The 2023 Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council election took place on 4 May 2023, to elect all 76 members of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council in Dorset, England.
The council stayed with no overall control but the Liberal Democrats became the largest single party. As no one party controlled a majority of the council the Liberal Democrats, Christchurch Independents, Poole People Party and The Bournemouth Independent Group subsequently formed a coalition administration known as the "Three Towns Alliance."
Background Prior to the election the council was under no overall control, being led by a minority Conservative administration. Eight registered political parties were represented on the council, in addition to eight independent councillors who did not belong to a party. Some of the parties and independents formed political groups: The "Poole Independents" group comprised the Poole People Party, the Alliance for Local Living and one of the independent councillors. The "Bournemouth Independent and Green" group comprised the Green Party and two of the independent councillors. The other parties each formed their own groups, and the remaining five independent councillors were not aligned to any group.
Councillors standing down CouncillorWardFirst electedPartyDate announcedNorman DecentKinson2019Conservative10 May 2022Mike BrookeBroadstone1999Liberal Democrats3 November 2022Drew MellorTalbot and Branksome Woods2019Conservative13 February 2023Mike GreeneBournemouth Central2009Conservative25 February 2023Nicola GreeneWestbourne and West Cliff2007Conservative25 February 2023Ann StribleyParkstone1977Conservative30 March 2023Lewis AllisonBoscombe West2019Labour6 April 2023Peter HallChristchurch Town2015ConservativeDiana ButlerCreekmoor2019UKIPMark RobsonNewtown and Heatherlands2019Liberal DemocratsL-J EvansPoole Town2019Poole People PartySusan PhillipsWallisdown and Winton West2011ConservativeLisa LewisWest Southbourne2019Labour
Parties
On 5 April 2023, the full list of candidates was published:
Conservative Party 75 candidates Liberal Democrats 74 candidates Labour Party 55 candidates Green Party of England and Wales 38 candidates Poole Engage Party 16 candidates Christchurch Independents 10 candidates Poole People Party 8 candidates Animal Welfare Party 1 candidate Communist Party of Britain 1 candidate Heritage Party 1 candidate Reform UK 1 candidate
In addition, 33 Independent candidates, and 1 candidate without a description, sought election.
Results summary Following the results, the council remained in no overall control but the Liberal Democrats became the largest party with 13 gains. The Conservatives fell sharply from 34 to 12 seats. The Labour Party nearly quadrupled their seat total from 3 to 11. The Green Party went from 2 seats to 5.
UKIP and ALL both lost one seat, but are not shown in the table above as no candidates contested on behalf of those parties.
Ward results
Incumbent councillors are indicated with '‡'.
Alderney and Bourne Valley
Bearwood and Merley
Boscombe East and Pokesdown
Boscombe West
Bournemouth Central
Broadstone
Burton and Grange
Canford Cliffs
Canford Heath
Christchurch Town
Commons
Creekmoor
East Cliff and Springbourne
East Southbourne and Tuckton
Hamworthy
Highcliffe and Walkford
Kinson
Littledown and Iford
Moordown
Mudeford, Stanpit and West Highcliffe
Muscliff and Strouden Park
Newtown and Heatherlands
Oakdale
Parkstone
Penn Hill
Poole Town
Queen's Park
Redhill and Northbourne
Talbot and Branksome Woods
Wallisdown and Winton West
West Southbourne
Westbourne and West Cliff
Winton East
Changes 2023–2027
Michelle Dower (Kinson) and Gillian Martin (Boscombe West), both elected as Labour councillors, left the Labour group to sit as independents in summer 2025. Karen Rampton (Talbot and Branksome Woods), elected as a Conservative, left the Conservative group by May 2025. Cameron Adams and Duane Farr (both Kinson), elected as Conservatives, joined Reform UK on 7 October 2025, becoming the party's first councillors on the council. Rachel Pattinson-West (Alderney and Bourne Valley), elected as a Liberal Democrat, joined the Green Party in early 2026. Gillian Martin (Boscombe West) joined Reform UK, announced at the full council meeting on 24 March 2026.
By-elections East Cliff and Springbourne
Five days after the election, newly elected Labour councillor Martin Bedford for East Cliff and Springbourne resigned due to ill health.
Canford Cliffs A by-election was held on 2 May 2024 after Conservative councillor May Haines resigned.
Muscliff and Strouden Park A by-election was held on 24 October 2024 after the death of independent councillor Brian Castle.
Talbot and Branksome Woods A by-election was held on 11 September 2025 after Conservative councillor Philip Broadhead, the former council leader, stepped down as his family relocated abroad.
Penn Hill
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