2023 East Hertfordshire District Council election

2023 East Hertfordshire District Council election
← 2019 4 May 2023 (2023-05-04) 2027 →
All 50 seats to East Hertfordshire District Council
26 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party
  Blank Blank
Leader Ben Crystall Linda Haysey
Party Green Conservative
Last election 2 seats, 15.0% 40 seats, 45.7%
Seats before 2 39
Seats won 19 16
Seat change Increase 17 Decrease 24
Popular vote 22,487 27,166
Percentage 28.4% 34.4%
Swing Increase 13.4% Decrease 11.3%
  Third party Fourth party
  Blank Blank
Leader Mione Goldspink Carolyn Redfern
Party Liberal Democrats Labour
Last election 6 seats, 19.0% 2 seats, 17.3%
Seats before 6 2
Seats won 10 5
Seat change Increase 4 Increase 3
Popular vote 12,417 15,626
Percentage 15.7% 19.8%
Swing Decrease 3.3% Increase 2.5%
A map showing the results of the East Hertfordshire District Council election 2023 by ward
Leader before election

Linda Haysey
Conservative

Leader after election

Ben Crystall
Green
No overall control

The 2023 East Hertfordshire District Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of East Hertfordshire District Council in Hertfordshire, England. This was on the same day as other local elections.

The council had been under Conservative majority control since 1999. The incumbent leader of the council, Conservative councillor Linda Haysey, chose not to stand for re-election, having been leader since 2015.[1]

The election left the council under no overall control. The Green Party overtook the Conservatives to become the largest party, winning 19 of the 50 seats on the council whereas the Conservatives only won 16 seats.[2][3] The Green and Liberal Democrat groups on the council subsequently formed a joint administration; the Green group leader Ben Crystall became leader of the council, and the Liberal Democrat group leader Mione Goldspink became deputy leader of the council.[4]

Summary

Election result

2023 East Hertfordshire District Council election
Party Candidates Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Green 37 19 12 0 Increase 17 38.0 28.4 22,487 +13.4
  Conservative 50 16 0 14 Decrease 24 32.0 34.4 27,166 –11.3
  Liberal Democrats 32 10 0 0 Increase 4 20.0 15.7 12,417 –3.3
  Labour 43 5 2 0 Increase 3 10.0 19.8 15,626 +2.5
  Independent 2 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 1.4 1,136 –0.5
  Reform UK 1 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 0.3 218 N/A
  Heritage 1 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 <0.1 35 N/A

Ward results

The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by East Hertfordshire District Council following the close of nominations on 5 April 2023.[5] The results for each ward were as follows:[6]

Aston, Datchworth & Walkern

[7]
Aston, Datchworth & Walkern (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Tom Deffley 767 52.6
Conservative Tony Stowe* 715 49.1
Labour Julia Florence 461 31.6
Green Lydia Somerville 356 24.4
Liberal Democrats Freddie Jewitt 272 18.7
Turnout 1,457 38.5
Registered electors 3,784
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Bishop's Stortford All Saints

[8]
Bishop's Stortford All Saints (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Martin Adams 722 61.2 +14.0
Liberal Democrats Chris Wilson* 679 57.6 +8.1
Conservative Laura Snowdon 220 18.7 –16.0
Conservative Anu Senanayake 184 15.6 –14.5
Labour Sophia Adams Bhatti 175 14.8 +1.5
Labour Jane Band 144 12.2 +0.1
Green Paul Harding 92 7.8 N/A
Heritage Barry Hensall 35 3.0 N/A
Turnout 1,179 30.9 –5.4
Registered electors 3,816
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats hold

Bishop's Stortford Central

Bishop's Stortford Central (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Yvonne Estop 811 45.9 +19.2
Labour David Jacobs 803 45.4 +19.4
Conservative George Cutting* 468 26.5 –6.2
Conservative Norma Symonds* 466 26.4 –6.5
Liberal Democrats Bob Taylor 464 26.2 –1.7
Green Paul Williams 263 14.9 –7.8
Turnout 1,768 31.9 +2.5
Registered electors 5,542
Labour gain from Conservative
Labour gain from Conservative

Bishop's Stortford North

[9]

Bishop's Stortford North (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes %
Liberal Democrats Sarah Copley 1,028 53.0
Liberal Democrats Mione Goldspink* 986 50.9
Liberal Democrats Miriam Swainston 941 48.6
Conservative Tim Page* 488 25.2
Conservative Dave Anderson 471 24.3
Conservative David Moran 452 23.3
Labour Matthew Bird 352 18.2
Labour Daniel Barnett 339 17.5
Green Mark Johnson 301 15.5
Turnout 1,938 34.2
Registered electors 5,667
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Bishop's Stortford Parsonage

[10]

Bishop's Stortford Parsonage (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes %
Liberal Democrats Calvin Horner 921 48.5
Liberal Democrats Richard Townsend* 741 39.0
Independent Colin Woodward 469 24.7
Conservative Shane Manning 456 24.0
Labour John Boyle 383 20.2
Conservative Andy Van Loen 326 17.2
Green Saffron Mackenzie 176 9.3
Turnout 1,898 39.7
Registered electors 4,781
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Bishop's Stortford South

[11]

Bishop's Stortford South (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes %
Liberal Democrats Simon Marlow 480 38.0
Conservative Diane Hollebon* 425 33.7
Labour Oliver Diffey 412 32.6
Conservative David Snowdon* 387 30.6
Labour Alex Chapman 363 28.7
Green Sally Millican 296 23.4
Turnout 1,263 34.4
Registered electors 3,672
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Bishop's Stortford Thorley Manor

Bishop's Stortford Thorley Manor (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour David Willcocks 1,094 45.0
Conservative Graham McAndrew* 961 39.6
Conservative John Wyllie* 932 38.4
Labour Steve Smith 921 37.9
Conservative Alastair Ward-Booth* 841 34.6
Green Connie Deans-Harding 823 33.9
Green Martyn Fenner 620 25.5
Turnout 2,429 34.3
Registered electors 7,082
Labour win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Braughing & Standon

Braughing & Standon (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Stan Bull* 646 50.5
Conservative Frankie Wolf 541 42.3
Green John Howson 373 29.2
Labour Frederick Perkins 372 29.1
Labour Sam Honey 332 26.0
Turnout 1,279 27.8
Registered electors 4,601
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Buntingford

[12]

Buntingford (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Vicky Burt 1,151 46.5 +13.3
Green Sue Nicholls 1,055 42.6 N/A
Green David Woollcombe 978 39.5 N/A
Conservative Jeff Jones* 960 38.8 –17.8
Conservative Andrew Huggins* 928 37.5 –13.2
Conservative Martin Prescott 809 32.7 N/A
Labour Stephen Wood 289 11.7 –6.6
Liberal Democrats Karl Harrington 271 10.9 –10.9
Labour Gill Perkins 260 10.5 N/A
Labour David King 229 9.3 N/A
Turnout 2,475 33.2 +4.4
Registered electors 7,455
Green gain from Conservative
Green gain from Conservative
Green win (new seat)

Great Amwell & Stansteads

[13]

Great Amwell & Stansteads (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes %
Liberal Democrats Joseph Dumont 553 42.3
Conservative Peter Boylan* 472 36.1
Liberal Democrats Joe Howlett 468 35.8
Conservative Peter Moule 397 30.4
Labour John Heighway 210 16.1
Green Stuart Moore 169 12.9
Labour Graham Watts 139 10.6
Turnout 1,306 29.4
Registered electors 4,442
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Hertford Bengeo

[14]

Hertford Bengeo (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Ben Crystall* 1,878 67.0 +33.4
Green Vicky Smith 1,578 56.3 +29.0
Green Alex Daar 1,518 54.1 +34.0
Conservative Sally Newton* 734 26.2 –14.8
Conservative Cassandra Johnson 615 21.9 –30.9
Conservative Isse Abdullah 587 20.9 –12.9
Labour Fay Adams 416 14.8 –7.9
Labour Joseph Chapman 280 10.0 –6.9
Labour Alan Nadin 238 8.5 –7.9
Liberal Democrats Carole Luck 156 5.6 –13.6
Turnout 2,805 42.6 +4.5
Registered electors 6,585
Green hold
Green gain from Conservative
Green gain from Conservative

Hertford Castle

Hertford Castle (2 seats)[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Rachel Carter 601 34.9 +2.6
Green Sarah Hopewell 561 32.5 +8.3
Conservative Jan Goodeve* 560 32.5 –7.3
Labour Josh Dean 550 31.9 +7.4
Conservative Daniel Chichester-Miles 544 31.6 –7.4
Labour Robert Pinkham 458 26.6 +3.5
Liberal Democrats Freja Waterhouse 83 4.8 –16.0
Turnout 1,724 37.7 +7.5
Registered electors 4,573
Green gain from Conservative
Green gain from Conservative

Hertford Heath & Brickendon

[16]

Hertford Heath & Brickendon
Party Candidate Votes %
Green Tim Hoskin 414 52.1
Conservative Tony Roberts 275 34.6
Labour Stephen Waller 74 9.3
Liberal Democrats Nick Belfitt 32 4.0
Majority 139 17.5
Turnout 797 33.6
Registered electors 2,372
Green win (new seat)

Hertford Kingsmead

[17]

Hertford Kingsmead (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Carl Brittain 851 38.5 +10.3
Green Maura Connolly 782 35.4 N/A
Green Vicky Glover-Ward 768 34.7 N/A
Conservative Rosemary Bolton* 610 27.6 –15.7
Conservative James Clark 491 22.2 –14.1
Conservative Beverley Murray 488 22.1 N/A
Liberal Democrats Elif Lewis 486 22.0 –5.4
Liberal Democrats Andrew Porrer 458 20.7 –4.8
Liberal Democrats Geoffrey Madge 377 17.0 N/A
Labour Annie Farnley 366 16.5 –10.9
Labour Rachel Houghton 353 16.0 N/A
Labour Graham Nickson 331 15.0 N/A
Turnout 2,212 33.6 +4.7
Registered electors 6,583
Green gain from Conservative
Green gain from Conservative
Green win (new seat)

Hertford Rural

[18]

Hertford Rural
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Bob Deering* 474 53.3
Green Tony Tarrega 175 19.7
Labour Emma Waltham 130 14.6
Liberal Democrats Catherine Edwards 110 12.4
Majority 299 33.6
Turnout 898 34.5
Registered electors 2,603
Conservative win (new seat)

Hertford Sele

[19]

Hertford Sele (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Thomas Clements 720 51.5 +7.1
Labour Carolyn Redfern* 708 50.6 +6.5
Conservative Mohummad Hossain 347 24.8 –6.4
Conservative Andrew Turvey 336 24.0 –3.6
Green Sophie Missenden 320 22.9 –9.7
Liberal Democrats Philip Edwards 129 9.2 N/A
Turnout 1,399 32.2 +4.1
Registered electors 4,345
Labour hold
Labour hold

Hunsdon

Hunsdon
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green John Dunlop 363 65.9 +18.9
Conservative Salvatore Pagdades 90 16.3 –36.7
Labour Hilary Durbin 50 9.1 N/A
Liberal Democrats Julia Davies 48 8.7 N/A
Majority 273 49.6 N/A
Turnout 551 34.6 +8.3
Registered electors 1,593
Green gain from Conservative Swing Increase27.8

Little Hadham & The Pelhams

Little Hadham & The Pelhams
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Geoffrey Williamson* 482 51.3
Liberal Democrats Dave Bromage 230 24.5
Green Felix Rennie 142 15.1
Labour Jillian Nelmes 86 9.1
Majority 252 26.8
Turnout 895 36.4
Registered electors 2,459
Conservative win (new seat)

Much Hadham

Much Hadham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Devonshire* 418 59.8 N/A
Labour Dawn Newell 126 18.0 N/A
Green Valerie Fenner 86 12.3 N/A
Liberal Democrats Katharine Macy 69 9.9 N/A
Majority 292 41.8 N/A
Turnout 715 32.5 N/A
Registered electors 2,220
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Sawbridgeworth

Sawbridgeworth (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Eric Buckmaster* 1,311 57.7 +17.0
Conservative Ruth Buckmaster* 1,056 46.5 –7.8
Conservative Angus Parsad-Wyatt 760 33.5 –7.0
Independent Greg Rattey 667 29.4 N/A
Labour Rob Furber 518 22.8 +11.3
Labour Paul Newell 500 22.0 +12.6
Liberal Democrats Timothy Macy 398 17.5 –17.9
Labour Natasha Plowman 389 17.1 N/A
Green Elizabeth Downes 383 16.9 N/A
Reform UK John Burmicz* 218 9.6 N/A
Turnout 2,272 32.8 +2.8
Registered electors 6,799
Conservative hold
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

The Mundens

The Mundens
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Aubrey Holt 436 59.7
Green Sarah Jupp 152 20.8
Labour John Agar 142 19.5
Majority 284 38.9
Turnout 737 33.4
Registered electors 2,207
Conservative win (new seat)

Ware Priory

Ware Priory (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes %
Green George Williams 892 48.2
Green Graeme Hill 796 43.0
Conservative Mark Pope* 498 26.9
Conservative Jonathan Kaye* 495 26.8
Labour Sarah Chapman 320 17.3
Labour Jane Guinn 264 14.3
Liberal Democrats Victoria Shaw 162 8.8
Liberal Democrats Roger Wade 78 4.2
Turnout 1,850 34.0
Registered electors 5,441
Green win (new seat)
Green win (new seat)

Ware Rural

[20]

Ware Rural
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative David Andrews* 318 46.5
Green Andrew Zsibrita 181 26.5
Labour Suzie Langdon-Shreeve 108 15.8
Liberal Democrats David Davies 77 11.3
Majority 137 20.0
Turnout 689 30.8
Registered electors 2,237
Conservative win (new seat)

Ware St Mary's

[21]

Ware St Mary's (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Martin Butcher 973 56.1 +25.3
Green Steven Watson 857 49.4 +26.9
Conservative Phyllis Ballam 551 31.8 –16.5
Conservative Rishi Fernando* 536 30.9 –10.6
Labour Paul O'Neill 234 13.5 –2.8
Liberal Democrats Tony Gubb 134 7.7 –9.0
Turnout 1,735 35.7 +8.0
Registered electors 4,860
Green gain from Conservative
Green gain from Conservative

Ware Trinity

[22]

Ware Trinity (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Chris Hart 797 60.6 +18.5
Green Nick Cox 713 54.2 N/A
Conservative Ian Kemp* 334 25.4 –10.7
Conservative Benjamin Parker 237 18.0 –14.1
Labour Richard Mowbray 176 13.4 –4.4
Liberal Democrats Andrew Cropper 89 6.8 –23.1
Liberal Democrats Sean Shaw 86 6.5 N/A
Turnout 1,315 30.0 +2.1
Registered electors 3,483
Green hold
Green gain from Conservative

Watton-at-Stone

[23]
Watton-at-Stone
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Joe Thomas 689 64.6 –6.3
Conservative Jane Dodson 325 30.5 +1.4
Green André Correira Dos Santos 53 5.0 N/A
Majority 364 34.1 –1.5
Turnout 1,071 40.3 –1.7
Registered electors 2,658
Liberal Democrats hold Swing Decrease3.9

Changes 2023–2027

  • Martin Butcher, elected as a Green, left the party in October 2023 to sit as an independent.[24]
  • Chris Hart, elected as a Green, left the party in December 2023 to sit as an independent.[25]

References

  1. ^ Corr, Sinead (5 April 2023). "East Herts Council leader Linda Haysey reflects on two decades of difficult decisions". Bishop's Stortford Independent. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  2. ^ Winspear, Paul (5 May 2023). "East Herts Council election". Bishop's Stortford Independent. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  3. ^ "Local elections 2023: Tories lose Dacorum, Hertsmere, East Herts and Welwyn Hatfield". BBC News. 6 May 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  4. ^ "East Herts Council confirms new political leadership". East Herts Council. 17 May 2023. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  5. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated" (PDF). East Hertfordshire District Council. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  6. ^ "Elections results 2023". East Herts Council. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  7. ^ https://www.eastherts.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/elections-2023/aston-datchworth-walkern-ward
  8. ^ https://www.eastherts.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/elections-2023/bishops-stortford-all-saints-ward
  9. ^ https://www.eastherts.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/elections-2023/bishops-stortford-north-ward
  10. ^ https://www.eastherts.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/elections-2023/bishops-stortford-parsonage-ward
  11. ^ https://www.eastherts.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/elections-2023/bishops-stortford-south-ward
  12. ^ https://www.eastherts.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/elections-2023/buntingford-ward
  13. ^ https://www.eastherts.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/elections-2023/great-amwell-stansteads-ward
  14. ^ https://www.eastherts.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/elections-2023/hertford-bengeo-ward
  15. ^ https://www.eastherts.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/elections-2023/hertford-castle-ward
  16. ^ https://www.eastherts.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/elections-2023/hertford-heath-brickendon-ward
  17. ^ https://www.eastherts.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/elections-2023/hertford-kingsmead-ward
  18. ^ https://www.eastherts.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/elections-2023/hertford-rural-ward
  19. ^ https://www.eastherts.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/elections-2023/hertford-sele-ward
  20. ^ https://www.eastherts.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/elections-2023/ware-rural-ward
  21. ^ https://www.eastherts.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/elections-2023/ware-st-marys-ward
  22. ^ https://www.eastherts.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/elections-2023/ware-trinity-ward
  23. ^ https://www.eastherts.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/elections-2023/watton-stone-ward
  24. ^ Corr, Sinead (19 October 2023). "Former East Herts Council chair Martin Butcher quits Green group as party leaders unite to condemn Hamas violence". Bishop's Stortford Independent. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  25. ^ Corr, Sinead (6 December 2023). "East Herts Green group loses second district councillor as party marks 200 days in office". Bishop's Stortford Independent. Retrieved 11 May 2024.