The 2023 Colchester City Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Colchester City Council in Essex, England. This was on the same day as other local elections across England. There were 17 of the 51 seats on the council up for election, being the usual third of the council, with one seat available for each ward. This set of seats was last contested at the 2019 election.
Prior to the election the council was under no overall control, being run by a Liberal Democrat, Labour and Green coalition. No seats changed party at the election, but after the election the coalition broke down and a minority Liberal Democrat administration formed instead.
Overview Following the last election in 2022 a Liberal Democrat, Labour and Green coalition had formed to replace the previous Conservative and independent coalition. David King (Mile End), a Liberal Democrat, was subsequently elected leader of the council, replacing Paul Dundas (Stanway) of the Conservatives, who had lost his seat. A new Cabinet was formed consisting of four Liberal Democrats, three Labour, and one Green Party member.
No seats changed party at the 2023 election and so the council remained under no overall control. However, immediately after the election the coalition broke up when the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party directed that the Labour group could only stay in the coalition if a Labour leader of the council was appointed, which the other parties did not agree to. At the subsequent annual council meeting on 24 May 2023 a Liberal Democrat minority administration formed instead, still led by David King. The Labour and Green groups voted in support of the minority administration forming.
Although there were no changes in seats, the Conservatives and Labour both lost vote share compared to 2022, with the Liberal Democrats - who came only 100 votes behind the Conservatives in the overall popular vote - and Green Party both making modest advances.
In the marginal wards of Shrub End and Highwoods, the Liberal Democrats held off strong challenges from Labour, whilst the Conservatives held the formerly safe seat of Prettygate over the Liberal Democrat challenger by less than 1%.
Former Conservative leader Paul Dundas, who had lost his seat in 2022, was re-elected to the council and was reappointed as Conservative group leader in place of Darius Laws. The Labour group also changed its leader after the election, with Julie Young replacing Chris Pearson.
Summary
Election result
Incumbents
Ward Incumbent councillorParty Re-standing Berechurch Chris Pearson Labour Yes Castle Mark Goacher Green Yes Greenstead Tim Young Labour Yes Highwoods Alison JayElected at the 2022 Highwoods by-election. Liberal Democrats Yes Lexden & Braiswick Lewis Barber Conservative Yes Marks Tey & Layer Andrew Ellis Conservative Yes Mersea & Pyefleet Patricia Moore Conservative No Mile End Phil Coleman Liberal Democrats No New Town & Christ Church Sam McLeanElected to fill the additional vacancy at the 2022 election. Labour Co-op Yes Old Heath & The Hythe Adam Fox Labour Co-op No Prettygate Leigh TateElected at the 2021 Prettygate by-election. Conservative Yes Rural North Nigel Chapman Conservative No Shrub End Sam McCarthy Liberal Democrats Yes St. Anne's & St. John's Helen Chuah Liberal Democrats No Stanway Lesley Scott-Boutell Liberal Democrats Yes Tiptree Barbara Wood Conservative No Wivenhoe Mark Cory Liberal Democrats Yes
Ward results
The Statement of Persons Nominated listed the candidates standing in each ward. It was released on 5 April 2023.
Incumbent councillors are marked with an asterisk *
Berechurch
Castle
Greenstead
Highwoods
Lexden & Braiswick
Marks Tey & Layer
Mersea & Pyefleet
Mile End
New Town & Christ Church
Old Heath & The Hythe
Prettygate
Rural North
Shrub End
St. Anne's & St. John's
Stanway
Tiptree
Wivenhoe
Post-election changes
At the annual council meeting on 24 May 2023, the Liberal Democrat–Labour–Green coalition ended and a Liberal Democrat minority administration was formed, with Labour and the Greens supporting its formation. The September 2023 Highwoods by-election was won by the Liberal Democrats, a gain from Labour, changing the composition to 16 Liberal Democrat, 14 Labour, 19 Conservative and 2 Green councillors. In March 2024, Labour councillor Molly Bloomfield (Greenstead) resigned. The vacancy was filled alongside the ordinary election on 2 May 2024.
By-elections
Highwoods
References
Notes