The 2023 East Hertfordshire District Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of East Hertfordshire District Council in Hertfordshire, England. This was on the same day as other local elections.
The council had been under Conservative majority control since 1999. The incumbent leader of the council, Conservative councillor Linda Haysey, chose not to stand for re-election, having been leader since 2015.
The election left the council under no overall control. The Green Party overtook the Conservatives to become the largest party, winning 19 of the 50 seats on the council whereas the Conservatives only won 16 seats. The Green and Liberal Democrat groups on the council subsequently formed a joint administration; the Green group leader Ben Crystall became leader of the council, and the Liberal Democrat group leader Mione Goldspink became deputy leader of the council.
Summary Election result
Ward results The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by East Hertfordshire District Council following the close of nominations on 5 April 2023. The results for each ward were as follows:
Aston, Datchworth & Walkern https://www.eastherts.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/elections-2023/aston-datchworth-walkern-ward
Bishop's Stortford All Saints https://www.eastherts.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/elections-2023/bishops-stortford-all-saints-ward
Bishop's Stortford Central
Bishop's Stortford North https://www.eastherts.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/elections-2023/bishops-stortford-north-ward
Bishop's Stortford Parsonage https://www.eastherts.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/elections-2023/bishops-stortford-parsonage-ward
Bishop's Stortford South https://www.eastherts.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/elections-2023/bishops-stortford-south-ward
Bishop's Stortford Thorley Manor
Braughing & Standon
Buntingford https://www.eastherts.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/elections-2023/buntingford-ward
Great Amwell & Stansteads https://www.eastherts.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/elections-2023/great-amwell-stansteads-ward
Hertford Bengeo https://www.eastherts.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/elections-2023/hertford-bengeo-ward
Hertford Castle
Hertford Heath & Brickendon https://www.eastherts.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/elections-2023/hertford-heath-brickendon-ward
Hertford Kingsmead https://www.eastherts.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/elections-2023/hertford-kingsmead-ward
Hertford Rural https://www.eastherts.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/elections-2023/hertford-rural-ward
Hertford Sele https://www.eastherts.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/elections-2023/hertford-sele-ward
Hunsdon
Little Hadham & The Pelhams
Much Hadham
Sawbridgeworth
The Mundens
Ware Priory
Ware Rural https://www.eastherts.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/elections-2023/ware-rural-ward
Ware St Mary's https://www.eastherts.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/elections-2023/ware-st-marys-ward
Ware Trinity https://www.eastherts.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/elections-2023/ware-trinity-ward
Watton-at-Stone https://www.eastherts.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/elections-2023/watton-stone-ward
Changes 2023–2027 Martin Butcher, elected as a Green, left the East Herts Green group in October 2023 to sit as an independent. Chris Hart, elected as a Green, left the East Herts Green group in December 2023 to sit as an independent. Graham McAndrew, elected as a Conservative, joined Reform UK in March 2025. In May 2025, Reform UK gained Braughing & Standon from the Conservatives at a by-election. In May 2026, Jeff Jones retained Little Hadham & The Pelhams for the Conservatives at a by-election.
By-elections
Braughing & Standon
The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Conservative councillor Frankie Woolf.
Little Hadham & The Pelhams
The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Conservative councillor Geoffrey Williamson.
Hertford Kingsmead
References