| Election Name: | 2023 Epping Forest District Council election |
| Country: | Essex |
| Type: | parliamentary |
| Previous Election: | 2022 Epping Forest District Council election |
| Previous Year: | 2022 |
| Next Election: | 2024 Epping Forest District Council election |
| Next Year: | 2024 |
| Seats For Election: | 18 out of 58 seats to Epping Forest District Council |
| Majority Seats: | 30 |
| Turnout: | 26.1% |
| Leader1: | Chris Whitbread |
| Party1: | Conservative Party (UK) |
| Last Election1: | 35 seats, 40.3% |
| Seats Before1: | 34 |
| Seats1: | 14 |
| Seats After1: | 34 |
| Seat Change1: | 1 |
| Popular Vote1: | 7,214 |
| Percentage1: | 48.3% |
| Swing1: | 8.0% |
| Leader2: | Caroline Pond |
| Party2: | Loughton Residents Association |
| Last Election2: | 13 seats, 17.3% |
| Seats Before2: | 13 |
| Seats2: | 0 |
| Seats After2: | 13 |
| Popular Vote2: | N/A |
| Percentage2: | N/A |
| Swing2: | 17.3% |
| Party3: | Independent politician |
| Last Election3: | 2 seats, 5.9% |
| Seats Before3: | 4 |
| Seats3: | 1 |
| Seats After3: | 2 |
| Seat Change3: | 1 |
| Popular Vote3: | 690 |
| Percentage3: | 4.6% |
| Swing3: | 1.3% |
| Leader4: | Jon Whitehouse |
| Party4: | Liberal Democrats (UK) |
| Last Election4: | 4 seats, 18.3% |
| Seats Before4: | 4 |
| Seats4: | 3 |
| Seats After4: | 6 |
| Seat Change4: | 2 |
| Popular Vote4: | 3,349 |
| Percentage4: | 22.4% |
| Swing4: | 4.1% |
| Leader5: | Simon Heap |
| Party5: | Green Party of England and Wales |
| Last Election5: | 3 seats, 3.4% |
| Seats Before5: | 2 |
| Seats5: | 0 |
| Seats After5: | 2 |
| Seat Change5: | 1 |
| Popular Vote5: | 314 |
| Percentage5: | 2.1% |
| Swing5: | 1.3% |
| Leader6: | Julian Leppert |
| Party6: | British Democratic Party (2013) |
| Last Election6: | 1 seats, 0.1% |
| Seats Before6: | 1 |
| Seats6: | 0 |
| Seats After6: | 0 |
| Seat Change6: | 1 |
| Popular Vote6: | 187 |
| Percentage6: | 1.3% |
| Swing6: | N/A |
| Map Size: | 350px |
| Leader | |
| Posttitle: | Leader after election |
| Before Election: | Chris Whitbread |
| Before Party: | Conservative Party (UK) |
| After Election: | Chris Whitbread |
| After Party: | Conservative Party (UK) |
The 2023 Epping Forest District Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Epping Forest District Council in Essex, England. There were 18 of the 58 seats up for election, being the usual approximate third of the council.[1] This was on the same day as other local elections across England.
The Conservatives retained their majority on the council.[2]
The overall results were:[3]
The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by Epping Forest District Council following the close of nomination on 5 April 2023.[4] [5] The results for each ward were:[6]
The previous incumbent, Nigel Avey, had been elected as a Conservative in 2019 but left the party to sit as an independent earlier in 2023. He did not stand for re-election. Seat recorded as a Conservative hold to compare with the previous election.[7]
The previous incumbent, Sheree Rackham, had been elected as a Conservative in 2019. She left the party in 2022 and subsequently sat as an independent for the remainder of her term. She did not stand for re-election. Seat recorded as a Conservative hold to compare with the previous election.[8]
Chris Whitbread changed ward at this election; he was the sitting councillor for Epping Lindsey and Thornwood Common.
Julian Leppert had been elected as a For Britain Movement councillor in 2019. On that party's demise in July 2022 he joined the British Democratic Party, under which banner he stood for re-election in 2023 and was defeated.[9]
Joseph Parsons had won this seat for the Conservatives from the Greens at a by-election in October 2022. Seat recorded as a Conservative gain from Greens here to allow comparison to last full elections.