The 2023 Braintree District Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Braintree District Council in Essex, England. This was on the same day as other local elections in England.
The Conservatives retained control of the council, but with a reduced majority.
Summary Prior to the election the Conservatives had a majority of 17 seats on the council. They had held a majority since 2007. There were four registered political parties represented on the council plus three independent councillors. The three independents formed a political group with the Greens called the "Green and Independent Group", led by Green councillor James Abbott.
After the election, the Conservatives retained their majority but it was reduced to just 3 seats. Conservative group leader Graham Butland continued to serve as leader of the council, a position he had held continuously since 2004. The Greens and independents continued to form a group after the election, but renamed the "Independent and Green Group" and with the group leadership passing to independent councillor Joanne Beavis. The Labour group also changed their leader after the election; their previous leader David Mann had not stood for re-election so Lynn Jefferis was appointed to that role.
Election result
2023 Braintree District Council electionPartyCandidatesSeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/− Conservative4926311 853.139.826,211–5.7Green and Independent group (G&I) Green22402 28.215.510,187–2.3 Independent8740 414.310.16,663+6.5G&I total301142 222.425.616,850+4.2 Labour49971 718.426.817,677+5.7 Residents4301 16.13.52,330 –0.8 Liberal Democrat100000.03.52,298–0.5 Reform40000.00.5321N/A UKIP10000.00.168–1.1 Independent10000.00.164–2.2 Heritage10000.00.151N/ATotal14949Turnout
Ward results
The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by Braintree District Council following the close of nomination on 5 April 2023. The results of the district council election were released on 5 May 2023.
Incumbent councillors are marked with an asterisk *.
Bocking Blackwater
Bocking North
Bocking South
Braintree Central and Beckers Green
Braintree South
Martin Green previously gained the seat in the 2022 by-election.
Braintree West
Bumpstead
Coggeshall
Gosfield and Greenstead Green
Great Notley and Black Notley
Halstead St. Andrews
Halstead Trinity
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Hatfield Peverel and Terling
Hedingham
Kelvedon and Feering
Rayne
Silver End and Cressing
Stour Valley North
Stour Valley South
The Colnes
Three Fields
Witham Central
Witham North
Witham South
Witham West
Yeldham
Changes 2023–2027
On 27 February 2025, Conservative councillor Ron Ramage (Witham West) left the party to sit as an Independent. By January 2026, Independent councillor Tom Walsh (Coggeshall) had joined the Green Party. In January 2026, Green Party councillor Tom Walsh resigned his Coggeshall seat, triggering a by-election. Ramage had rejoined the Conservative Party by 14 September 2026, apparently around late August or early September 2026; no evidence has been found that he sat for Reform UK in the interim. By September 2026, Halstead Residents' Association councillor James Bond (Halstead St. Andrews) had left the party to sit as an Independent. In September 2026, four councillors elected in 2023 as Independents — Joanne Beavis and Wendy Taylor (both Hedingham), Dennis Abram (Coggeshall) and Ann Hooks (Rayne) — collectively joined the Conservative Party.
By-elections
Coggeshall The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Green Party councillor Tom Walsh, who had been elected in 2023 as an Independent.
References