2023 Horsham District Council election explained
| Election Name: | 2023 Horsham District Council election |
| Country: | West Sussex |
| Type: | parliamentary |
| Previous Election: | 2019 Horsham District Council election |
| Previous Year: | 2019 |
| Next Election: | 2027 Horsham District Council election |
| Next Year: | 2027 |
| Seats For Election: | All 48 seats to Horsham District Council |
| Majority Seats: | 25 |
| Leader1: | Martin Boffey |
| Party1: | Liberal Democrats (UK) |
| Last Election1: | 13 seats, 28.3% |
| Seats1: | 28 |
| Seat Change1: | 15 |
| Popular Vote1: | 32,756 |
| Percentage1: | 35.5% |
| Swing1: | 7.2 pp |
| Leader2: | Claire Vickers |
| Party2: | Conservative Party (UK) |
| Last Election2: | 32 seats, 48.5% |
| Seats2: | 11 |
| Seat Change2: | 21 |
| Popular Vote2: | 31,217 |
| Percentage2: | 33.8% |
| Swing2: | 14.7 pp |
| Party4: | Green Party of England and Wales |
| Last Election4: | 2 seats, 3.6% |
| Seats4: | 8 |
| Seat Change4: | 6 |
| Popular Vote4: | 18,506 |
| Percentage4: | 20.0% |
| Swing4: | 16.4 pp |
| Party5: | Independent politician |
| Last Election5: | 1 seat, 1.4% |
| Seats5: | 1 |
| Popular Vote5: | 622 |
| Percentage5: | 0.7% |
| Swing5: | 0.7 pp |
| Leader |
| Posttitle: | Leader after election |
| Before Election: | Claire Vickers |
| Before Party: | Conservative Party (UK) |
| After Election: | Martin Boffey |
| After Party: | Liberal Democrats (UK) |
The 2023 Horsham District Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Horsham District Council in West Sussex, England.[1] [2] It was held on the same day as other local elections in England.
The Liberal Democrats gained control of the council from the Conservatives with an 8 seat majority. It was the first time since the 1995 election that the Liberal Democrats had taken control of the council. It was also the worst performance in terms of seats for the Conservative Party in any previous election to the council. The Conservative leader of the council prior to the election, Claire Vickers, lost her seat.[3] Liberal Democrat group leader Martin Boffey was formally appointed the new leader of the council at the subsequent annual council meeting on 24 May 2023.[4]
Council Composition
Prior to the election, the composition of the council was:
After the election, the composition of the council was:
Results summary
|-
Ward results
Billingshurst
- Nigel Jupp is also an elected councillor at West Sussex County Council representing Southwater & Nuthurst.[5]
Bramber, Upper Beeding & Woodmancote
- This was the only seat at the elections where the Green Party did not stand a full quota of candidates.[6]
Colgate & Rusper
- Liz Kitchen was Leader of the Council from 2001 to 2009.
Denne
- John Milne represented Roffey North ward from 2019 to 2023. He is also an elected councillor at West Sussex County Council representing Horsham Riverside.[7]
Holbrook East
- Simon Torn represented Roffey South ward from 2011 to 2019.
Holbrook West
- Christian Mitchell is also an elected councillor at West Sussex County Council representing Broadbridge. [8]
Itchingfield, Slinfold & Warnham
- Robert Nye sat on Horsham District Council in various wards from 1999 to 2011. He was leader of the Council from 2009-2011.[9]
Pulborough, Coldwaltham & Amberley
- Paul Clarke was Leader of the Council for 207 days in 2021 before resigning.[10]
Roffey North
- Belinda Walters represented Denne ward from 2019 to 2023.
- Jonathan Dancer represented Roffey North ward from 2015 to 2019.
Roffey South
- Alan Britten represented Roffey South as a Liberal Democrat from 2019-2023. He previously sat as a Conservative from 2015-2019 before defecting to the Liberal Democrats ahead of the 2019 election.[11] He rejoined the Conservatives in 2023.[12]
- Katie Nagel is also an elected councillor at West Sussex County Council representing St Leonard's Forest.[13]
Southwater North
- Claire Vickers was the Leader of the Council until losing her seat.
- John Chidlow represented Southwater from 2011 to 2019.
Southwater South & Shipley
- Ian Stannard was the Vice-Chair of the Council until losing his seat.
Storrington & Washington
- Gary Markwell is also an elected councillor at West Sussex County Council representing Arundel & Courtwick.[14] He also, simultaneously stood for election in Arun District Council where he was also defeated by The Green Party.[15]
Trafalgar
- Martin Boffey was, heading into the election Leader of the Opposition.
West Chiltington, Thakeham & Ashington
- Philip Circus was Deputy Leader of the Council.
- Joy Dennis is also an elected councillor at West Sussex County Council representing Hurstpierpoint & Bolney.[16]
Notes and References
- Web site: District & Parish Elections - 4 May 2023. Horsham District Council. 30 March 2023.
- Web site: Local Elections 2023: More than 400 Sussex seats up for election. The Argus (Brighton). 10 April 2023.
- News: Luck . Flaminia . Sussex election results 2023: Tories lose Wealden for first time in 25 years . 28 January 2024 . BBC News . 5 May 2023.
- News: Dunn . Karen . Horsham council's new Lib Dem leader . 28 January 2024 . Sussex World . 25 May 2023.
- Web site: 2023-04-06 . Councillor details - Councillor Nigel Jupp . 2023-04-06 . westsussex.moderngov.co.uk . en.
- Web site: Home . 2023-04-06 . MidSussex, Crawley and Horsham Green Party . en-GB.
- Web site: 2023-04-06 . Councillor details - Councillor John Milne . 2023-04-06 . westsussex.moderngov.co.uk . en.
- Web site: 2023-04-06 . Councillor details - Councillor Christian Mitchell . 2023-04-06 . westsussex.moderngov.co.uk . en.
- Web site: Horsham council leader steps down . 2023-04-06 . The Argus . en.
- Web site: Sudden resignation of Horsham District Council leader . 12 November 2021 .
- Web site: Conservative councillor defects to Lib Dems . 7 March 2019.
- Web site: Horsham councillor defects to Conservatives after not being re-selected by Lib Dems . 17 January 2023.
- Web site: 2023-04-06 . Councillor details - Councillor Katie Nagel . 2023-04-06 . westsussex.moderngov.co.uk . en.
- Web site: 2023-04-06 . Councillor details - Councillor Gary Markwell . 2023-04-06 . westsussex.moderngov.co.uk . en.
- Web site: Council . Arun District . Statements of persons nominated for Arun District Council elections May 2023 . 2023-04-06 . Arun District Council . en.
- Web site: 2023-04-06 . Councillor details - Councillor Joy Dennis . 2023-04-06 . westsussex.moderngov.co.uk . en.
