The 2023 Horsham District Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Horsham District Council in West Sussex, England. It was held on the same day as other local elections in England.
The Liberal Democrats gained control of the council from the Conservatives with an 8-seat majority. It was the first time since the 1995 election that the Liberal Democrats had taken control of the council. It was also the worst performance in terms of seats for the Conservative Party in any previous election to the council. The Conservative leader of the council prior to the election, Claire Vickers, lost her seat. Liberal Democrat group leader Martin Boffey was formally appointed the new leader of the council at the subsequent annual council meeting on 24 May 2023.
Council Composition
Prior to the election, the composition of the council was: + ↓ 29 13 3 3 Con LDem Grn Ind
After the election, the composition of the council was: + ↓ 28 11 8 1 LDem Con Grn Ind
Results summary
Ward results
Billingshurst
Nigel Jupp is also an elected councillor at West Sussex County Council representing Southwater & Nuthurst.
Bramber, Upper Beeding & Woodmancote
This was the only seat at the elections where the Green Party did not stand a full quota of candidates.
Broadbridge Heath
Colgate & Rusper
Liz Kitchen was Leader of the council from 2001 to 2009.
Cowfold, Shermanbury & West Grinstead
Denne
John Milne represented Roffey North ward from 2019 to 2023. He is also an elected councillor at West Sussex County Council representing Horsham Riverside.
Forest
Henfield
Holbrook East
Simon Torn represented Roffey South ward from 2011 to 2019.
Holbrook West
Christian Mitchell is also an elected councillor at West Sussex County Council representing Broadbridge.
Itchingfield, Slinfold & Warnham
Robert Nye sat on Horsham District Council in various wards from 1999 to 2011. He was leader of the council from 2009 to 2011.
Nuthurst & Lower Beeding
Pulborough, Coldwaltham & Amberley
Paul Clarke was Leader of the council for 207 days in 2021 before resigning.
Roffey North
Belinda Walters represented Denne ward from 2019 to 2023. Jonathan Dancer represented Roffey North ward from 2015 to 2019.
Roffey South
Alan Britten represented Roffey South as a Liberal Democrat from 2019 to 2023. He previously sat as a Conservative from 2015 to 2019 before defecting to the Liberal Democrats ahead of the 2019 election. He rejoined the Conservatives in 2023. Katie Nagel is also an elected councillor at West Sussex County Council representing St Leonard's Forest.
Rudgwick
Southwater North
Claire Vickers was the Leader of the council until losing her seat. John Chidlow represented Southwater from 2011 to 2019.
Southwater South & Shipley
Ian Stannard was the vice-chair of the council until losing his seat.
Steyning & Ashurst
Storrington & Washington
Gary Markwell is also an elected councillor at West Sussex County Council representing Arundel & Courtwick. He also, simultaneously stood for election in Arun District Council where he was also defeated by The Green Party.
Trafalgar
Martin Boffey was, heading into the election Leader of the Opposition.
West Chiltington, Thakeham & Ashington
Philip Circus was Deputy Leader of the council. Joy Dennis is also an elected councillor at West Sussex County Council representing Hurstpierpoint & Bolney.
Changes 2023-2027
The council has held five by-elections during this term (see By-elections below). In addition, two councillors changed party affiliation without a seat being contested: 3 August 2025: Alan Manton (West Chiltington, Thakeham & Ashington) left the Conservatives to sit as an independent, saying "recent events have made it clear to me that our paths have diverged" and that he now had "more flexibility to advocate without Party Whip and constraints." 23 September 2025: Tony Hogben (Colgate & Rusper) left the Conservatives to sit as an independent. 15 January 2026: Hogben joined Reform UK, becoming the party's first councillor on Horsham District Council, saying "after spending 10 years serving Horsham DC for the Conservative Party, it is clear to me that they are no longer a credible force." 30 June 2026: Manton rejoined the Conservatives.
By-elections
Henfield
The by-election was held following the death of independent councillor Malcolm Eastwood in December 2023.
Southwater North
The by-election was held after Liberal Democrat councillor Mike Wood resigned due to a change in his professional circumstances.
Denne
The by-election was held after Liberal Democrat councillor John Milne resigned from the council, saying the demands of the parliamentary schedule would make attendance at formal council meetings too difficult to maintain, following his election as MP for Horsham at the 2024 general election. Milne also held a West Sussex County Council seat for Horsham Riverside, which he resigned for the same reason ahead of the county's May 2025 election.
Colgate & Rusper
The by-election was held following the death of Conservative councillor Liz Kitchen on 10 February 2025. Kitchen had represented Colgate and Rusper since 1987 and had served as council leader from 2001 to 2009.
Itchingfield, Slinfold & Warnham
The by-election was held following the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Kasia Greenwood.
References