The 2023 Maldon District Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Maldon District Council in Essex, England. This was on the same day as other local elections.
Summary The result at the 2019 election was 17 Conservative and 14 Independent councillors. Following resignations and splits amongst both the Conservatives and the Independent Group, and two by-elections, the political make up at January 2022 was 10 Conservative, 3 non-aligned Conservatives, 11 Independent Group, 6 non-aligned Independents, and one vacant seat. Penny Channer, a Conservative, was appointed leader of the council at a meeting on 18 January 2022, effectively leading a Conservative minority administration. She chose not to stand for re-election.
Prior to the 2023 election the council was under no overall control. The Conservatives ran the council, with the Maldon District Independent Group in opposition. The Liberal Democrats elected a first councillor in a by-election in 2022, and stood a record number of candidates in these elections.
After the election the council remained under no overall control. After some weeks of post-election discussions between the councillors, Richard Siddall, leader of the Maldon District Independent Group, was appointed leader of the council on 8 June 2023.
Election result The overall results were:
Ward results
The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by Maldon District Council following the close of nominations on 5 April 2023.
Seat gains/losses are compared to the 2019 election and do not take into account by-elections or defections. The results for each ward were:
Althorne
Burnham-on-Crouch North
Burnham-on-Crouch South
Great Totham
Heybridge East
Heybridge West
Maldon East
Maldon North
Maldon South
Maldon West
Mayland
Purleigh
Southminster
Tillingham
Tollesbury
Tolleshunt D'Arcy
Wickham Bishops and Woodham
Post-election
Affiliation changes Sue White, elected as a Conservative, left the party in June 2023 to sit as an independent, before returning to the Conservative group later in 2023. Jeanette Stilts, elected for the Maldon District Independent Group, subsequently sat instead in the 'District Support Group' of independent councillors. Vanessa Bell, elected as an independent for Burnham-on-Crouch South, joined the Party of Women in July 2024. Matthew Neall (Tillingham) and Adrian Fluker (Southminster), both previously members of the Residents Alliance group, joined Reform UK in February 2026. Kevin Jennings, elected as a Liberal Democrat for Maldon North, subsequently sat with the Maldon District Independent Group.
By-elections
Maldon North
The Maldon North by-election was triggered by the resignation of Conservative councillor Nigel Miller.
Maldon West
By-election triggered by death of Maldon District Independent Group councillor Flo Shaughnessy.
References