The 2023 Medway Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Medway Council in Kent, England. This election was held on the same day as other local elections. The Labour Party won control of the council for the first time since its creation in 1998 under the Labour Co-op banner, winning 11 seats while the incumbent Conservative Party lost 13 seats. This was the first time a council in Britain elected a full Labour Co-op slate and therefore the first council run by the Co-operative Party as well as Labour.
After the previous election, there were boundary changes that increased the number of councillors from 55 to 59 and the number of wards from 22 to 24. This was the first Medway Council election fought under these new boundaries.
Summary Prior to the election the council was under Conservative majority control, led by Alan Jarrett. He chose not to stand for re-election.
The election saw Labour take a majority of the seats on the council for the first time since its creation in 1998 under the Labour Co-op banner. The Labour Co-op group leader, Vince Maple, was formally appointed as leader of the council at the subsequent annual council meeting on 24 May 2023. This was the first time a council in Britain elected a full Labour Co-op slate and therefore the first council run by the Co-operative Party as well as Labour, though some unelected Labour candidates did not run with the Co-operative Party.
Election result
Ward results
The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by Medway Council following the close of nominations on 5 April 2023. The results of the election in each ward were as follows:
All Saints
Chatham Central and Brompton
Cuxton, Halling and Riverside
Fort Horsted
Fort Pitt
Gillingham North
Gillingham South
Hempstead and Wigmore
Hoo St Werburgh and High Halstow
Lordswood and Walderslade
Luton
Princes Park
Rainham North
Rainham South East
Rainham South West
Rochester East and Warren Wood
Rochester West and Borstal
St Mary's Island
Strood North and Frindsbury
Strood Rural
Strood West
Twydall
Watling
Wayfield and Weeds Wood
Changes 2023–2027
Elizabeth Turpin (Strood Rural), elected as a Conservative, and John Williams (Strood Rural), formerly of the Conservative group, joined the Independent Group in 2024. Stephen Hubbard (Strood North and Frindsbury) and Satinder Shokar (Strood West), both elected as Labour councillors, re-joined the Labour and Co-operative Group by April 2025. Robbie Lammas (Princes Park), elected as a Conservative, joined Reform UK in October 2025 and was listed by the council as an independent member by September 2026. Andrew Lawrence (Hempstead and Wigmore), elected as a Conservative, was listed by the council as an independent member by September 2026 and announced that he was launching a new political party.
By-elections Rochester East and Warren Wood By-elections for two seats were held on 6 February 2025 after Labour councillors Lauren Edwards and Tristan Osborne resigned on being elected as MPs. Reform UK gained both seats.
Gillingham South A by-election was held on 6 February 2025 after Labour councillor Naushabah Khan resigned on being elected as an MP. Labour held the seat.
Cuxton, Halling and Riverside A by-election was held on 23 July 2026 after the death of Conservative councillor Phil Filmer. Reform UK gained the seat from the Conservatives.
References