Wikipedia

2023 Forest of Dean District Council election

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.

2023 Forest of Dean District Council election
← 2019 4 May 2023 (2023-05-04) 2027 →
All 38 seats to Forest of Dean District Council
20 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
  Blank Blank Blank
Leader Jackie Dale Matt Bishop
Party Green Independent Labour
Last election 6 seats, 21.6% 15 seats, 25.8% 5 seats, 16.4%
Seats before 7 20[a] 3
Seats won 15 11 5
Seat change Increase 9 Decrease 4 Steady
Popular vote 11,621 9,960 3,244
Percentage 28.8% 24.7% 8.0%
Swing Increase 7.2% Decrease 0.9% Decrease 8.4%
  Fourth party Fifth party
  Blank Blank
Leader Harry Ives Gill Moseley
Party Conservative Liberal Democrats
Last election 10 seats, 30.0% 2 seats, 5.2%
Seats before 6 2
Seats won 4 3
Seat change Decrease 6 Increase 1
Popular vote 11,258 4,242
Percentage 27.9% 10.5%
Swing Decrease 2.4% Increase 5.3%
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

Overview

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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.[1] 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.[2][3] 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.[4][5][6]

Election result

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2019 Forest of Dean District Council election
Party Candidates Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Green 21 15 9 0   9 39.5 28.8 11,621 +7.2
  Independent 27 11 2 6   4 28.9 24.7 9,960 –0.9
  Labour 7 5 1 1   13.2 8.0 3,244 –8.4
  Conservative 38 4 0 6   6 10.5 27.9 11,258 –2.1
  Liberal Democrats 8 3 1 0   1 7.9 10.5 4,242 +5.3

Ward results

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The results for each ward were as follows, with an asterisk (*) indicating a sitting councillor standing for re-election.[7]

Berry Hill

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Berry Hill (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Tim Gwilliam* 571 44.2 −16.0
Independent Jamie Elsmore* 560 43.4 N/A
Green Stephen Yeates 391 30.3 +16.8
Green Richard Henson 282 21.8 +1.0
Independent Nigel Bluett 209 16.2 −10.2
Conservative Clive Dunning 202 15.6 −10.8
Conservative Valerie Nurden 140 10.8 −10.7
Independent Scott Baine 58 4.5 N/A
Turnout 1,291 34.55
Independent hold Swing
Independent hold Swing

Bream

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Bream (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Alison Bruce 537 44.5 +25.1
Green Beth Llewellyn 377 31.3 +13.6
Labour Barry Faulkner 288 23.9 −1.1
Independent Alan Grant 283 23.5 N/A
Independent Paul Hiett * 283 23.5 −9.4
Conservative Rob Whittaker 213 17.7 +2.9
Conservative Sarah Price 149 12.4 +0.6
Independent Emma Gleave 81 6.7 N/A
Turnout 1,206 32.61
Green gain from Independent Swing
Green hold Swing

Cinderford East

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Cinderford East (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Di Martin* 458 60.5 +6.1
Labour Matt Bishop 421 55.6 +0.2
Conservative Alan Bensted 163 21.5 +0.7
Independent Jeremy Charlton-Wright 157 20.7 −8.5
Conservative Freda Gittos 137 18.1 +2.0
Turnout 757 22.47
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

Cinderford West

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Cinderford West (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jacob Sanders 367 49.8 +12.1
Independent Mark Turner* 359 48.7 +7.2
Independent Lynn Sterry* 299 40.6 +2.9
Conservative Andrew Plummer 131 17.8 −0.7
Conservative John Clissold 104 14.1 −0.7
Turnout 737 23.73
Labour hold Swing
Independent hold Swing

Coleford

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Coleford (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
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 * 530 33.1 +3.3
Green Rachel Lane 526 32.9 +5.6
Liberal Democrats Peter Taylor 364 22.8 +5.4
Conservative Denis Riley 288 18.0 −2.5
Conservative Joseph Price 226 14.1 −10.6
Turnout 1,599 26.44
Independent hold Swing
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Independent hold Swing

Dymock

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Dymock (1 seat)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Gill Kilmurray 431 62.5 N/A
Conservative Eli Heathfield 259 37.5 −27.8
Turnout 690 42.41
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing

Hartpury & Redmarley

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Hartpury & Redmarley (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Philip Burford* 759 52.6 −6.8
Conservative Clayton Williams 658 45.6 +9.3
Green John Turvill 424 29.4 ±0.0
Green David Gregory 337 23.4 N/A
Conservative Geoff Woodyatt 287 19.9 −18.3
Turnout 1,443 40.49
Independent hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing

Longhope & Huntley

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Longhope & Huntley (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent John Francis 465 35.2 N/A
Green David Tradgett 449 34.0 −9.0
Independent Alan Wood 387 29.3 N/A
Independent Jeremy Rebbeck 340 25.7 N/A
Conservative Gary Nicholas 316 23.9 −27.4
Conservative Venk Shenoi 259 19.6 −26.5
Turnout 1,322 40.68
Independent gain from Conservative Swing
Green gain from Conservative Swing

Lydbrook

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Lydbrook (1 seat)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Sid Phelps* 502 85.5 +18.1
Conservative Rosie Ker 85 14.5 +10.6
Turnout 587 32.96
Green hold Swing

Lydney East

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Lydney East (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
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 * 439 37.4 +7.5
Labour Andy Hewlett 390 33.2 +10.5
Conservative Julie Kirkham 344 29.3 −0.6
Conservative Elliott James 314 26.7 +10.6
Turnout 1,175 23.15
Conservative hold Swing
Independent hold Swing
Green gain from Conservative Swing

Lydney North

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Lydney North (1 seat)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Harry Ives* 483 76.3 +32.6
Green Jane Carr 150 23.7 +8.8
Turnout 633 37.46
Conservative hold Swing

Lydney West & Aylburton

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Lydney West & Aylburton (1 seat)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Mark Topping* 512 77.6 +36.7
Conservative Will Windsor-Clive 148 22.4 −16.8
Turnout 660 34.17
Green hold Swing

Mitcheldean Ruardean & Drybrook

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Mitcheldean Ruardean & Drybrook (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
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 * 673 34.4 +4.6
Independent Andrew Gardiner * 542 27.7 −7.9
Conservative Guy Hollier 461 23.6 +2.0
Conservative Tracy Heathfield 275 14.1 −5.0
Conservative Pam Plummer 256 13.1 −3.5
Liberal Democrats Stewart Bean 200 10.2 −8.0
Turnout 1,955 33.93
Green gain from Independent Swing
Green gain from Independent Swing
Labour hold Swing

Newent & Taynton

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Newent & Taynton (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Gill Moseley* 1,044 64.0
Independent Julia Gooch* 894 54.8
Liberal Democrats Julie Hudson 865 53.1
Conservative Jonathon Beeston 498 30.6
Liberal Democrats Martin Roper 366 22.5
Conservative Nick Winter 273 16.7
Conservative Maria Edey 258 15.8
Turnout 1,630 30.46
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Independent hold Swing
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

Newland & Sling

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Newland & Sling (1 seat)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green David Wheeler* 409 69.4 +26.6
Conservative Pam Woodyatt 180 30.6 +6.2
Turnout 589 30.45
Green hold Swing

Newnham

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Newnham (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Richard Burton 763 56.7 −0.8
Green Andy Moore 744 55.3 N/A
Conservative Carol Thomas 411 30.5 −9.9
Conservative Kevin Oversby 299 22.2 −12.9
Independent Richard Ashton 247 18.4 N/A
Turnout 1,346 34.63
Green hold Swing
Green gain from Conservative Swing

Pillowell

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Pillowell (1 seat)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Jackie Dale 493 77.3 +39.0
Conservative Alison Taylor 145 22.7 +3.4
Turnout 638 37.16
Green hold Swing

Ruspidge

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Ruspidge (1 seat)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Bernie O'Neill* 230 50.9 −8.5
Liberal Democrats James Green 126 27.9 N/A
Conservative Judy Parsons 96 21.2 −19.4
Turnout 452 25.10
Independent gain from Labour Swing

St Briavels

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St Briavels (1 seat)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Chris McFarling* 650 74.5 −6.4
Conservative Roger Stuart 188 21.6 +2.5
Independent Rose Collins 34 3.9 N/A
Turnout 872 45.61
Green hold Swing

Tidenham

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Tidenham (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
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 Koning 846 39.5 +20.9
Conservative Julian McGhee-Sumner 661 30.9 +8.6
Conservative Gareth Hughes 557 26.0 +4.4
Independent Maria Edwards * 381 17.8 −16.5
Independent Gethyn Davies 371 17.3 −3.0
Turnout 2,141 38.74
Green gain from Independent Swing
Green gain from Independent Swing
Conservative hold Swing

Westbury-on-Severn

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Westbury-on-Severn (1 seat)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Simon Phelps* 557 87.4 +25.5
Conservative Suzanne Bowen 80 12.6 −6.8
Turnout 637 39.29
Independent hold Swing

References

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  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. ^ "Find a district councillor". Forest of Dean District Council. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  2. ^ "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.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ ""Leader announces new cabinet members for Forest of Dean District Council"". Forest of Dean District Council. 2 June 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ "Green Party form administration to run Forest Council for the next four years". The Forester. 26 May 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  7. ^ Norris, Phil (5 May 2023). "Forest of Dean local elections 2023 results". Gloucestershire Live. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
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