The 2023 Surrey Heath Borough Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect 32 of 35 members of Surrey Heath Borough Council in England. It was held on the same day as other local elections. The Liberal Democrats took control of the council from a minority Conservative administration.
Overview Prior to the election the council was under no overall control, being led by a Conservative minority administration. The election in the Frimley Green ward was postponed until 15 June 2023 following the death of one of the original candidates.NOTICE OF CANCELLED ELECTION, Surrey Heath Borough council returning officer. Of the seats where elections were held on 5 May, the Liberal Democrats won 21 seats, enough to give them an overall majority on the council for the first time in its history.
The Liberal Democrat group leader before the election, Sashi Mylvaganam, was a candidate in Frimley Green ward and so had to wait until 15 June to see if he would be re-elected. As such, the party chose David Whitcroft instead to be the new leader of the council, being appointed at the subsequent annual meeting of the council on 17 May 2023. The Liberal Democrats won all three seats in the postponed Frimley Green election, with Sashi Mylvaganam returning to the council. The party then reconsidered its leadership, but chose to appoint neither Whitcroft nor Mylvaganam as its leader, appointing instead Shaun Macdonald. He was subsequently confirmed as the new leader of the council on 28 June 2023.
Results summary
Ward results The results for each ward were:
Bagshot
Bisley and West End
Frimley
Frimley Green Following the death of a candidate in Frimley Green ward (three members) the election was countermanded. A poll took place on the 15th June 2023, with Attieh Fard replacing the late Karen Campion.
Heatherside
Lightwater
Mytchett and Deepcut
Old Dean
Parkside
St Michael's
St Paul's
Town
Watchetts
Windlesham and Chobham
Changes 2023–2027
9 September 2024: Sashi Mylvaganam left the Liberal Democrats to join the Conservative group, citing frustration with the Liberal Democrat leadership.
By-elections
Old Dean
The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Conservative councillor Lewis Mears on 17 September 2024, after he was offered a job opportunity abroad.
References