2023 Wealden District Council election

← 2019 4 May 2023 (2023-05-04) 2027 →
All 45 seats to Wealden District Council 23 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party Third party   Leader James Patridge Rachel Millward Ann Newton Party Liberal Democrats Green Conservative Leader since May 2023 May 2023 May 2022 Leader's seat Crowborough North Hartfield Framfield & Cross-in-Hand Last election 4 seats, 8.9% 2 seats, 4.4% 34 seats, 75.6% Seats before 6 4 28 Seats after 13 11 9 Seat change 7 7 19   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Leader David White Stephen Shing Daniel Manvell Party Independent Independent Democrat Group Labour Leader since May 2021 May 2007 May 2023 Leader's seat Hellingly Lower Willingdon Uckfield North Last election 1 seats, 2.2% 4 seats, 8.9% N/A Seats before 3 4 0 Seats after 6 4 2 Seat change 3 0 2
Winner of each seat at the 2023 Wealden District Council election
Council control before election Conservative Council control after election Liberal Democrat/Green coalition

The 2023 Wealden District Council election was held on 4 May 2023 to elect all 45 members of Wealden District Council.^[1][2][3][4] This was on the same day as other local elections across England.

At the first meeting of the Council on 24 May 2023, the first ever non-Conservative administration was elected in the Council's 50-year history. The Liberal Democrat Leader James Partridge was elected as Leader of the Council and the Greens' Leader Rachel Millward was elected as Deputy Leader of the Council, with leadership to rotate annually. The new leadership appointed 4 Liberal Democrats and 3 Greens to the Cabinet.^[5]

The Conservatives lost the council to no overall control for the first time in 25 years.^[6][7] This is also the first time that the Labour Party has been elected to the Council, with two members being elected in Uckfield.

2023 Wealden District Council election
Party		Candidates	Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	Liberal Democrats	22	13	9	0	9	28.9	18.5	9,839	+4.8
	Green	14	11	9	0	9	24.4	21.6	11,476	+2.4
	Independent	22	10	5	0	5	22.2	15.4	8,193	+3.8
	Conservative	44	9	0	25	25	20.0	35.0	18,601	–10.2
	Labour	11	2	2	0	2	4.4	8.6	4,570	–0.3
	UKIP	2	0	0	0		0.0	0.7	346	–0.7
	Reform UK	1	0	0	0		0.0	0.2	121	N/A
	SDP	1	0	0	0		0.0	0.1	34	N/A

Wealden District Council results.^[8]

Sitting councillors are marked with an asterisk (*).

Arlington

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Green	Alison Wilson	668	54.6	+24.5
	Conservative	Russell Watts	446	36.5	−12.3
	Liberal Democrats	Catherine Hall	109	8.9	−12.2
Majority			222	18.1	N/A
Turnout			1,223	49.96	+8.02
Registered electors			2,418
	Green gain from Conservative		Swing	18.4

Buxted

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Green	Graham Shaw	671	60.2	+27.5
	Conservative	Laura Stevens-Smith	444	39.8	−19.5
Majority			227	20.4	N/A
Turnout			1,115	39.01	+0.67
Registered electors			2,858
	Green gain from Conservative		Swing	23.5

Chiddingly, East Hoathly & Waldron

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Geoffrey Draper*	578	61.2	+6.2
	Labour	Tony Fielding	367	38.8	+28.0
Majority			211	22.4	−12.1
Turnout			945	34.92	−6.42
Registered electors			2,706
	Conservative hold		Swing	-10.9

Crowborough Central

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Carolyn Clark	576	54.8	New
	Conservative	Ronald Reed*	410	39.0	−12.0
	Independent	Peter Bucklitsch	65	6.2	−21.9
Majority			166	15.8	N/A
Turnout			1,051	34.68	+5.93
Registered electors			3,031
	Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative		Swing	N/A

Crowborough Jarvis Brook

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Gareth Owen-Williams*	648	75.3	+37.6
	Conservative	Craig Edwards	212	24.7	−0.2
Majority			436	50.6	+37.8
Turnout			860	28.61	−2.00
Registered electors			3,006
	Liberal Democrats hold		Swing	18.9

Crowborough North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Walter Partridge	605	54.4	New
	Independent	Kay Moss*	265	23.8	New
	Conservative	James Turgoose	243	21.8	−30.1
Majority			340	30.6	N/A
Turnout			1,113	39.85	+6.22
Registered electors			2,793
	Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative		Swing	N/A

Crowborough South East

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Andrew Wilson	732	73.9	+35.8
	Conservative	Philip Lunn*	258	26.1	−20.3
Majority			474	47.8	N/A
Turnout			990	31.61	−0.39
Registered electors			3,122
	Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative		Swing	28.0

Crowborough South West

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Alison Arthur	454	58.5	+35.5
	Conservative	Neil Waller*	322	41.5	−10.0
Majority			132	17.0	N/A
Turnout			776	31.38	+4.60
Registered electors			2,482
	Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative		Swing	22.7

Crowborough St Johns

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Green	Martyn Everitt	572	49.5	+12.9
	Conservative	Richard Hallett*	501	43.4	−20.0
	Labour	Sarah Bammann	82	7.1	New
Majority			71	6.1	N/A
Turnout			1,155	42.33	+5.79
Registered electors			2,733
	Green gain from Conservative		Swing	16.4

Danehill & Fletching

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Green	Christina Coleman	1,107	64.2	+23.1
	Conservative	Roy Galley*	545	31.6	−27.3
	Independent	Wes Constantinou	73	4.2	New
Majority			562	32.6	N/A
Turnout			1,725	53.08	+13.04
Registered electors			3,250
	Green gain from Conservative		Swing	25.2

Forest Row

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Green	Diana Patterson-Vanegas*	937	78.0	−1.1
	Independent	Rowena Moore	265	22.0	New
Majority			672	56.0	−2.2
Turnout			1,202	42.58	−10.68
Registered electors			2,823
	Green hold		Swing	N/A

Framfield & Cross-in-Hand

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Ann Newton*	571	57.5	−0.7
	Labour	Peter Ullmann	422	42.5	+34.5
Majority			149	15.0	−17.9
Turnout			993	37.37	−1.60
Registered electors			2,657
	Conservative hold		Swing	17.6

Frant & Wadhurst (2 seats)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Green	Sarah Glynn-Ives	882	46.4	N/A
	Conservative	Johanna Howell	865	45.5	N/A
	Conservative	Gill Weavers	766	40.3	N/A
	Independent	Serena Gadd	655	34.4	N/A
	Labour	James Walker	635	33.4	N/A
Majority			N/A	N/A	N/A
Turnout			2,137	39.09	+2.52
Registered electors			5,467
	Green gain from Conservative		Swing	N/A
	Conservative hold		Swing	N/A

Hadlow Down & Rotherfield

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Michael Lunn*	Unopposed
Registered electors			2,657
	Conservative hold

Hailsham Central

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Neil Cleaver	432	66.0	+33.8
	Conservative	Doina Rusu	222	34.0	−6.3
Majority			210	32.0	N/A
Turnout			654	26.14	−4.05
Registered electors			2,502
	Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative		Swing	20.0

Hailsham East

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Gavin Blake-Coggins*	520	71.1	+12.1
	Conservative	James Cottenham	211	28.9	−12.1
Majority			309	42.2	+24.2
Turnout			731	21.75	−8.44
Registered electors			3,361
	Liberal Democrats hold		Swing	12.1

Hailsham North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Paul Holbrook*	583	74.6	+46.6
	Conservative	James Hayes	199	25.4	−7.9
Majority			384	49.2	N/A
Turnout			782	30.35	+0.90
Registered electors			2,577
	Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative		Swing	27.2

Hailsham North West

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Glynn White	412	52.4	−1.7
	Conservative	Steven Keogh	375	47.6	+1.7
Majority			37	4.8	−3.4
Turnout			787	29.25	−0.75
Registered electors			2,691
	Liberal Democrats hold		Swing	-1.7

Hailsham South

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Anne Blake-Coggins*	381	47.0	+18.2
	Conservative	Stephen Coltman	309	38.1	−8.5
	Reform UK	Rob Stevens	121	14.9	New
Majority			72	8.9	N/A
Turnout			811	28.37	+2.55
Registered electors			2 859
	Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative		Swing	13.3

Hailsham West

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Richard Grocock*	293	36.9	−8.7
	Liberal Democrats	Alexa Clarke	255	32.2	−4.1
	Independent	David Radtke	211	26.6	New
	SDP	Stephen Gander	34	4.3	New
Majority			38	4.7	−4.6
Turnout			793	27.00	−1.56
Registered electors			2,937
	Conservative hold		Swing	-2.3

Hartfield

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Green	Rachel Millward*	774	62.9	+19.8
	Conservative	Janie Robinson	456	37.1	−19.8
Majority			318	25.8	N/A
Turnout			1,230	43.23	+7.35
Registered electors			2,937
	Green gain from Conservative		Swing	19.8

Heathfield North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Mike Gadd	523	46.8	New
	Conservative	Ray Cade*	376	33.7	−26.2
	Labour	David Newman	204	18.3	+3.4
	Independent	Naz Mian	14	1.3	New
Majority			147	13.1	N/A
Turnout			1,117	33.27	+2.51
Registered electors			3,351
	Independent gain from Conservative		Swing	N/A

Heathfield South

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Kevin Benton	716	66.0	New
	Conservative	Tom Guyton-Day*	369	34.0	−34.4
Majority			347	32.0	N/A
Turnout			1,085	36.11	+6.92
Registered electors			3,005
	Independent gain from Conservative		Swing	N/A

Hellingly

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	David White*	690	64.0	+1.1
	Conservative	Chris Bryant	311	23.8	−2.1
	Independent	David Younge	77	7.1	New
Majority			379	40.2	+3.2
Turnout			1,078	25.29	−6.29
Registered electors			4,263
	Independent hold		Swing	1.6

Herstmonceux & Pevensey Levels (2 seats)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Paul Coleshill	1,012	52.1	+28.3
	Liberal Democrats	Mark Fairweather	1,000	51.4	N/A
	Conservative	Pam Doodes*	737	37.9	−1.1
	Conservative	Nuala Geary	720	37.0	+4.9
	UKIP	Laurence Keeley	183	9.4	−10.8
	UKIP	Mike Pursglove	163	8.4	N/A
Majority			N/A	N/A	N/A
Turnout			1,954	34.86	−4.17
Registered electors			5,605
	Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative		Swing	N/A
	Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative		Swing	N/A

Horam & Punnetts Town (2 seats)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Green	Cornelie Usborne	1,720	64.8	+31.2
	Green	Greg Collins	1,697	63.9	N/A
	Conservative	Bob Bowdler*	933	35.2	−12.3
	Conservative	Susan Steadman*	812	30.6	−13.3
Majority			N/A	N/A	N/A
Turnout			2 678	44.63	+6.53
Registered electors			6,000
	Green gain from Conservative		Swing	N/A
	Green gain from Conservative		Swing	N/A

Lower Willingdon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Stephen Shing*	602	54.7	−14.5
	Conservative	Douglas Murray	342	31.1	+10.8
	Liberal Democrats	Sarah Whitehead	156	14.2	+3.7
Majority			260	23.6	−25.3
Turnout			1,100	42.90	−1.32
Registered electors			2,564
	Independent hold		Swing	12.6

Maresfield

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Green	Ian Tysh*	950	69.1	−38.2
	Conservative	Margaret Galley	424	30.9	−31.1
Majority			526	38.2	N/A
Turnout			1,374	45.36	+8.05
Registered electors			3,039
	Green gain from Conservative		Swing	34.6

Mayfield & Five Ashes

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Brian Redman	716	55.4	−2.2
	Green	Simon Darlington-Cramond	344	26.6	−6.7
	Labour	Jason Scott-Taggart	233	18.0	+9.0
Majority			372	28.8	+4.5
Turnout			1,293	47.99	+12.30
Registered electors			2,694
	Conservative hold		Swing	2.2

Pevensey Bay

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Daniel Brookbank	524	64.9	+42.3
	Conservative	Di Dear	283	35.1	+4.6
Majority			241	29.8	N/A
Turnout			807	31.85	−9.18
Registered electors			2,533
	Independent gain from Conservative		Swing	18.8

Polegate Central

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Chris Primett	394	37.8	N/A
	Liberal Democrats	Andy O'Kane	260	25.0	New
	Independent	Malcolm Cunningham	197	18.9	New
	Labour	Paul Hunt	190	18.3	New
Majority			134	12.8	N/A
Turnout			1,041	29.12	N/A
Registered electors			3,575
	Conservative hold		Swing	N/A

Polegate North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Lin Shing*	351	34.4	−15.4
	Conservative	James Heward	310	30.4	+13.2
	Independent	Nathan Dunbar	241	23.7	New
	Liberal Democrats	Kate Edmonds	117	11.5	+0.1
Majority			41	4.00	−28.7
Turnout			1,019	32.08	−0.10
Registered electors			3,176
	Independent hold		Swing	-14.3

Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Daniel Shing*	554	54.1	−18.5
	Conservative	Cherie Berry	311	30.4	+14.0
	Liberal Democrats	Andy Watkins	159	15.5	New
Majority			243	23.7	−32.5
Turnout			1,024	36.09	+0.31
Registered electors			2,837
	Independent hold		Swing	-16.2

South Downs

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	David Greaves	660	47.9	+3.1
	Liberal Democrats	Katrina Best	555	40.3	+2.4
	Green	Tom Harrison	163	11.8	−5.4
Majority			105	7.6	+0.7
Turnout			1,378	52.48	+5.85
Registered electors			2,626
	Conservative hold		Swing	0.3

Stone Cross

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Daniel Upton	335	46.5	−5.7
	Liberal Democrats	Caroline Adcock	244	33.9	New
	Green	Nick Mawdsley	141	19.6	−28.2
Majority			91	12.6	+8.2
Turnout			720	23.46	−0.73
Registered electors			3,069
	Conservative hold		Swing	N/A

Uckfield East

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Kelvin Williams	429	46.6	+9.5
	Independent	Duncan Bennett	298	32.4	New
	Conservative	Petrina Voelcker	193	21.0	−7.5
Majority			131	14.2	−13.4
Turnout			920	35.49	+0.16
Registered electors			2,592
	Liberal Democrats hold		Swing	N/A

Uckfield New Town (2 seats)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Ben Cox	1,078	53.2	+18.0
	Independent	Spike Mayhew	727	35.9	N/A
	Labour	Keith Wilson	706	34.8	N/A
	Conservative	Helen Firth*	634	31.3	−4.9
	Conservative	Ginny Heard	471	23.2	−14.4
Majority			N/A	N/A	N/A
Turnout			2,036	41.21	+1.41
Registered electors			4,941
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	N/A
	Independent gain from Conservative		Swing	N/A

Uckfield North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Daniel Manvell	444	51.6	+33.6
	Independent	Jackie Love	223	25.9	New
	Conservative	Peter Waldock*	194	22.5	−17.8
Majority			221	25.7	N/A
Turnout			861	35.62	+6.58
Registered electors			2,417
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing	N/A

Uckfield Ridgewood & Little Horsted

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Ben Reed	306	41.3	New
	Conservative	Adrian Marshall	226	30.5	−13.5
	Labour	Christopher Field	209	28.2	+17.3
Majority			80	10.8	N/A
Turnout			741	34.15	−2.51
Registered electors			2,170
	Independent gain from Conservative		Swing	N/A

Upper Willingdon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Raymond Shing*	616	55.3	−0.9
	Conservative	Robert Findon	299	26.8	−5.2
	Liberal Democrats	Dionne Daniel	200	17.9	+6.1
Majority			317	28.5	+4.3
Turnout			1,115	36.25	−5.62
Registered electors			3,076
	Independent hold		Swing	2.1

Withyham

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Green	Jessika Hulbert	850	72.3	+19.6
	Conservative	Stephen Banham	325	27.7	−19.6
Majority			525	44.6	+39.2
Turnout			1,175	47.49	+8.06
Registered electors			2,474
	Green hold		Swing	19.6

Uckfield New Town by-election, 4 April 2024^[9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Donna Rachel French	582	36.9	New
	Labour	George Robert Keith Wilson	578	36.7	+1.9
	Conservative	Helen Firth	413	26.2	−5.1
Turnout			1,577	30.99	−10.22
Registered electors			5,088
	Independent hold

By-election triggered by disqualification of independent councillor Spike Mayhew for non-attendance.^[10]

On 15 May 2024 Liberal Democrat councillor for Hailsham Central Ward, Cllr Neil Cleaver, resigned from his party and the 'Alliance for Wealden' (the coalition agreement between the Liberal Democrats and Green Party), therefore becoming an independent.^[11] On 22 May 2024 it was announced Cllr Cleaver had joined the Conservative Party, who now have 10 councillors.^[12]

On 24 May 2024 another Liberal Democrat councillor resigned from his party. Crowborough South East's Cllr Andrew Wilson. He has not yet indicated if he will join another political group. This means the LibDem/Green 'Alliance for Wealden' is now one short of a majority.^[13]