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2023 Blackpool Council election

2023 local election in Blackpool From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 2023 Blackpool Council election was held on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Blackpool Council in Lancashire, England. All 42 councillors were up for election. This was at the same time as other local elections across England.

Quick facts All 42 seats to Blackpool Council 22 seats needed for a majority, Turnout ...
2023 Blackpool Council election
← 2019
4 May 2023 (2023-05-04)
2027 →
All 42 seats to Blackpool Council
22 seats needed for a majority
Turnout27.05%
  First party Second party Third party
  Blank
Leader Lynn Williams[1] Don Clapham[a]
Party Labour Conservative Independents
Leader's seat Claremont Ward Bispham Ward
Last election 23 seats, 43.9% 15 seats, 44.4% 4 seats, 6.9%
Seats before 20 13 9[b]
Seats won 28 14 0
Seat change Increase 8 Increase 1 Decrease 9
Popular vote 25,380 22,263 2,880
Percentage 48.3% 42.4% 5.5%
Swing Increase 4.4% Decrease 2.0% Decrease 1.4%
Winner of each seat at the 2023 Blackpool Council election
Leader before election

Lynn Williams
Labour
No overall control

 Leader after election

Lynn Williams
Labour

Close

Prior to the election the council was under no overall control, being led by a Labour minority administration. Labour won a majority of the seats on the council at this election.

Background

Elections were held for Blackpool Council on 4 May 2023 along with councils across England as part of the 2023 local elections. The members were elected in all-out elections, with all 42 councillors up for election across 21 wards every four years.[2][3]

At the previous election in 2019, 23 Labour councillors and 15 Conservative councillors were elected, alongside 4 independent councillors. Due to a number of changes of allegiance, Labour lost its majority in April 2021.[4] The council then remained under no overall control until the 2023 election with Labour running a minority administration.

In June 2020 former Council Leader Simon Blackburn was suspended by the Labour Party after allegations of inappropriate behaviour. The investigation was dropped a year later after he left the party. Lynn Williams, as Deputy Leader at the time, subsequently became the first female Leader of Blackpool Council.[5] Councillor Blackburn remained an independent Councillor for Brunswick Ward but confirmed he was not seeking re-election in 2023.[6]

In May 2021 Martin Mitchell, Labour Councillor, was removed from his position as Chairman of the Tourism, Economy and Communities Scrutiny Committee after refusing to back the party's proposals to redevelop Stanley Park Golf Course.[7]

6 May 2021 also saw two by-elections following the deaths of two members, Lily Henderson and former Council Leader Peter Callow. Highfield Ward saw the election of Conservative Bradley Mitchell,[8] while in Norbreck Ward Conservative Julie Sloman was also elected.[9]

In April 2022 Martin Mitchell resigned from the Labour Party and remained an independent Councillor for Layton Ward as part of the 'Blackpool Independents' group alongside Debbie and Gary Coleman. He stood for re-election in 2023 as an independent candidate but was defeated.[10]

Following the death of Conservative Councillor John Wing in August 2022, a by-election was held in Greenlands Ward in November which saw the election of Peter Wright for the Labour Party.[11] Wright won the election by a small margin of 32 votes, against the Conservative candidate Jane Warne.[12]

In November 2022 Councillor Derek Robertson was deselected by the Blackpool South Conservative Association as a candidate for the local elections. He had been councillor for Waterloo Ward since 2014 and resigned from the Conservative Party. He served the remainder of his term as an independent. He stood for re-election as a candidate for Reform UK, but was defeated.[13]

In February 2023 Councillor Tony Williams, along with other Tory councillors, signed a letter of no confidence in the Blackpool South MP Scott Benton and was then suspended from the Conservative Party. He subsequently resigned as Leader of the Council's Conservative Group. He served the remainder of his term as an independent councillor. He stood for re-election as an independent in Norbreck Ward but was defeated.[14]

Notice of candidates nominated was given on 5 April.[15]

Labour and the Conservatives fielded 42 candidates across all wards. There were a total of 10 independent candidates, the highest in recent decades, followed by Reform UK with 5 candidates, the Green Party also with 5 candidates and lastly the Liberal Democrats with 4 candidates, their lowest number of candidates in Blackpool in recent times.

Incumbents not seeking re-election

Conservative

  • Christian Cox - Squires Gate
  • Don Clapham - Bispham (Retiring[16])

Labour

  • David Collect - Tyldesley Ward
  • Amy Cross - Ingthorpe Ward
  • Adrian Hutton - Clifton Ward
  • Maria Kirkland - Park Ward
  • Allan Matthews - Tyldesley Ward
  • Peter Wright - Greenlands Ward
  • David O'Hara - Standing in Norbreck Ward, formerly Waterloo Cllr

Non-Aligned Independent

  • Simon Blackburn - Brunswick Ward (Not seeking re-election[6])
  • David Owen - Victoria Ward
  • Tony Williams - Standing in Norbreck Ward, formerly Anchorsholme Cllr

Blackpool Independents

  • Debbie Coleman - Marton Ward (Not seeking re-election[17])
  • Gary Coleman - Brunswick Ward (Not seeking re-election[17])

Summary

Election result

Blackpool Council after the 2023 local elections

The results of the election were announced on 5 May. Net gains and losses are presented against the most recent standings prior to this election.

More information Party, Candidates ...
2023 Blackpool Council election
Party Candidates Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Labour 42 28 8 0 Increase 8 66.7 48.3 25,380 +4.4
  Conservative 42 14 1 0 Increase 1 33.3 42.4 22,263 -2.0
  Independent 10 0 0 9 Decrease 9 0.0 5.5 2,880 -1.4
  Green 5 0 0 0 Steady 0 0.0 1.5 796 -1.1
  Reform 5 0 0 0 Steady 0 0.0 1.2 647 N/A
  Liberal Democrats 4 0 0 0 Steady 0 0.0 1.1 601 -1.0
Close

Council composition

After the previous election, the composition of the council was:

↓
23 4 15
Labour Independent Conservative

Immediately ahead of this election, the composition of the council was:

↓
20 9 13
Labour Independent Conservative

Following this election, the composition of the council was:

↓
28 14
Labour Conservative

The next election is due in 2027.

Ward results

Incumbent councillors seeking re-election are marked with an asterisk (*).

Anchorsholme

More information Party, Candidate ...
Anchorsholme (2 Seats)[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Paul Galley* 1,106 65.3 −0.6
Conservative Anita Cooper 963 56.9 −6.3
Labour Jacqueline Boughton 584 34.5 +7.2
Labour Therese Clark 568 33.5 +14.1
Majority
Turnout 1,704 33.99
Rejected ballots 11 0.6
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Close

Bispham

More information Party, Candidate ...
Bispham (2 Seats)[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Paul Wilshaw* 671 50.6 +5.2
Conservative Tony Warne 666 50.2 −0.4
Labour Jim Elmes 621 46.8 +16.6
Labour Julia Walshaw 616 46.4 +17.7
Majority
Turnout 1,349 30.93
Rejected ballots 22 1.6
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Close

Bloomfield

More information Party, Candidate ...
Bloomfield (2 seats)[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Mel Fenlon 374 45.2 −20.5
Labour Jim Hobson* 371 44.8 −16.6
Independent Mark Butcher 261 31.5 N/A
Independent Graham Cain* 237 28.6 −37.1
Conservative Cody Milnes 195 23.6 −6.0
Conservative Malaya Nayak 129 15.6 −10.5
Majority
Turnout 829 18.21
Rejected ballots 1 0.1
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Close

Brunswick

More information Party, Candidate ...
Brunswick (2 seats)[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Matthew Charles Thomas 761 67.2 +28.4
Labour Laura Marshall 717 63.3 +27.4
Conservative Paul Clark 368 32.5 +14.9
Conservative John Thomson 343 30.3 +14.0
Majority
Turnout 1,146 23.41
Rejected ballots 14 1.2
Labour hold Swing
Labour gain from Independent Swing
Close

Claremont

More information Party, Candidate ...
Claremont (2 seats)[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ivan Taylor* 538 58.7 +0.5
Labour Lynn Williams* 504 55.0 +1.0
Conservative Harry Gordon 222 24.2 +0.1
Conservative Lawrence Sloman 179 19.5 −0.3
Independent Garry Richardson 144 15.7 −0.8
Liberal Democrats Sue Close 124 13.5 −0.1
Majority
Turnout 922 19.19
Rejected ballots 5 0.5
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Close

Clifton

More information Party, Candidate ...
Clifton (2 seats)[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Paula Burdess* 713 61.6 +8.6
Labour Alistair Humphreys 694 59.9 +7.8
Conservative Robert Wilson 424 36.6 −2.6
Conservative Oliver Potts 346 29.9 −8.4
Majority
Turnout 1,175 24.09
Rejected ballots 17 1.4
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Close

Greenlands

More information Party, Candidate ...
Greenlands (2 seats)[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Julie Jones 785 46.6 +0.6
Labour Dave Flanagan 771 45.7 +1.4
Conservative Jane Warne 701 41.6 −5.5
Conservative Rick Scott* 680 40.3 −9.3
Green Benjamin Thomas 167 9.9 N/A
Reform Lance Fogg 107 6.3 N/A
Majority
Turnout 1,689 31.66
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Close

|- ! scope=row colspan="3" style="text-align: right; margin-right: 0.5em" | Rejected ballots | style="text-align: right; margin-right: 0.5em" | 3 | style="text-align: right; margin-right: 0.5em" | 0.2 | style="text-align: right; margin-right: 0.5em" | |-

Hawes Side

More information Party, Candidate ...
Hawes Side (2 seats)[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Kim Critchley* 672 55.7 +10.5
Labour Neal Brookes* 657 54.5 +9.4
Conservative Karen Higgitt 485 40.2 +3.2
Conservative Frank Downing 478 39.6 +4.7
Majority
Turnout 1,216 23.89
Rejected ballots 10 0.8
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Close

Highfield

More information Party, Candidate ...
Highfield (2 seats)[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Peter Hunter* 880 49.2 −1.1
Conservative Bradley Mitchell* 831 46.5 −1.7
Conservative Jack Robinson 763 42.6 −2.6
Labour Sharon Hoyle 734 41.0 +1.2
Liberal Democrats Bill Greene 172 9.6 N/A
Majority
Turnout 1,801 33.69
Rejected ballots 12 0.7
Labour hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Close

Ingthorpe

More information Party, Candidate ...
Ingthorpe (2 seats)[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jon Bamborough 743 55.7 +1.6
Labour Jo Farrell* 697 52.2 +2.5
Conservative Alexander Higgs 575 43.1 +0.2
Conservative James Murphy 538 40.3 +1.4
Majority
Turnout 1,339 26.60
Rejected ballots 5 0.4
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Close

Layton

More information Party, Candidate ...
Layton (2 seats)[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Kath Benson* 733 50.9 −2.6
Labour John Boughton 678 47.1 +1.4
Conservative Chris Bates 381 26.5 −6.9
Independent Martin Mitchell* 378 26.3 −19.8
Conservative Roy Haskett 352 24.5 −9.3
Independent Lee Taylor-Jack 187 13.0 +0.9
Majority
Turnout 1,442 28.72
Rejected ballots 3 0.2
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Close

Marton

More information Party, Candidate ...
Marton (2 seats)[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Sarah Smith 814 51.7 +16.5
Labour Shaun Brookes 799 50.7 +17.7
Conservative Andrew Stansfield* 630 40.0 +2.0
Conservative Glenn Priestley 595 37.8 +6.9
Reform Kerry Anderson-Riley 150 9.5 N/A
Majority
Turnout 1580 31.31
Rejected ballots 5 0.3
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Labour gain from Independent Swing
Close

Norbreck

More information Party, Candidate ...
Norbreck (2 seats)[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Emma Ellison 714 41.7 +9.2
Conservative Julie Sloman* 652 38.1 +7.2
Independent Maxine Callow* 562 32.8 −6.4
Independent Tony Williams 501 29.2 −8.7
Labour Robert Harrison 440 25.7 +5.7
Labour David O'Hara 418 24.4 +5.9
Majority
Turnout 1,714 34.29
Rejected ballots 1 0.1
Conservative gain from Independent Swing
Conservative gain from Independent Swing
Close

Park

More information Party, Candidate ...
Park (2 seats)[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Gillian Campbell* 616 61.5 +5.8
Labour Adrian Hoyle 551 55.0 +2.6
Conservative Frazer Rogers 365 36.4 +2.6
Conservative Paul Carter 358 35.7 −3.6
Majority
Turnout 1,016 20.81
Rejected ballots 14 1.4
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Close

Squires Gate

More information Party, Candidate ...
Squires Gate (2 seats)[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Carl Mitchell 854 54.0 −2.8
Conservative Gerard Walsh* 782 49.4 +2.9
Labour Melanie Kelly 527 33.3 +0.2
Labour Danny Rossie 454 28.7 −2.1
Green Julie Daniels 178 11.3 −4.1
Reform Kim Knight 136 8.6 N/A
Majority
Turnout 1,583 31.32
Rejected ballots 1 0.1
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Close

Stanley

More information Party, Candidate ...
Stanley (2 seats)[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Graham Baker* 796 64.1 +3.0
Conservative Jason Roberts* 772 62.2 +3.9
Labour Laura White 418 33.7 +6.9
Labour Daniel Lovatt-Staines 412 33.2 +9.5
Majority
Turnout 1,246 29.52
Rejected ballots 5 0.4
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Close

Talbot

More information Party, Candidate ...
Talbot (2 seats)[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Mark Smith* 595 56.3 +11.0
Labour Jane Hugo* 572 54.2 +9.5
Conservative Will Banks 321 30.4 −8.6
Conservative Ian White 312 29.5 −7.4
Independent Danny Gee 182 17.2 N/A
Majority
Turnout 1,061 22.74
Rejected ballots 5 0.5
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Close

Tyldesley

More information Party, Candidate ...
Tyldesley (2 seats)[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Lisette Roe 640 49.3 +0.8
Labour Portia Webb 599 46.1 −1.9
Conservative Andrew Binns 473 36.4 +3.7
Conservative John Ormston 421 32.4 +3.0
Green Georgina Eastwood 148 11.4 −9.0
Reform Paul Nield 88 6.8 N/A
Independent William Gee 83 6.4 N/A
Majority
Turnout 1,305 26.12
Rejected ballots 6 0.5
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Close

Victoria

More information Party, Candidate ...
Victoria (2 seats)[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Pam Brookes 490 51.9 −2.4
Labour Fred Jackson* 468 49.6 −11.3
Conservative Neil Harvey 337 35.7 +1.4
Conservative Jacqui Frost 329 34.9 +3.4
Green Tracey Booker 133 14.1 N/A
Majority
Turnout 952 20.85
Rejected ballots 8 0.8
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Close

Warbreck

More information Party, Candidate ...
Warbreck (2 seats)[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Danny Scott* 600 44.9 −8.6
Conservative Michele Scott* 589 44.1 −7.9
Labour Matthew Haynes 574 42.9 +12.2
Labour Tommy Edwin Kirkwood 525 39.3 +10.9
Liberal Democrats Kevan Benfold 158 11.8 −6.6
Liberal Democrats Paul Hindley 147 11.0 N/A
Majority
Turnout 1,343 26.54
Rejected ballots 6 0.4
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Close

Waterloo

More information Party, Candidate ...
Waterloo (2 seats)[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Simon Cartmell 564 39.2 +5.6
Conservative Diane Marie Mitchell 509 35.3 −1.9
Labour Luke Bodenham 493 34.2 +1.7
Conservative Chris Higgitt 458 31.8 −1.5
Independent Jim O'Neill 345 24.0 N/A
Green Tina Rothery 170 11.8 −1.7
Reform Derek Robertson* 166 11.5 −25.7
Majority
Turnout 1,444 28.01
Rejected ballots 4 0.3
Labour hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Close

Changes 2023–2027

  • Following the 2023 election, the composition of the council was 28 Labour and 14 Conservative.[19]
  • On 17 May 2023, Bloomfield councillor Jim Hobson was administratively suspended by Labour. His suspension was lifted in late June 2023, and he was reinstated into the Labour group.[20][21]
  • In March 2025, Norbreck councillor Emma Ellison defected from the Conservatives to Reform UK.[22]
  • In May 2026, Squires Gate councillor Gerard Walsh defected from the Conservatives to Reform UK.[23]
  • Following Walsh's defection and the intervening by-elections, the council comprised 27 Labour, 11 Conservative and four Reform UK councillors.[24]
  • On 10 July 2026, Claremont councillor Ivan Taylor died.[25]

By-elections

Marton

The Marton by-election was triggered by the resignation of Labour councillor Sarah Smith following her election as the Member of Parliament for Hyndburn at the 2024 United Kingdom general election.[26]

More information Party, Candidate ...
Marton: 3 October 2024[27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Jim O'Neill 462 38.8 +29.2
Labour Sam Benson 334 28.0 –23.4
Conservative Neil Harvey 254 21.3 –17.7
Independent Andrew Stansfield 84 7.0 N/A
Liberal Democrats Bill Greene 33 2.8 N/A
Green Ben Thomas 25 2.1 N/A
Majority 128 10.8 N/A
Turnout 1,195 23.1 –8.2
Registered electors 5,169
Reform gain from Labour Swing Increase26.3
Close

Bispham

The Bispham by-election was triggered by the resignation of Conservative councillor Tony Warne following a change in his employment circumstances after becoming chair of an NHS trust.[28]

More information Party, Candidate ...
Bispham: 7 November 2024[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Joel McKevitt 436 31.5 –16.6
Reform William Banks 424 30.7 N/A
Conservative Lynda Watson 314 22.7 –29.2
Independent Rick Scott 148 10.7 N/A
Green Ben Thomas 36 2.6 N/A
Liberal Democrats Kevan Benfold 24 1.7 N/A
Majority 12 0.8 N/A
Turnout 1,384 31.4 +0.5
Registered electors 4,408
Labour gain from Conservative
Close

Greenlands

The Greenlands by-election was triggered by the resignation of Labour councillor Julie Jones for family and health reasons.[30]

More information Party, Candidate ...
Greenlands by-election: 18 December 2025[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Jonathan Morgan 587 44.4 +38.3
Conservative Rick Scott 299 22.6 –17.0
Labour Hattie Tollerson 289 21.9 –22.8
Green Brenden John Wilkinson 79 6.0 –3.6
Liberal Democrats Kevan Benfold 45 3.4 N/A
Independent Jayden James Gaskin 22 1.7 N/A
Majority 288 21.8 N/A
Turnout 1,325 24.7 –6.9
Registered electors 5,356
Reform gain from Labour
Close

Claremont

More information Party, Candidate ...
Claremont by-election: 1 October 2026[32]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Kevan Benfold
Restore Paula Brooksbank
Reform Mark Butcher
Labour Katie Donnelli-Hunn
Green Rob Jones
Independent Kim Knight
Conservative John Thomson
Majority
Turnout
Swing
Close

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