2023 North Hertfordshire District Council election

2023 North Hertfordshire District Council election
← 2022 4 May 2023 (2023-05-04) 2024 →
16 out of 49 seats to North Hertfordshire District Council
25 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
  Blank Blank Blank
Leader Elizabeth Dennis-Harburg Ruth Brown Claire Strong
Party Labour Liberal Democrats Conservative
Seats before 17 13 19
Seats after 19 15 15
Seat change Increase2 Increase2 Decrease4
Winner of each seat at the 2023 North Hertfordshire District Council election
Leader before election

Elizabeth Dennis-Harburg
Labour
No overall control

Leader after election

Elizabeth Dennis-Harburg
Labour
No overall control

The 2023 North Hertfordshire District Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of North Hertfordshire District Council in Hertfordshire, England. This was on the same day as other local elections across England. The council remained under no overall control.

Overview

The council had been under no overall control since 2019, being run by a Labour and Liberal Democrat coalition. The leader of the council was Labour councillor Elizabeth Dennis-Harburg, who had been leader since 2021.

The council remained under no overall control. Labour overtook the Conservatives to become the largest party on the council for the first time since 1999. The Liberal Democrats took the most votes across the district.[1] The Labour and Liberal Democrat coalition continued running the council after the election.[2]

Overall results

The overall results were:[3]

2023 North Hertfordshire District Council election
Party This election Full council This election
Seats Net Seats % Other Total Total % Votes Votes % +/−
  Liberal Democrats 8 Increase2 50.0 7 15 30.6 9,237 32.4 +2.3
  Conservative 3 Decrease4 18.8 12 15 30.6 8,622 30.3 -3.2
  Labour 5 Increase2 31.3 14 19 38.8 7,365 25.9 -4.9
  Green 0 Steady 0.0 0 0 0.0 2,140 7.5 +2.3
  Independent 0 Steady 0.0 0 0 0.0 778 2.7 +2.6
  Reform UK 0 Steady 0.0 0 0 0.0 204 0.7 n/a
  CPA 0 Steady 0.0 0 0 0.0 142 0.5 +0.3

Ward results

The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by North Hertfordshire District Council following the close of nominations on 5 April 2023.[4] The results for each ward were as follows. An asterisk (*) indicates a sitting councillor standing for re-election, and a double dagger (‡) indicates a sitting councillor contesting a different ward.[5]

Arbury

Arbury
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Thomas Wade Tyson*
(Tom Tyson) 		618 53.7 +2.8
Conservative Nicola Marianne Da Costa
(Nikki Da Costa) 		437 38.0 −2.5
Labour Leo James Chapman 53 4.6 n/a
Green Davina Ruth Malcolm 42 3.7 −4.2
Majority 181 15.7
Turnout 1,153 51.04
Registered electors 2,259
Liberal Democrats hold Swing +2.6

Baldock Town

Baldock Town
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Michael Muir* 917 42.8 +5.2
Labour Co-op James Thomas O'Gorman Toone 774 36.1 −4.5
Liberal Democrats Stephen Paul Thomas
(Steve Thomas) 		279 13.0 +3.2
Green Timothy Peter Lee
(Tim Lee) 		173 8.1 −2.4
Majority 143 6.7
Turnout 2,156 38.24
Registered electors 5,638
Conservative hold Swing +4.8

Cadwell

Cadwell
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Louise Jane Peace 480 56.7 +8.7
Conservative Christopher Gregson Williams
(Chris Williams) 		235 27.7 −0.5
Labour Alan Garth Trangmar 75 8.9 −4.1
Green Anni Elke Sander 57 6.7 −3.1
Majority 245 29.0
Turnout 850 43.08
Registered electors 1,973
Liberal Democrats hold Swing +4.6

Chesfield

Chesfield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Dominic John Crean Griffiths 697 42.9 +0.6
Conservative Steven Neil Patmore 509 31.3 −10.9
Labour Co-op Vijaiya Prashan Poopalasingham 419 25.8 +11.2
Majority 188 11.6
Turnout 1,636 31.96
Registered electors 5,119
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing +5.8

Ermine

Ermine
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gerald Edward Morris* 518 56.2 −3.0
Liberal Democrats Hugo John Rainey 197 21.4 −1.1
Green Hugh David Parker 107 11.6 −0.9
Labour Vaughan West 99 10.7 +5.9
Majority 321 34.8
Turnout 927 43.24
Registered electors 2,144
Conservative hold Swing -0.9

Hitchin Bearton

Hitchin Bearton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op David James Winstanley
(Dave Winstanley) 		1,309 55.0 +0.9
Green Deolinda Maria Eltringham 382 16.1 +1.9
Conservative Charles Laing 341 14.3 −1.7
Liberal Democrats Jonathan Clayden 302 12.7 −2.9
CPA Sidney Clifford Cordle
(Sid Cordle) 		46 1.9 n/a
Majority 927 38.9
Turnout 2,384 37.90
Registered electors 6,290
Labour hold Swing -0.5

This seat was previously held by Labour councillor Judi Billing, but had been vacant since her death in November 2022.[6]

Hitchin Highbury

Hitchin Highbury
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Keith Hoskins* 1,678 62.8 +4.5
Conservative Ethan Singh Parmar 479 17.9 −10.7
Labour Angela Jean Griggs 362 13.6 +6.0
Green Kruna Vukmirovic 113 4.2 −1.3
CPA Leigh Smith 38 1.4 n/a
Majority 1,199 44.9
Turnout 2,679 43.27
Registered electors 6,191
Liberal Democrats hold Swing +7.6

Hitchin Walsworth

Hitchin Walsworth
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Daniel Ian Wright-Mason 1,103 49.5 +3.6
Conservative Samuel William Forsyth
(Sam Forsyth) 		482 21.6 −2.7
Liberal Democrats Elizabeth Julie Townsend
(Liz Townsend) 		312 14.0 −1.6
Green William Barry Lavin 272 12.2 −2.0
CPA Asher Smith 58 2.6 n/a
Majority 621 27.9
Turnout 2,236 36.45
Registered electors 6,134
Labour hold Swing +3.1

This seat was previously held by Labour councillor Kay Tart, but had been vacant since her resignation in March 2023.[7]

Hitchwood, Offa & Hoo

Hitchwood, Offa & Hoo
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David John Barnard* 1,191 50.1 −2.8
Liberal Democrats Susana Muñoz Maniega 445 18.7 −11.0
Green Nicola Jane Clark
(Nicky Clark) 		421 17.7 n/a
Labour Thomas Patrick Luke Hogan
(Tom Hogan) 		318 13.4 −4.1
Majority 746 31.4
Turnout 2,384 39.89
Registered electors 5,976
Conservative hold Swing +4.1

Letchworth Grange

Letchworth Grange
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Daniel Steven Marsh 839 44.2 −14.5
Conservative Harrison Michael Edwards 608 32.0 −9.3
Green David Paul Morris 205 10.8 n/a
Liberal Democrats Sally Margaret Jarvis
(Sal Jarvis) 		148 7.8 n/a
Reform UK Steven Adelantado
(Steve Adelantado) 		100 5.3 n/a
Majority 231 12.2
Turnout 1,904 34.69
Registered electors 5,489
Labour gain from Conservative Swing -2.6

Letchworth South East

Letchworth South East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Michael John Debenham
(Mick Debenham) 		741 38.4 −2.1
Conservative Andrew Malcolm Clare 711 36.9 −3.2
Liberal Democrats Paul Anthony James Marment 237 12.3 −0.5
Green Maryla Josephine Hart 135 7.0 +0.5
Reform UK Garry Warren 104 5.4 n/a
Majority 30 1.5
Turnout 1,933 36.85
Registered electors 5,246
Labour hold Swing +0.6

Letchworth South West

Letchworth South West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Sean Prendergast* 1,223 46.3 +4.5
Conservative Morgan William Derbyshire‡ 897 33.9 −3.9
Labour Sadie Rebecca Laura Billing 344 13.0 −0.8
Green Dugald James Muir 180 6.8 +0.2
Majority 326 12.4
Turnout 2,657 44.95
Registered electors 5,911
Liberal Democrats hold Swing +4.2

The Conservative candidate, Morgan Derbyshire, was the councillor for Letchworth Grange ward prior to this election.

Royston Heath

Royston Heath
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Bryony Clare May 954 51.7 −2.3
Conservative Hammad Baig 394 21.4 −7.9
Independent Mary Antony 301 16.3 n/a
Labour Co-op Kenneth Garland
(Ken Garland) 		195 10.6 −0.1
Majority 560 30.3
Turnout 1,851 41.35
Registered electors 4,476
Liberal Democrats hold Swing +2.8

Royston Meridian

Royston Meridian
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Matthew Barnes
(Matt Barnes) 		847 51.7 +11.5
Conservative Stephen Robert Boakes 435 26.6 −16.7
Independent Luke John Haugh 173 10.6 n/a
Labour Stephen Lockett 130 7.9 −3.4
Green Desmond Peter Stephens
(Des Stephens) 		53 3.2 −2.0
Majority 412 25.1
Turnout 1,647 38.77
Registered electors 4,248
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing +14.1

Royston Palace

Royston Palace
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Catherine Jayne Brownjohn
(Cathy Brownjohn) 		549 37.8 −2.9
Conservative Jean Margaret Green* 364 25.0 −13.8
Independent Robert Edward Inwood
(Rob Inwood) 		304 20.9 n/a
Liberal Democrats Elizabeth Kathleen Mary Freeman 237 16.3 −4.2
Majority 185 12.8
Turnout 1,456 34.19
Registered electors 4,259
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +5.4

Weston & Sandon

Weston & Sandon
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Stephen Kenneth Jarvis*
(Steve Jarvis) 		583 78.6 −0.5
Conservative Helen Denise Derbyshire 104 14.0 −0.3
Labour Rhona Ann Cameron 55 7.4 +4.9
Majority 479 64.6
Turnout 743 45.84
Registered electors 1,621
Liberal Democrats hold Swing -0.1

References

  1. ^ "Local elections 2023: Tories lose Dacorum, Hertsmere, East Herts and Welwyn Hatfield". BBC News. 6 May 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  2. ^ Barrow, Georgia (5 May 2023). "North Herts election result 2023: Gains for Labour and Lib Dems". The Comet. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  3. ^ "North Hertfordshire election result". BBC News. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  4. ^ "Current elections and councillor vacancies". North Hertfordshire District Council. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  5. ^ "Election results 2023". North Herts Council. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  6. ^ Barrow, Georgia (24 November 2022). "Tributes to North Herts Council's Judi Billing". The Comet. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  7. ^ Boothroyd, David (24 March 2023). "Tory hold in a rush in Northants". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 8 May 2023.