| Election Name: | 2023 Wealden District Council election |
| Country: | East Sussex |
| Type: | parliamentary |
| Previous Election: | 2019 Wealden District Council election |
| Previous Year: | 2019 |
| Next Election: | 2027 Wealden District Council election |
| Next Year: | 2027 |
| Seats For Election: | All 45 seats to Wealden District Council |
| Majority Seats: | 23 |
| Leader1: | James Patridge |
| Party1: | Liberal Democrats (UK) |
| Leader Since1: | May 2023 |
| Last Election1: | 4 seats, 8.9% |
| Leaders Seat1: | Crowborough North |
| Seats Before1: | 6 |
| Seats After1: | 13 |
| Seat Change1: | 7 |
| Leader2: | Rachel Millward |
| Party2: | Green Party of England and Wales |
| Leader Since2: | May 2023 |
| Leaders Seat2: | Hartfield |
| Last Election2: | 2 seats, 4.4% |
| Seats Before2: | 4 |
| Seats After2: | 11 |
| Seat Change2: | 7 |
| Leader3: | Ann Newton |
| Party3: | Conservative Party (UK) |
| Leader Since3: | May 2022 |
| Leaders Seat3: | Framfield & Cross-in-Hand |
| Last Election3: | 34 seats, 75.6% |
| Seats Before3: | 28 |
| Seats After3: | 9 |
| Seat Change3: | 19 |
| Leader4: | David White |
| Party4: | Independent politician |
| Leader Since4: | May 2021 |
| Leaders Seat4: | Hellingly |
| Last Election4: | 1 seats, 2.2% |
| Seats Before4: | 3 |
| Seats After4: | 6 |
| Seat Change4: | 3 |
| Leader5: | Stephen Shing |
| Party5: | Independent Democrat Group |
| Leader Since5: | May 2007 |
| Leaders Seat5: | Lower Willingdon |
| Last Election5: | 4 seats, 8.9% |
| Seats Before5: | 4 |
| Seats After5: | 4 |
| Seat Change5: | 0 |
| Leader6: | Daniel Manvell |
| Party6: | Labour Party (UK) |
| Leader Since6: | May 2023 |
| Leaders Seat6: | Uckfield North |
| Last Election6: | N/A |
| Seats Before6: | 0 |
| Seats After6: | 2 |
| Seat Change6: | 2 |
| Council control | |
| Posttitle: | Council control after election |
| Before Election: | Conservative |
| After Election: | Liberal Democrat/Green coalition |
The 2023 Wealden District Council election was held on 4 May 2023 to elect all 45 members of Wealden District Council.[1] [2] [3] [4] This was on the same day as other local elections across England.
At the first meeting of the Council on 24 May 2023, the first ever non-Conservative administration was elected in the Council's 50-year history. The Liberal Democrat Leader James Partridge was elected as Leader of the Council and the Greens' Leader Rachel Millward was elected as Deputy Leader of the Council, with leadership to rotate annually. The new leadership appointed 4 Liberal Democrats and 3 Greens to the Cabinet.[5]
The Conservatives lost the council to no overall control for the first time in 25 years.[6] [7] This is also the first time that the Labour Party has been elected to the Council, with two members being elected in Uckfield.
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Wealden District Council results.[8]
Sitting councillors are marked with an asterisk (*).
By-election triggered by disqualification of independent councillor Spike Mayhew for non-attendance.[9]
On 15th May 2024 Liberal Democrat councillor for Hailsham Central Ward, Cllr Neil Cleaver, resigned from his party and the 'Alliance for Wealden' (the coalition agreement between the Liberal Democrats and Green Party), therefore becoming an independent.[10] On May 22nd 2024, it was announced Cllr Cleaver had joined the Conservative Party, who now have 10 councillors.[11]
On 24th May 2024, another Liberal Democrat councillor resigned from his party. Crowborough South East's Cllr Andrew Wilson. He has not yet indicated if he will join another political group. This means the LibDem/Green 'Alliance for Wealden' is now one short of a majority.[12]