| Election Name: | 2023 Bedford Borough Council election |
| Country: | Bedfordshire |
| Type: | parliamentary |
| Previous Election: | 2019 Bedford Borough Council election |
| Previous Year: | 2019 |
| Next Election: | 2027 Bedford Borough Council election |
| Next Year: | 2027 |
| Seats For Election: | All 46 seats to Bedford Borough Council |
| Majority Seats: | 24 |
| Turnout: | 34.9% |
| Leader1: | Sue Oliver |
| Party1: | Labour Party (UK) |
| Last Election1: | 11 seats, 27.6% |
| Seats1: | 14 |
| Seat Change1: | 3 |
| Popular Vote1: | 24,563 |
| Percentage1: | 29.4% |
| Swing1: | 1.8% |
| Leader2: | Graeme Coombes |
| Party2: | Conservative Party (UK) |
| Last Election2: | 11 seats, 31.3% |
| Seats2: | 13 |
| Seat Change2: | 2 |
| Popular Vote2: | 23,316 |
| Percentage2: | 27.9% |
| Swing2: | 3.4% |
| Leader3: | Dave Hodgson |
| Party3: | Liberal Democrats (UK) |
| Last Election3: | 15 seats, 30.3% |
| Seats3: | 13 |
| Seat Change3: | 2 |
| Popular Vote3: | 23,194 |
| Percentage3: | 27.7% |
| Swing3: | 2.6% |
| Leader4: | N/A |
| Party4: | Green Party of England and Wales |
| Last Election4: | 2 seats, 6.4% |
| Seats4: | 3 |
| Seat Change4: | 1 |
| Popular Vote4: | 6,786 |
| Percentage4: | 8.1% |
| Swing4: | 1.8% |
| Leader5: | N/A |
| Party5: | Independent politician |
| Last Election5: | 1 seat, 3.7% |
| Seats5: | 2 |
| Seat Change5: | 1 |
| Popular Vote5: | 5,479 |
| Percentage5: | 6.5% |
| Swing5: | 2.8% |
| Leader6: | N/A |
| Party6: | Vacant |
| Seats6: | 1 |
| Seat Change6: | 1 |
| Mayor | |
| Posttitle: | Mayor after election |
| Before Election: | Dave Hodgson Liberal Democrat |
| Before Party: | No overall control |
| After Election: | Tom Wootton Conservative |
| After Party: | No overall control |
The 2023 Bedford Borough Council election took place on 4 May 2023, electing members of Bedford Borough Council in Bedfordshire, England. An election for the borough's directly-elected mayor took place at the same time.[1] This was the same day as other local elections.
The whole council was up for election on new ward boundaries. The total number of seats increased by 6, from 40 to 46.[2] Issues being debated by the candidates include the route of East West Rail through the town, with Government confirmation on the route still awaited at the time of the election.[3]
The council remained under no overall control after the election. The Conservative candidate, Tom Wootton, won the mayoralty, defeating the Liberal Democrat incumbent, Dave Hodgson, who had held the post since 2009.[4]
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Official results were published by Bedford Borough Council as the count progressed.[5] They were also reported live by the Bedford Independent [6] and also reported by the Bedford Times and Citizen newspaper, initially through its website.[7]
The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by Bedford Borough Council following the close of nominations on 5 April 2023.[8]
Note: since Wootton had been elected Mayor of Bedford the result was a vacant seat. [9]
In November 2023, Mohammed Mahboob Din, elected as a Labour councillor, left the party to sit as an independent.[10]
The Riverfield by-election was triggered by the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Billy Thompson.[11]