| Election Name: | 2015 Colchester Borough Council election |
| Country: | Essex |
| Type: | parliamentary |
| Previous Election: | 2014 Colchester Borough Council election |
| Previous Year: | 2014 |
| Next Election: | Colchester Borough Council election, 2016 |
| Next Year: | 2016 |
| Seats For Election: | 20 out of 60 seats to Colchester Borough Council |
| Majority Seats: | 31 |
| Party1: | Conservative Party (UK) |
| Last Election1: | 23 seats, 33.6% |
| Seats Before1: | 23 |
| Seats1: | 13 |
| Seats After1: | 27 |
| Seat Change1: | 4 |
| Popular Vote1: | 28,023 |
| Percentage1: | 40.1% |
| Swing1: | 6.5% |
| Party2: | Liberal Democrats (UK) |
| Last Election2: | 25 seats, 23.0% |
| Seats Before2: | 24 |
| Seats2: | 3 |
| Seats After2: | 20 |
| Seat Change2: | 4 |
| Popular Vote2: | 13,827 |
| Percentage2: | 19.8% |
| Swing2: | 3.2% |
| Party4: | Labour Party (UK) |
| Last Election4: | 9 seats, 16.2% |
| Seats Before4: | 9 |
| Seats4: | 3 |
| Seats After4: | 9 |
| Popular Vote4: | 12,940 |
| Percentage4: | 18.5% |
| Swing4: | 2.3% |
| Party5: | Independent (politician) |
| Last Election5: | 3 seats, 2.9% |
| Seats Before5: | 4 |
| Seats5: | 1 |
| Seats After5: | 4 |
| Popular Vote5: | 1,643 |
| Percentage5: | 2.4% |
| Swing5: | 0.5% |
| Leader of the council | |
| Posttitle: | Leader of the council after election |
| Before Election: | Martin Hunt |
| Before Party: | Liberal Democrats |
| After Election: | Paul Smith |
| After Party: | Liberal Democrats |
The 2015 Colchester Borough Council election took place on 7 May 2015 to elect one third of the members of Colchester Borough Council in England.[1] This was the same day as other local elections and as the General Election. Colchester Borough Council is made up of 60 councillors: 20 councillors were up for election.[2]
Prior to the elections, Liberal Democrat councillor for New Town ward, Theresa Higgins, was appointed Mayor of Colchester for a term of one-year.
Prior to the election the composition of the council was:
| 24 | 9 | 4 | 23 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Labour | Ind | Conservative |
After the election, the composition of the council was:
| 20 | 9 | 4 | 27 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Labour | Ind | Conservative |
The Liberal Democrats, Conservatives, Labour Party and Green Party all stood a full slate of 20 candidates. UKIP stood 15 candidates and 3 independents (including a candidate with the description 'Patriotic Socialist Party') stood for election.
With 30 seats required for a dead-heat majority (of 0), no single grouping of councillors remained in overall control of policy decision-making. Conservatives fell 3 short this time whereas at the last election a five-becoming-six seat deficit existed during the four-year term for the largest grouping which had been the Liberal Democrats.
No turnout figures were provided by the council.
No UKIP candidate as previous (-15.0).
No UKIP candidate as previous (-20.8).
In June 2015, in accordance with the Local Government Act 1972, Conservative councillor Mark Cable "ceased to be a member of the council" after failing to attend a council meeting since December 2014 (6 months). A by-election was called and the ward was subsequently held by the Conservatives.