| Election Name: | 2023 North Somerset Council election |
| Type: | parliamentary |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2019 North Somerset Council election |
| Previous Year: | 2019 |
| Next Election: | 2027 North Somerset Council election |
| Next Year: | 2027 |
| Seats For Election: | All 50 seats to North Somerset Council |
| Majority Seats: | 26 |
| Leader1: | Nigel Ashton |
| Party1: | Conservative Party (UK) |
| Last Election1: | 13 seats, 31.6% |
| Seats Before1: | 13 |
| Seats1: | 13 |
| Seat Change1: | - |
| Popular Vote1: | 25,676 |
| Percentage1: | 32.6% |
| Leader4: | Steve Bridger |
| Party4: | Independent |
| Last Election4: | 13 seats, 16.8% |
| Seats Before4: | 13 |
| Seats4: | 8 |
| Seat Change4: | 5 |
| Popular Vote4: | 7,164 |
| Percentage4: | 9.1% |
| Leader3: | Mike Bell |
| Party3: | Liberal Democrats (UK) |
| Last Election3: | 11 seats, 18.8% |
| Seats Before3: | 10 |
| Seats3: | 9 |
| Seat Change3: | 2 |
| Popular Vote3: | 18,207 |
| Percentage3: | 23.1% |
| Leader2: | Catherine Gibbons |
| Party2: | Labour Party (UK) |
| Last Election2: | 6 seats, 19.7% |
| Seats Before2: | 6 |
| Seats2: | 10 |
| Seat Change2: | 4 |
| Popular Vote2: | 16,784 |
| Percentage2: | 21.3% |
| Leader5: | Bridget Petty |
| Party5: | Green Party of England and Wales |
| Last Election5: | 3 seats, 3.9% |
| Seats Before5: | 4 |
| Seats5: | 7 |
| Seat Change5: | 3 |
| Popular Vote5: | 7,393 |
| Percentage5: | 9.4% |
| Leader6: | N/A |
| Party6: | Portishead Independents |
| Last Election6: | 4 seats, 7.3% |
| Seats Before6: | 4 |
| Seats6: | 3 |
| Seat Change6: | 1 |
| Popular Vote6: | 3,462 |
| Percentage6: | 4.4% |
| Leader | |
| Posttitle: | Leader after election |
| Before Election: | Steve Bridger Independent |
| Before Party: | No overall control |
| After Election: | Mike Bell Liberal Democrat |
| After Party: | No overall control |
The 2023 North Somerset Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect all 50 councillors to the North Somerset Council in England. It was conducted on the same day as the other local elections across England.
Prior to the election the council was under no overall control, being run by a 'rainbow coalition' of Liberal Democrats, Labour, Greens and independent councillors, led by independent councillor Steve Bridger. Following the election the council remained under no overall control and a similar coalition emerged, but led by Liberal Democrat councillor Mike Bell.[1] [2]
North Somerset Council is elected every 4 years, with all council seats being up for election. Following the 2019 election a rainbow coalition consisting of the North Somerset Independent Group, the Liberal Democrats, the Labour Party, the Portishead Independents and the Green Party had formed, initially led by Independent Group leader, Don Davies.[3] [4] Davies resigned as leader in May 2022 and was succeeded by his independent colleague Steve Bridger.[5] Liberal Democrat councillor Mike Bell served as deputy leader in the administration prior to 2023.[6]
Throughout the previous council's term from 2019 to 2023, bus and transport services became a considerable issue in the local area. With services such as the X5 Weston-Super-Mare to Cribbs Causeway being cut or reduced and other services such as the X2 Yatton to Bristol and 126 Weston to Wells being axed entirely.[7] In the later part of the council's term a new 'demand bus service' was being created and the council successfully saved some services from being entirely removed.[8] [9]
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Following the 2023 election the council remained under no overall control, with the Conservatives the largest group.[10] On 12 May 2023, it was announced there would be a partnership between the Liberal Democrats (sitting as a group with three independents), Labour, the Green Party, the Portishead Independents and two other independents (sitting as their own group).[11] Mike Bell, leader of the Liberal Democrat group was announced as the new leader of the council, with Labour councillor Catherine Gibbons being deputy leader, with these positions to be confirmed at the annual council meeting on 23 May 2023.[2]
The ward results listed below are based on the changes from the 2019 elections, not taking into account any party defections or by-elections. Incumbent councillors are marked with an asterisk (*).