Topping* 2,792 67.7 +2.0
Green Sarah Plummer* 2,673 64.8 –7.6
Green Sheryl Rumble 2,471 59.9 –5.5
Conservative Trish Mortimer* 851 20.6 –4.0
Conservative Bernard Reader 806 19.6 –1.5
Conservative May Reader 784 19.0 +3.0
Labour Sam Hunt 583 14.1 +8.9
Labour Tarek Lahin 531 12.9 +7.7
Labour Tony Burgess 487 11.8 N/A
Turnout 4,122 35.0 –9.1
Registered electors 11,768
Green hold
Green hold
Green hold

Bungay & Wainford

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Bungay & Wainford (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Toby Hammond 1,682 59.0 +25.0
Green Anthony Speca 1,569 55.1 +27.3
Conservative Judy Cloke* 812 28.5 –14.2
Conservative Mark Bee 776 27.2 –15.9
Labour Tim Mobbs 294 10.3 –5.0
Labour Chris Saddler 229 8.0 –5.8
Independent Natalie Carlile 169 5.9 N/A
Turnout 2,850 41.5 +5.5
Registered electors 6,868
Green gain from Conservative
Green gain from Conservative

Carlford & Fynn Valley

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Carlford & Fynn Valley (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Dan Clery 1,388 50.6 +23.5
Conservative Colin Hedgley* 1,272 46.3 –4.2
Green Nigel Hiley 1,263 46.0 +26.2
Conservative Ben Coupe 1,257 45.8 –4.1
Turnout 2,745 40.7 +1.8
Registered electors 6,745
Green gain from Conservative
Conservative hold

Carlton & Whitton

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Carlton & Whitton (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jamie Starling 904 45.5 +13.7
Conservative Jenny Ceresa* 879 44.3 +14.2
Labour Charlotte Barker 769 38.7 +12.6
Labour Sonia Barker 758 38.2 +16.9
Green Anna Hammond 191 9.6 –2.7
Green Daniel Keates 143 7.2 N/A
Liberal Democrats John Mercer 135 6.8 –0.7
Liberal Democrats Dave O'Neill 90 4.5 N/A
Turnout 1,985 25.4 –3.2
Registered electors 7,802
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Carlton Colville

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Carlton Colville (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Craig Rivett* 787 41.7 +8.1
Conservative Myles Scrancher 696 36.9 –0.4
Liberal Democrats Adam Robertson 658 34.9 +5.8
Liberal Democrats Chris Thomas 604 32.0 +2.9
Labour Christian Newsome 473 25.1 +6.8
Labour Jack Smith 438 23.2 +7.4
Turnout 1,887 25.4 –2.8
Registered electors 7,439
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Deben

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Deben
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Mallinder* 773 51.5 +3.9
Green Richard Noble 729 48.5 +29.6
Majority 44 3.0 –23.6
Turnout 1,517 40.5 –0.5
Registered electors 3,742
Conservative hold Swing  12.9

Eastern Felixstowe

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Eastern Felixstowe
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Seamus Bennett 2,288 50.2 +19.4
Liberal Democrats Jan Candy 1,838 40.3 +15.8
Conservative Mark Jepson* 1,722 37.8 +0.2
Conservative Steve Wiles* 1,676 36.8 –3.2
Liberal Democrats David Underwood 1,567 34.4 +10.9
Conservative Anthony Malster 1,521 33.4 –10.4
Labour David Rowe 1,115 24.5 +3.1
Communist Hagar Babbington 154 3.4 N/A
Turnout 4,559 42.9 +3.7
Registered electors 10,638
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative
Conservative hold

Framlingham

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Framlingham (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Vince Langdon-Morris 1,652 57.9 +23.6
Liberal Democrats Owen Grey 1,283 45.0 +16.1
Conservative Tom Faulkner 1,051 36.9 –2.5
Conservative Maurice Cook* 1,046 36.7 –5.3
Turnout 2,851 41.0 +3.3
Registered electors 6,961
Green gain from Conservative
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative

Gunton & St Margarets

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Gunton & St Margarets (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour George King 1,020 44.6 +19.9
Labour Graham Parker 960 42.0 +21.6
Conservative Linda Coulam* 933 40.8 +10.8
Conservative Ryan Harvey 801 35.1 +1.1
Green Alison Ballantyne 208 9.1 –14.3
Green Kerri Edmondson 198 8.7 N/A
Liberal Democrats Fiona Shreeve 121 5.3 N/A
Liberal Democrats John Shreeve 94 4.1 N/A
Turnout 2,285 30.0 ±0.0
Registered electors 7,626
Labour gain from Conservative
Labour gain from Conservative

Halesworth & Blything

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Halesworth & Blything (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Beth Keys-Holloway 1,756 65.6 +23.0
Green Geoffrey Wakeling 1,702 63.6 N/A
Conservative Alison Cackett* 760 28.4 –15.0
Conservative Graham Catchpole 629 23.5 –19.3
Labour John Murray 254 9.5 –14.2
Turnout 2,675 40.2 +3.4
Registered electors 6,647
Green gain from Conservative
Green gain from Conservative

Harbour & Normanston

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Harbour & Normanston (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Janet Craig* 1,117 55.2 +19.1
Labour Keith Patience* 1,109 54.8 +17.4
Labour Tess Gandy* 1,088 53.8 +18.4
Conservative David Coulam 560 27.7 +14.2
Conservative Deanna Law 516 25.5 +12.7
Conservative Vince Rule 473 23.4 +11.8
Green Alice Eastaugh 309 15.3 –0.7
Green Phillip Love 282 13.9 N/A
Green Debbie Ray 272 13.5 N/A
Turnout 2,022 18.1 –4.3
Registered electors 11,176
Labour hold
Labour hold
Labour hold

Kelsale & Yoxford

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Kelsale & Yoxford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Julia Ewart 752 54.4 +31.4
Conservative Alexander Nicoll 356 25.8 –18.8
Labour John Clark 274 19.8 N/A
Majority 396 28.6 N/A
Turnout 1,397 43.9 +5.2
Registered electors 3,179
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing  25.1

Kesgrave

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Kesgrave (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Debbie McCallum* 1,958 58.6 –1.3
Conservative Stuart Lawson* 1,367 40.9 –8.2
Conservative Geoff Lynch* 1,261 37.7 –9.6
Liberal Democrats Brad Clements 1,207 36.1 +12.6
Labour Lesley Bensley 972 29.1 +12.8
Green Marcin Burcon 905 27.1 +5.2
Liberal Democrats Sally Neal 862 25.8 N/A
Turnout 3,342 29.9 +0.6
Registered electors 11,161
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Kessingland

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Kessingland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Alan Green 398 37.0 +4.9
Conservative Letitia Smith* 359 33.4 –1.0
Green Jon Coxon 318 29.6 +8.3
Majority 39 3.6 N/A
Turnout 1,086 31.2 +1.8
Registered electors 3,485
Labour gain from Conservative Swing  2.9

Kirkley & Pakefield

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Kirkley & Pakefield (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Louise Gooch* 1,422 52.0 +15.8
Labour Peter Byatt* 1,421 52.0 +15.6
Labour Malcolm Pitchers* 1,239 45.4 +14.5
Conservative David Bromley 866 31.7 +3.0
Conservative June Ford 848 31.0 +3.9
Conservative Jean Bowry 788 28.8 +4.1
Green Annette Abbott 474 17.3 –4.0
Green Alan Barnes 406 14.9 N/A
Green Christopher Hart 323 11.8 N/A
Turnout 2,732 26.2 –1.5
Registered electors 10,441
Labour hold
Labour hold
Labour hold

Lothingland

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Lothingland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Paul Ashdown* 434 47.1 –1.0
Labour Thomas Leveritt 318 34.5 +8.7
Green Rosemary Brambley 111 12.0 –6.5
Liberal Democrats Susan Groome 59 6.4 –1.1
Majority 116 12.6 –9.7
Turnout 925 31.6 –0.9
Registered electors 2,926
Conservative hold Swing  4.9

Martlesham & Purdis Farm

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Martlesham & Purdis Farm (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Edward Thompson* 1,229 54.0 +9.5
Liberal Democrats Mark Packard 1,094 48.0 N/A
Conservative Chris Blundell* 1,076 47.2 –9.1
Conservative Guy Jenkinson 930 40.8 –1.9
Turnout 2,278 37.2 +3.1
Registered electors 6,121
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative

Melton

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Melton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Rachel Smith-Lyte* 890 52.1 –7.8
Conservative Alan Porter 641 37.5 –2.6
Labour Katherine Bicknell 178 10.4 N/A
Majority 249 14.6 –5.2
Turnout 1,716 47.7 +1.6
Registered electors 3,594
Green hold Swing  2.6

Orwell & Villages

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Orwell & Villages (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Mike Ninnmey 1,736 62.5 N/A
Liberal Democrats Lee Reeves 1,492 53.7 N/A
Conservative Mick Richardson 1,004 36.2 –2.6
Conservative Patti Mulcahy 858 30.9 –6.7
Turnout 2,776 35.9 –3.0
Registered electors 7,730
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative

Oulton Broad

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Oulton Broad (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Back* 1,403 48.9 +9.2
Conservative Keith Robinson* 1,329 46.3 +9.3
Conservative Andrée Gee* 1,304 45.5 +8.9
Labour Bob Groome 989 34.5 +11.5
Labour Jen Jones 985 34.3 +9.2
Labour Paul Page 886 30.9 +9.9
Green Andrew Eastnaugh 321 11.2 –0.8
Green Susan Steward 294 10.2 –1.3
Green Jesse Timberlake 286 10.0 N/A
Liberal Democrats Simon MacDowall 163 5.7 –3.8
Liberal Democrats Andrew Turner 142 4.9 N/A
Liberal Democrats Timothy Sutton-Day 137 4.8 N/A
Turnout 2,869 26.4 –2.3
Registered electors 10,852
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Rendlesham & Orford

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Rendlesham & Orford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Tim Wilson 842 58.1 +36.9
Conservative Ray Herring* 550 38.0 –13.9
Heritage Martin Foxton 56 3.9 N/A
Majority 292 20.1 N/A
Turnout 1,455 37.8 +4.2
Registered electors 3,841
Green gain from Conservative Swing  24.5

Rushmere St Andrew

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Rushmere St Andrew
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Deborah Dean 582 46.8 –11.1
Labour Alistair Dick 405 32.6 +12.5
Green Stewart Belfield 256 20.6 –1.4
Majority 177 14.2 –21.7
Turnout 1,252 35.4 +3.0
Registered electors 3,539
Conservative hold Swing  8.6

Saxmundham

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Saxmundham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent John Fisher* 396 34.5 –11.5
Liberal Democrats James Sandbach 320 27.9 +1.9
Conservative Phillip Dunnett 222 19.3 –7.9
Labour Mark Turner 210 18.3 N/A
Majority 76 6.6 –12.2
Turnout 1,156 33.3 –0.4
Registered electors 3,472
Independent hold Swing  6.7

Southwold

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Southwold
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats David Bevan* 1,122 72.4 –8.4
Conservative Tony Goldson 265 17.1 +1.6
Labour Stephen Stansfield 87 5.6 +1.9
Independent Kevin Cross 76 4.9 N/A
Majority 857 55.3 –10.0
Turnout 1,553 48.2 –8.0
Registered electors 3,221
Liberal Democrats hold Swing  5.0

Western Felixstowe

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Western Felixstowe (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Mike Deacon* 1,204 49.8 +7.5
Labour Amanda Folley 965 39.9 +6.7
Labour Rosie Smithson 916 37.9 +8.3
Conservative Stuart Bird* 848 35.1 –1.3
Conservative Tracey Green* 829 34.3 –1.0
Conservative Steve Bain 815 33.7 +1.3
Green Richard Keyworth 456 18.9 –1.9
Green Angus Thody 364 15.1 –4.4
Communist Mark Jones 103 4.3 N/A
Turnout 2,416 27.6 –0.4
Registered electors 8,759
Labour hold
Labour gain from Conservative
Labour gain from Conservative

Wickham Market

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Wickham Market
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Sally Noble 930 62.6 +45.3
Conservative Carol Poulter* 555 37.4 –9.7
Majority 375 25.2 N/A
Turnout 1,493 38.3 +0.6
Registered electors 3,895
Green gain from Conservative Swing  27.5

Woodbridge

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Woodbridge
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Stephen Molyneux 1,404 48.9 N/A
Liberal Democrats Kay Yule* 1,220 42.5 –12.9
Labour Paul Richards 864 30.1 –6.8
Conservative Geoff Holdcroft 845 29.4 –7.5
Conservative Stephen Attwell 776 27.0 –11.1
Turnout 2,870 44.9 +1.2
Registered electors 6,398
Green gain from Conservative
Liberal Democrats hold

Wrentham, Wangford & Westleton

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Wrentham, Wangford & Westleton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Paul Ashton 893 59.5 +32.8
Conservative Norman Brooks* 448 29.8 –5.6
Labour Jane Murray 161 10.7 –3.6
Majority 445 29.7 N/A
Turnout 1,518 44.3 +5.1
Registered electors 3,428
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing  19.2

References

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  1. ^ "NOTICE OF ELECTION" (PDF). East Suffolk District Council. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  2. ^ "Which Suffolk councils are holding elections in May 2023?". Paul Geater. East Anglian Daily Times. 16 March 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  3. ^ Geater, Paul (5 April 2023). "Who is standing for election in East Suffolk on May 4?". East Anglian Daily Times. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  4. ^ "East Suffolk to be run by Green/Lib Dem coalition". East Anglian Daily Times. 18 May 2023. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  5. ^ "New Leader for East Suffolk Council". East Suffolk Council. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
  6. ^ "Local elections 2023: full council results for England". The Guardian. 9 May 2023. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  7. ^ "STATEMENT OF PERSONS NOMINATED, NOTICE OF POLL & SITUATION OF POLLING STATIONS" (PDF). East Suffolk District Council. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  8. ^ "Declaration of result of poll" (PDF). East Suffolk Council. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  9. ^ "Councillors". East Suffolk Council. Archived from the original on 1 April 2023. Retrieved 4 January 2024.