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2023 Canterbury City Council election

2023 English local election From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 2023 Canterbury City Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Canterbury City Council in Kent, England.[1] This was on the same day as other local elections in England.

Quick facts All 39 seats to Canterbury City Council 20 seats needed for a majority, Turnout ...
2023 Canterbury City Council election
← 2019
4 May 2023 (2023-05-04)
2027 →
All 39 seats to Canterbury City Council
20 seats needed for a majority
Turnout38.0%
  First party Second party
  Blank Blank
Leader Alan Baldock Michael Dixey
Party Labour Liberal Democrats
Last election 10 seats, 29.4% 6 seats, 19.7%
Seats won 18 9
Seat change Increase 8 Increase 3
Popular vote 29,825 17,935
Percentage 36.6% 22.0%
Swing Increase 7.2% Increase 2.3%
  Third party Fourth party
  Blank Blank
Leader Ben Fitter-Harding Clare Turnbull
Party Conservative Green
Last election 23 seats, 35.4% 0 seats, 12.5%
Seats won 8 4
Seat change Decrease 15 Increase 4
Popular vote 19,867 11,350
Percentage 24.4% 13.9%
Swing Decrease 11.0% Increase 1.4%
Winner of each seat at the 2023 Canterbury City Council election
Leader before election

Ben Fitter-Harding
Conservative
No overall control

 Leader after election

Alan Baldock
Labour
No overall control

Close

The Conservatives held a majority on the council from 2005 until April 2023, less than a month before the election, when four Conservatives left the party to form the "Independent Serve to Lead Group".[2][3]

The election saw the council remain under no overall control, but the Conservatives went from being the largest party to being the third largest party behind Labour and the Liberal Democrats.[4] The leader of the council, Conservative councillor Ben Fitter-Harding, lost his seat.[5] After the election a Labour and Liberal Democrat coalition formed to take control of the council, with Labour group leader Alan Baldock being appointed leader of the council at the subsequent annual council meeting on 17 May 2023.[6]

Summary

Election result

18 9 8 4
Labour Lib Dems Conservative Green
More information Party, Candidates ...
2023 Canterbury City Council election
Party Candidates Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Labour 39 18 10 2 Increase 8 46.1 36.6 29,825 +7.2
  Liberal Democrats 34 9 4 1 Increase 3 23.1 22.0 17,935 +2.3
  Conservative 39 8 0 15 Decrease 15 20.5 24.4 19,867 -11.0
  Green 25 4 4 0 Increase 4 10.3 13.9 11,350 +1.4
  Independent 6 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 2.8 2,259 +0.5
  Reform 3 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 0.3 296 N/A
Close

Ward results

The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by Canterbury City Council following the close of nominations on 5 April 2023.[7] The results for each ward were as follows:[8]

Asterisks (*) denote incumbent councillors seeking re-election.

Barton

More information Party, Candidate ...
Barton (3 seats)[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Connie Nolan* 1,476 53.5 +18.2
Labour Pat Edwards* 1,405 50.9 +15.5
Labour Paul Prentice 1,257 45.6 +15.8
Conservative Martin Antony Arch 718 26.0 +3.0
Conservative Scott Collins 605 21.9 –0.2
Conservative Mary Cawston Streater 555 20.1 –1.5
Liberal Democrats Graham Duplock 397 14.4 –15.0
Liberal Democrats George Fenwick Metcalfe 374 13.6 –14.4
Liberal Democrats Julia Dorothea Zoettl 345 12.5 –12.3
Green Delia Hazrati 320 11.6 –10.1
Green Mary Claire Smith 297 10.8 N/A
Green Nathan James Tough 227 8.2 N/A
Majority 539 19.5
Turnout 2,759 37 +1.3
Rejected ballots 15 0.5
Registered electors 7,555
Labour hold
Labour hold
Labour hold
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Beltinge

More information Party, Candidate ...
Beltinge (2 seats)[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Stockley* 944 47.3 –2.9
Conservative Jeanette Stockley* 940 47.1 –2.2
Labour Teresa Pearce 454 22.8 +6.0
Labour Christine Wheeldon 425 21.3 +5.3
Green Nicholas Gadsby 417 20.9 –1.9
Green Roger Everatt 253 12.7 N/A
Liberal Democrats Ann Anderson 200 10.0 –10.8
Liberal Democrats Paul Smith 156 7.8 –2.5
Majority 486 24.4
Turnout 1,994 34 +2.0
Rejected ballots 14 0.7
Registered electors 5,913
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
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Blean Forest

More information Party, Candidate ...
Blean Forest (3 seats)[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Alex Ricketts* 1,214 60.5 +28.9
Liberal Democrats Steph Jupe 1,035 51.6 +22.4
Liberal Democrats Daniel Smith* 944 47.1 +17.8
Labour Nicola May 444 22.1 –1.4
Green Alexander Hilton 398 19.8 –2.2
Labour Howard Needham 383 19.1 –3.1
Labour Sam Newman 367 18.3 –2.4
Conservative James Somerville-Meikle 329 16.4 –13.7
Conservative Gary Ovenden 299 14.9 –12.7
Conservative Timothy Streater 281 14.0 –8.4
Majority 500 24.9
Turnout 2,006 35 ±0.0
Rejected ballots 6 0.3
Registered electors 4,155
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative
Liberal Democrats hold
Close

Chartham and Stone Street

More information Party, Candidate ...
Chartham and Stone Street (2 seats)[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Alister Brady 1,169 47.9 +20.3
Labour Co-op Mike Bland 1,153 47.3 +20.4
Conservative Laura Hobbs 593 24.3 –13.0
Conservative Elliot Curryer 567 23.2 –12.3
Liberal Democrats Yvonne Hawkins 485 19.9 +2.9
Liberal Democrats James Galloway 407 16.7 +5.2
Green Greg Lawrence 338 13.9 –7.9
Majority 560 23.0
Turnout 2,440 43 ±0.0
Rejected ballots 12 0.5
Registered electors 5,667
Labour Co-op gain from Conservative
Labour Co-op gain from Conservative
Close

Chestfield

More information Party, Candidate ...
Chestfield (2 seats)[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Peter Old 1,381 54.7 +37.4
Liberal Democrats James Flanagan 1,358 53.8 +36.6
Conservative Steve Bailey 649 25.7 –29.2
Conservative Benjamin Fitter-Harding 489 19.4 –34.9
Labour Philippa Langton 349 13.8 –2.6
Labour Sammy Roberts 256 10.1 –2.9
Reform Adrian Kibble 122 4.8 N/A
Independent Joseph Egerton 106 4.2 N/A
Reform Leslie Lilley 101 4.0 N/A
Majority 709 28.1
Turnout 2,523 45 +10.0
Rejected ballots 4 0.2
Registered electors 5,664
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative
Close

Gorrell

More information Party, Candidate ...
Gorrell (3 seats)[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Clare Turnbull* 2,045 57.5 +18.8
Labour Chris Cornell* 1,643 46.2 +3.9
Green Steven Wheeler 1,492 41.9 +15.2
Labour Valerie Kenny* 1,392 39.1 +0.1
Labour Dan Allen 1,293 36.4 –5.9
Green Tom Sharp 1,215 34.2 +15.2
Conservative Georgia Bills 434 12.2 –14.3
Conservative Janet Newcombe 426 12.0 –9.1
Conservative Penelope Wilson 405 11.4 –9.2
Majority 100 2.8
Turnout 3,557 43 +2.0
Rejected ballots 17 0.5
Registered electors 8,357
Green gain from Labour
Labour hold
Green gain from Labour
Close

Greenhill

More information Party, Candidate ...
Greenhill[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Dan Watkins* 421 46.7 +0.5
Labour Andy Davidson 350 38.8 +13.9
Liberal Democrats Valerie Ainscough 130 14.4 N/A
Majority 71 7.9
Turnout 909 27 ±0.0
Rejected ballots 7 0.8
Registered electors 3,346
Conservative hold Swing Decrease6.7
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Herne & Broomfield

More information Party, Candidate ...
Herne & Broomfield (2 seats)[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robert Jones 812 43.6 –6.2
Conservative Joe Howes* 722 38.8 –16.0
Liberal Democrats Derek Maslin 446 24.0 +0.6
Labour Chris Gibson 421 22.6 +5.2
Labour Karen Douglas 419 22.5 +8.5
Liberal Democrats Brian McHenry 291 15.6 +3.1
Independent Anne Dekker* 197 10.6 N/A
Green Alex Stevens 169 9.1 –6.4
Green Tom Williams 117 6.3 N/A
Majority 276 14.8
Turnout 1,862 28 +1.0
Rejected ballots 10 0.5
Registered electors 6,751
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
Close

Heron

More information Party, Candidate ...
Heron (3 seats)[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Tom Mellish 1,079 37.3 +12.0
Conservative Liz Harvey 1,037 35.8 –8.3
Conservative David Thomas* 1,030 35.6 –4.2
Labour Emma Wright 1,023 35.3 +13.1
Labour Fred Pearce 1,019 35.2 +13.9
Conservative Jane Thomas 978 33.8 –2.9
Green Michael Vince 656 22.7 –1.0
Liberal Democrats Margaret Flaherty 600 20.7 +8.0
Liberal Democrats Martin Ashton 329 11.4 –0.5
Liberal Democrats Latchmi Old 229 7.9 –3.1
Majority 7 0.2
Turnout 2,896 30 +1.0
Rejected ballots 24 0.8
Registered electors 9,655
Labour gain from Conservative
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
Close

Little Stour & Adisham

More information Party, Candidate ...
Little Stour & Adisham[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Lee Castle 1,161 72.0 +45.5
Conservative Hilary Scott 310 19.2 –22.3
Labour Paul O'Neil 142 8.8 –8.4
Majority 851 52.8 N/A
Turnout 1,625 50 +6.0
Rejected ballots 9 0.6
Registered electors 3,274
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing Increase33.9
Close

Nailbourne

More information Party, Candidate ...
Nailbourne[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Michael Sole* 1,341 84.0 +34.1
Conservative Cerise Harriss 170 10.6 –25.1
Labour Mike Holman 86 5.4 –1.5
Majority 1,171 73.3
Turnout 1,607 51 –2.0
Rejected ballots 7 0.4
Registered electors 3,130
Liberal Democrats hold Swing Increase29.6
Close

Northgate

More information Party, Candidate ...
Northgate (2 seats)[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Alan Baldock* 682 64.1 +9.8
Labour Co-op Jean Butcher* 682 64.1 +14.4
Green Martin Baker 177 16.6 +0.6
Conservative Eamon O'Reilly 161 15.1 –7.6
Conservative Louie Ralph 156 14.7 –6.3
Liberal Democrats Mark Leggatt 97 9.1 –3.6
Liberal Democrats Liz Pope 93 8.7 –0.8
Majority 505 47.5
Turnout 1,064 28 ±0.0
Rejected ballots 10 0.9
Registered electors 3,787
Labour Co-op hold
Labour Co-op hold
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Reculver

More information Party, Candidate ...
Reculver[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rachel Carnac* 534 49.1 –8.2
Labour Barbara Ayling 321 29.5 +6.6
Green Stephen Peckham 135 12.4 +3.5
Liberal Democrats John Bowley 97 8.9 –2.1
Majority 213 19.6
Turnout 1,092 34 +1.0
Rejected ballots 4 0.4
Registered electors 3,237
Conservative hold Swing Decrease7.4
Close

Seasalter

More information Party, Candidate ...
Seasalter (2 seats)[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Naomi Smith 927 36.6 +12.6
Labour Charlotte Cornell 826 32.6 +8.9
Independent Ashley Clark* 825 32.5 N/A
Independent Colin Spooner* 789 31.1 N/A
Conservative Stephen Spencer 675 26.6 –27.6
Conservative Graham Wells 657 25.9 –26.0
Liberal Democrats Margaret Mackechnie 114 4.5 –5.1
Liberal Democrats Michael Dowling 113 4.5 –4.3
Majority 1 0.0
Turnout 2,535 41 +3.0
Rejected ballots 10 0.4
Registered electors 6,156
Labour gain from Conservative
Labour gain from Conservative
Close

St Stephens

More information Party, Candidate ...
St Stephens (2 seats)[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Mel Dawkins 1,167 59.8 +28.3
Labour Co-op Elizabeth Carr-Ellis 1,057 54.2 +20.3
Liberal Democrats Christopher Palmer 366 18.8 –2.4
Green Gillian Everatt 314 16.1 –2.9
Liberal Democrats Janet Capper 288 14.8 –6.3
Conservative Louie McNamara 273 14.0 –21.0
Conservative Owen Sweetman 266 13.6 –17.1
Majority 691 35.4
Turnout 1,951 39 –1.0
Rejected ballots 17 0.9
Registered electors 4,975
Labour Co-op gain from Conservative
Labour Co-op hold
Close

Sturry

More information Party, Candidate ...
Sturry (2 seats)[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Harry McKenzie 783 37.5 +12.2
Labour Keji Moses 658 31.5 +10.8
Conservative Louise Harvey-Quirke* 656 31.4 –6.2
Conservative Georgina Glover* 623 29.8 –5.4
Green Peter Campbell 418 20.0 –2.1
Green Nicole David 270 12.9 –7.7
Independent Ken Dekker 173 8.3 N/A
Independent Heather Taylor 169 8.1 –14.0
Liberal Democrats Eleodor Berceanu 136 6.5 N/A
Liberal Democrats Helen Sole 132 6.3 N/A
Majority 2 0.1
Turnout 2,090 33 ±0.0
Rejected ballots 3 0.1
Registered electors 6,271
Labour gain from Conservative
Labour gain from Conservative
Close

Swalecliffe

More information Party, Candidate ...
Swalecliffe[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Keith Bothwell 769 55.3 +39.4
Conservative Mark Dance* 370 26.6 –19.7
Labour Alex Wescomb 178 12.8 –18.0
Reform Edna Wallace 73 5.3 N/A
Majority 399 28.7
Turnout 1,397 44 +7.0
Rejected ballots 6 0.4
Registered electors 3,206
Green gain from Conservative Swing Increase29.6
Close

Tankerton

More information Party, Candidate ...
Tankerton[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Simon Warley 713 48.8 +17.2
Conservative Neil Baker* 560 38.4 +4.0
Liberal Democrats Nick Parry 187 12.8 –21.2
Majority 153 10.5 N/A
Turnout 1,469 51 +5.0
Rejected ballots 7 0.5
Registered electors 2,857
Labour gain from Conservative Swing Increase6.6
Close

West Bay

More information Party, Candidate ...
West Bay[27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Andrew Harvey 599 56.0 +39.9
Conservative Grace Paget 339 31.7 –16.8
Labour Brendan Little 131 12.3 –11.3
Majority 260 24.3 N/A
Turnout 1,076 34 +5.0
Rejected ballots 7 0.7
Registered electors 3,170
Green gain from Conservative Swing Increase28.4
Close

Westgate

More information Party, Candidate ...
Westgate (2 seats)[28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Pip Hazelton* 975 46.5 +10.0
Liberal Democrats Michael Dixey* 936 44.7 +4.4
Labour Rosanna Jackson 802 38.3 +3.6
Liberal Democrats Richard Parkinson 636 30.3 –1.5
Green Benjamin Grillet 321 15.3 +5.3
Conservative Rosemary Doyle 196 9.4 –0.9
Conservative John Hippisley 163 7.8 –1.9
Majority 134 6.4
Turnout 2,096 38 –3.0
Rejected ballots 6 0.3
Registered electors 5,565
Labour hold
Liberal Democrats hold
Close

Wincheap

More information Party, Candidate ...
Wincheap (2 seats)[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Dane Buckman 1,027 41.7 +11.5
Liberal Democrats Roben Franklin 971 39.4 –8.5
Liberal Democrats Amina Inua 946 38.4 ±0.0
Labour Co-op Paul Todd 891 36.1 +9.1
Green Julie Ellis 403 16.3 –1.3
Conservative Phil Collins 276 11.2 –2.9
Conservative Ronald McWilliams 248 10.1 –3.6
Majority 25 1.0
Turnout 2,465 39 –3.0
Rejected ballots 6 0.2
Registered electors 6,266
Labour Co-op gain from Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats hold
Close

Changes 2023–2027

  • The Liberal Democrats left the Labour–Liberal Democrat coalition in May 2026 after a WhatsApp message from council leader Alan Baldock asking Liberal Democrat councillors not to vote against key planning applications, leaving Labour running a minority administration. Pip Hazelton was appointed deputy leader.[30]
  • In July 2026 the government confirmed that Kent and Medway would be reorganised into four unitary authorities from April 2028, replacing Canterbury City Council.[31] In September 2026 the reorganisation was paused, with the May 2027 elections to go ahead on existing council boundaries.[32]

By-elections

Gorrell

The Gorrell by-election was triggered by Green councillor Steve Wheeler stepping down.[33]

More information Party, Candidate ...
Gorrell by-election: 6 March 2025[34]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Stuart Heaver 1,210 49.5 –0.1
Labour Valerie Kenny 570 23.3 –16.6
Reform Babychan Thomas 423 17.3 N/A
Conservative Janet Newcombe 179 7.3 –3.2
Liberal Democrats Nick Parry 64 2.6 N/A
Majority 640 26.2 N/A
Turnout 2,453 28.7 –14.3
Rejected ballots 5 0.2
Registered electors 8,551
Green hold Swing Increase8.3
Close

Herne & Broomfield

The Herne & Broomfield by-election was triggered by the resignation of Conservative councillor Joe Howes for health reasons.[33]

More information Party, Candidate ...
Herne & Broomfield by-election: 6 March 2025[35]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Grace Paget 557 40.7 +1.0
Reform Mark Mulvihill 473 34.6 N/A
Labour Lawrence Coomber 196 14.3 –6.3
Liberal Democrats Derek Maslin 102 7.5 –14.3
Green Peter Campbell 41 3.0 –5.3
Majority 84 6.1 N/A
Turnout 1,373 20.1 –7.9
Rejected ballots 4 0.3
Registered electors 6,837
Conservative hold
Close

St Stephen's

The St Stephen's by-election was triggered by the resignation of Labour councillor Elizabeth Carr-Ellis in January 2025, who moved to Scotland to be closer to family.[36]

More information Party, Candidate ...
St Stephen's by-election: 6 March 2025[37]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Beth Forrester 628 47.0 –8.0
Reform Colin Spooner 245 18.3 N/A
Liberal Democrats Christopher Palmer 220 16.5 –0.8
Conservative Arjan Taylor 128 9.6 –3.3
Green Jessie Millner 116 8.7 –6.1
Majority 383 28.6 N/A
Turnout 1,342 26.4 –12.6
Rejected ballots 5 0.4
Registered electors 5,077
Labour hold
Close

Wincheap

The Wincheap by-election was triggered by the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Roben Franklin.[38]

More information Party, Candidate ...
Wincheap by-election: 13 November 2025[39]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Peter Campbell 842 39.1 +24.0
Liberal Democrats Guy Meurice 518 24.1 −12.2
Reform Colin Spooner 351 16.3 N/A
Labour Jasmin Dallos-Foreman 276 12.8 −25.6
Conservative Elliot Curryer 166 7.7 −2.6
Majority 324 15.0 N/A
Turnout 2,163 33.27 –5.7
Rejected ballots 7 0.3
Registered electors 6,501
Green gain from Liberal Democrats Swing Increase18.1
Close

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