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2023 Bedford Borough Council election

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2023 Bedford Borough Council election
← 2019 4 May 2023 (2023-05-04) 2027 →
All 46 seats to Bedford Borough Council
24 seats needed for a majority
Turnout34.9%
  First party Second party Third party
  Blank Blank Blank
Leader Sue Oliver Graeme Coombes Dave Hodgson[a]
Party Labour Conservative Liberal Democrats
Last election 11 seats, 27.6% 11 seats, 31.3% 15 seats, 30.3%
Seats won 14 13 13
Seat change Increase 3 Increase 2 Decrease 2
Popular vote 24,563 23,316 23,194
Percentage 29.4% 27.9% 27.7%
Swing Increase 1.8% Decrease 3.4% Decrease 2.6%
  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
  Blank Blank Blank
Leader N/A N/A N/A
Party Green Independent Vacant
Last election 2 seats, 6.4% 1 seat, 3.7%
Seats won 3 2 1
Seat change Increase 1 Increase 1 Increase 1
Popular vote 6,786 5,479
Percentage 8.1% 6.5%
Swing Increase 1.8% Increase 2.8%
Winner of each seat at the 2023 Bedford Borough Council election
Mayor before election

Dave Hodgson
Liberal Democrat
No overall control

Mayor after election

Tom Wootton
Conservative
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]

Summary

[edit]

Election result

[edit]
2023 Bedford Borough Council election (new boundaries)
Party Candidates Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Labour 45 14 1 0 Increase 3 31.1 29.4 24,563 +1.8
  Conservative 45 13 0 1 Increase 2 28.9 27.9 23,316 –3.4
  Liberal Democrats 46 13 0 2 Decrease 2 28.9 27.7 23,194 –2.6
  Green 25 3 1 0 Increase 1 6.7 8.1 6,786 +1.7
  Independent 9 2 1 0 Increase 1 4.4 6.5 5,479 +2.8
  Reform UK 2 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 0.4 310 New
  TUSC 1 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 <0.1 6 New
  Communist 1 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 <0.1 5 New
  Vacant 0 1 0 0 Steady 2.2 N/A N/A N/A

Ward results

[edit]

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]

Biddenham

[edit]
Biddenham
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Jon Gambold* 442 44.4
Green Adrian Spurrell 423 42.5
Labour Christopher Howes 90 9.0
Liberal Democrats Stelios Mores 40 4.0
Majority 19 1.9
Turnout 995 41.4
Registered electors 2,406
Conservative win (new seat)

Brickhill

[edit]
Brickhill (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Charles Royden* 1,208 50.3 –11.2
Liberal Democrats Wendy Rider* 1,201 50.0 –11.5
Conservative Gill Scott 645 26.8 +8.4
Conservative Sharon Thompson 609 25.3 +11.1
Labour Elizabeth Pugsley 380 15.8 +4.7
Labour Warwick Mackie 352 14.6 +4.4
Green Stephen Bywater 232 9.7 +0.8
Turnout 2,403 36.8 –6.8
Registered electors 6,531
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats hold

Bromham

[edit]
Bromham (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Robert Rigby 1,061 47.2
Conservative Dylan Simmons 1,055 46.9
Liberal Democrats Richard Jones 449 20.0
Labour Gordon Charlton 419 18.6
Labour Ashley Frith 383 17.0
Green Kathryn Hill 320 14.2
Liberal Democrats Stephen Rutherford 230 10.2
Reform UK Kathy Wallis 194 8.6
Turnout 2,248 39.0
Registered electors 5,764
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Castle and Newnham

[edit]
Castle and Newnham (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes %
Green Lucy Bywater* 1,689 63.3
Green Paul Edmonds 1,157 43.3
Labour Sam Blacklaws 626 23.4
Liberal Democrats Hilde Hendrickx* 566 21.2
Liberal Democrats Tom Pattinson 348 13.0
Conservative Simon Briggs 295 11.0
Conservative Josh Walker 284 10.6
Turnout 2,670 44.6
Registered electors 5,986
Green win (new seat)
Green win (new seat)

Cauldwell

[edit]
Cauldwell (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Fouzia Atiq* 1,331 62.1 +15.0
Labour Abu Sultan* 1,137 53.1 +2.9
Labour Harish Thapar 1,127 52.6 N/A
Conservative Suresh Sunda 498 23.2 –2.4
Conservative Spenser Groves 433 20.2 N/A
Conservative Ionut Milea 388 18.1 N/A
Liberal Democrats Charlotte Bagnall 279 13.0 –3.6
Liberal Democrats Eve McGrath 240 11.2 –3.1
Green Susan Throssell 224 10.5 –3.3
Liberal Democrats Tristan Steyn 173 8.1 N/A
Turnout 2,142 26.0 –3.0
Registered electors 8,238
Labour hold
Labour hold
Labour win (new seat)

Clapham and Oakley

[edit]
Clapham and Oakley (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Jane Walker* 1,101 55.5
Liberal Democrats Jonathan Abbott* 808 40.7
Conservative Phillipa Simms 795 40.1
Liberal Democrats John Manning 539 27.2
Labour June McDonald 200 10.1
Labour Thoufique Ali 175 8.8
Green Lynne Gray 163 8.2
Turnout 1,985 37.9
Registered electors 5,328
Conservative win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

De Parys

[edit]
De Parys (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Henry Vann* 1,044 55.4 –2.7
Liberal Democrats David Sawyer* 968 51.4 –4.1
Conservative Jason Gordon 369 19.6 –5.5
Conservative Freddie Linsley 347 18.4 –4.1
Labour Shaun Bowman 322 17.1 +5.1
Labour Mohammad Islam 268 14.2 +3.9
Green Harrison Marley 230 12.2 N/A
Turnout 1,884 35.3 –5.1
Registered electors 5,338
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats hold

Goldington

[edit]
Goldington (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Timothy Caswell* 792 45.6 +8.3
Liberal Democrats Christine McHugh* 729 42.0 +6.0
Labour Shane Kelly 578 33.3 –0.8
Labour Cathrine Ward 505 29.1 –1.6
Conservative Bernard Jones 257 14.8 +3.1
Green Philippa Fleming 136 7.8 +2.2
Reform UK Adrian Haynes 116 6.7 N/A
Turnout 1,736 29.3 –4.4
Registered electors 5,925
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats hold

Great Barford

[edit]
Great Barford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Phillippa Martin-Moran-Bryant* 781 69.9 +15.8
Green Toby Waltham 160 14.3 ±0.0
Liberal Democrats Malcolm Smith 103 9.2 –13.7
Labour Harvey Stimson 73 6.5 –2.1
Majority 621 55.6 N/A
Turnout 1,117 40.9 +2.0
Registered electors 2,752
Conservative hold Swing Increase7.9

Great Denham

[edit]
Great Denham
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Jim Weir* 623 57.1
Liberal Democrats Joanna Szaub-Newton 295 27.0
Labour Mohammad Teahleel 132 12.1
Green Tim Crowhurst 42 3.8
Majority 328 30.1
Turnout 1,092 34.8
Registered electors 3,158
Conservative win (new seat)

Greyfriars

[edit]
Greyfriars
Party Candidate Votes %
Green Ben Foley* 274 36.2
Labour Sudesh Rani 223 29.5
Independent Syedur Rahman 144 19.0
Conservative Karen Boyes 67 8.9
Liberal Democrats Nigel Spencer 43 5.7
TUSC Paul Mannion 6 0.8
Majority 51 6.7
Turnout 757 26.5
Registered electors 2,898
Green win (new seat)

Harpur

[edit]
Harpur (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Colleen Atkins* 1,178 60.3 +2.9
Labour Zara Layne 977 50.0 +1.8
Conservative Steve Spring 302 15.4 +2.0
Conservative Elizabeth Akinwande 276 14.1 +2.3
Independent David Allen 258 13.2 –5.4
Green Jonathan Westwood 165 8.4 N/A
Green Barry Freeman 160 8.2 N/A
Liberal Democrats Martin Kavanagh 158 8.1 –7.8
Liberal Democrats Patricia Wood 128 6.5 –5.4
Turnout 1,955 30.4 –4.0
Registered electors 6,431
Labour hold
Labour hold

Harrold

[edit]
Harrold
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alison Foster* 789 60.6 –7.1
Liberal Democrats James Thomson 190 14.6 +8.8
Labour David Bevan 164 12.6 +6.1
Green Niamh Lynch 160 12.3 –7.7
Majority 599 46.0
Turnout 1,303 40.9
Registered electors 3,209
Conservative hold Swing Decrease8.0

Kempston Central and East

[edit]
Kempston Central and East (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Mohammed Nawaz* 907 46.4 –3.1
Labour Caroline White 875 44.8 –9.1
Liberal Democrats Jas Parmar 612 31.3 +20.3
Liberal Democrats Louise Crofts 429 21.9 +14.2
Conservative Joseph Johnson 276 14.1 –18.6
Conservative Simran Nahar 224 11.5 –13.0
Green Mark Brown 170 8.7 N/A
Turnout 1,920 28.5 –2.7
Registered electors 6,737
Labour hold
Labour hold

Kempston North

[edit]
Kempston North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Sue Oliver* 665 64.8 +17.5
Conservative Elizabeth Hedison 233 22.7 –17.5
Green Laura Fitzgerald 78 7.6 –0.3
Liberal Democrats Bipinchandra Shah 50 4.9 +0.3
Majority 432 42.1
Turnout 1,026 32.0 –4.1
Registered electors 3,228
Labour hold Swing Increase17.5

Kempston South

[edit]
Kempston South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Carl Meader* 902 82.8 –0.7
Conservative Barry Ryan 113 10.4 –2.7
Liberal Democrats Janet Trengrove 44 4.0 +0.6
Green Sanjay Patel 31 2.8 N/A
Majority 789 72.4
Turnout 1,090 33.5 –3.9
Registered electors 3,256
Labour hold Swing Increase1.0

Kempston West

[edit]
Kempston West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour James Valentine* 615 68.6 +16.5
Conservative Elizabeth Wootton 191 21.3 –19.4
Liberal Democrats Paramjeet Kaur 60 6.7 –0.5
Green James Long 26 2.9 N/A
Communist Markus Keaney 5 0.6 N/A
Majority 424 47.3
Turnout 897 28.9 –2.9
Registered electors 3,119
Labour hold Swing Increase18.0

Kingsbrook

[edit]
Kingsbrook (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Dean Crofts* 879 39.5 –1.6
Labour Ralley Rahman 805 36.1 +1.4
Labour Mashuk Ullah 776 34.8 +5.9
Liberal Democrats Henna Khanum 701 31.5 –10.1
Conservative Caroline Fensome 405 18.2 +5.5
Conservative Sharanjit Sira 309 13.9 N/A
Green Nick Meek 187 8.4 –1.7
Turnout 2,227 29.9 –0.3
Registered electors 7,448
Liberal Democrats hold
Labour gain from Liberal Democrats

Putnoe

[edit]
Putnoe (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Michael Headley* 1,638 62.1 –1.8
Liberal Democrats Max Royden* 1,380 52.3 +2.5
Conservative Katherine Groves 581 22.0 –4.7
Conservative Martin MacPherson-Lawley 495 18.8 –0.6
Labour Wendie Harvey 336 12.7 +3.9
Labour Geoffrey Pearce 275 10.4 +2.4
Green Jen Feneley 245 9.3 +1.8
Turnout 2,638 40.6 –5.0
Registered electors 6,498
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats hold

Queens Park

[edit]
Queens Park (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Nesreen Akhtar* 1,604 50.4 +1.6
Labour Mohammed Masud* 1,484 46.6 +4.8
Labour Mohammed Din 1,433 45.0 N/A
Independent Mohammad Rafi 1,349 42.4 N/A
Independent Zaffar Iqbal 1,042 32.7 N/A
Independent Gulam Monowar 803 25.2 N/A
Independent Ishtiaq Ahmed 248 7.8 N/A
Liberal Democrats Sydney Campbell 193 6.1 +2.6
Conservative Jennifer Wootton 182 5.7 –7.0
Conservative Peter Davis 163 5.1 –1.3
Green Kelvin Plomer 146 4.6 –3.9
Conservative Verity Wootton 146 4.6 –3.9
Liberal Democrats James Baggaley 133 4.2 +1.1
Liberal Democrats Rashid Rogers 73 2.3 N/A
Turnout 3,184 48.8 –1.0
Registered electors 6,524
Labour hold
Labour hold
Labour win (new seat)

Renhold and Ravensden

[edit]
Renhold and Ravensden
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Nicola Gribble 564 49.6
Conservative Fiona Cardinale 397 34.9
Labour Melanie Purves 98 8.6
Liberal Democrats Conrad Longmore 78 6.9
Majority 167 14.7
Turnout 1,137 37.0
Registered electors 3,081
Independent win (new seat)

Riseley

[edit]
Riseley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Martin Towler* 865 62.1 +1.6
Labour Min Rodruguez 265 19.0 –6.9
Green Joanne Hill 142 10.2 N/A
Liberal Democrats Lorna Marchant 121 8.7 –4.9
Majority 600 43.1
Turnout 1,393 44.0 +6.1
Registered electors 3,212
Conservative hold Swing Increase4.3

Riverfield

[edit]
Riverfield
Party Candidate Votes %
Liberal Democrats Billy Thompson 524 55.4
Conservative John Robertson 223 23.6
Labour Neil Mann 143 15.1
Green Daniel Stachowiak 56 5.9
Majority 300 31.8
Turnout 946 32.3
Registered electors 2,943
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Sharnbrook

[edit]
Sharnbrook
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Doug McMurdo* 946 67.0 +2.9
Conservative Douglas Hansen-Luke 252 17.9 –7.8
Labour Thomas McEwan 123 8.7 +4.3
Liberal Democrats Paul Stekelis 90 6.4 +0.6
Majority 694 49.1
Turnout 1,411 44.6 –5.3
Registered electors 3,185
Independent hold Swing Increase5.4

Shortstown

[edit]
Shortstown (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes %
Liberal Democrats Leigh Coombs 652 41.7
Conservative Sarah-Jayne Gallagher* 605 38.7
Liberal Democrats Stephen Bowering 529 33.8
Conservative Sam Holland 419 26.8
Labour Ali Akbor 253 16.2
Labour Mansoor Nasir 204 13.1
Green Richard Baker 170 10.9
Turnout 1,563 30.9
Registered electors 5,059
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Wixams and Wilstead

[edit]
Wixams and Wilstead (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Graeme Coombes* 1,307 45.0
Conservative Marc Frost 1,129 38.9
Conservative Andrea Spice 969 33.4
Liberal Democrats Linda Jack 918 31.6
Liberal Democrats John Symonds 868 29.9
Liberal Democrats Sachdev Goldi 829 28.5
Labour Steve Conway 516 17.8
Labour Terri Conway 511 17.6
Labour Amir Khan 448 15.4
Independent Lee Melville 269 9.3
Turnout 2,905 31.4
Registered electors 9,252
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Wootton and Kempston Rural

[edit]
Wootton and Kempston Rural (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative John Wheeler* 885 43.7
Liberal Democrats Susan Abood 858 42.4
Liberal Democrats Peter Stephens 848 41.9
Conservative Tristan Tyerman 652 32.2
Labour John Dawson 296 14.6
Labour Hamayun Shaid 268 13.2
Turnout 2,025 30.6
Registered electors 6,616
Conservative win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Wyboston

[edit]
Wyboston
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Tom Wootton* 878 76.0 +4.5
Liberal Democrats Thomas Townsend 156 13.5 –15.0
Labour Ian Nicholls 121 10.5 N/A
Majority 722 62.5
Turnout 1,155 40.6 –1.5
Registered electors 2,875
Conservative hold Swing Increase9.8

Note: since Wootton had been elected Mayor of Bedford the result was a vacant seat. [9]

Changes 2023–2027

[edit]
Wyboston by-election: 29 June 2023
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Julie Cox 610 63.1 –12.9
Liberal Democrats Thomas Townsend 323 33.4 +19.9
Labour Ian Nicholls 34 3.5 –7.0
Majority 287 29.7
Turnout 967 33.8 −6.8
Registered electors 2,860
Conservative hold Swing -16.4

In November 2023, Mohammed Mahboob Din, elected as a Labour councillor, left the party to sit as an independent.[10]

Riverfield by-election: 2 May 2024[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Hilde Hendrickx 579 57.3 +1.9
Conservative Natalie Christian-John 249 24.7 +1.1
Labour Warwick Mackie 130 12.9 −2.2
Green Emma Smart 52 5.1 −0.8
Majority 330 32.6
Turnout 1,010 34.3 +2.0
Registered electors 2,953
Liberal Democrats hold Swing +0.4

The Riverfield by-election was triggered by the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Billy Thompson.[12]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Dave Hodgson elected mayor, Christine McHugh group leader
  1. ^ "Notice of Election". Bedford Borough Council. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  2. ^ "The Bedford (Electoral Changes) Order 2022", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2022/268, retrieved 29 April 2023
  3. ^ Holmes, Amy (13 April 2023). "East-West Rail: Bedford's mayoral candidates split on rail project". BBC News. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  4. ^ "Local elections 2023: Conservatives take Bedford mayor from Lib Dems". BBC News. 6 May 2023. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  5. ^ "Election results - 4 May 2023". Bedford Borough Council. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  6. ^ "LIVE: Bedford Borough mayoral and council elections results 2023". Bedford Independent. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  7. ^ "Bedford Elections: Who has been elected to Bedford Borough Council and who is the mayor?". Bedford Times and Citizen. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  8. ^ "Election notices". Bedford Borough Council. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  9. ^ "Election results - 4 May 2023". Bedford Borough Council. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
  10. ^ Hutchinson, Paul (3 November 2023). "Bedford Borough Councillor resigns from party over Gaza conflict". Bedford Independent. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  11. ^ "Riverfield Ward by-election Thursday 2 May 2024". Bedford Borough Council. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  12. ^ Guinn, John (26 March 2024). "Lib Dem councillor resigns following move from the area". Bedford Independent. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
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