The 2023 Vale of White Horse District Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Vale of White Horse District Council in Oxfordshire, England. This was on the same day as other local elections across England. The election saw the Liberal Democrats increase their majority on the council, as well as the defeat of all remaining Conservatives.

Summary

Election result All six Conservative councillors lost their seats, while the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party gained an additional three seats each. This was the first time since the creation of the council in 1974 that no Conservative councillors were elected.

Ward results

The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by Vale of White Horse District Council on 5 April 2023.

* = sitting councillor in this ward prior to election

Abingdon Abbey Northcourt

Abingdon Caldecott

Abingdon Dunmore

Abingdon Fitzharris

Abingdon Peachcroft

Blewbury & Harwell

Botley & Sunningwell

Cumnor

Drayton

Faringdon

Grove North

Hendreds

Kennington & Radley

Kingston Bagpuize

Marcham

Ridgeway

Stanford

Steventon & the Hanneys

Sutton Courtenay

Thames

Wantage & Grove Brook

Wantage Charlton

Watchfield & Shrivenham

Wootton

Changes 2023–2027 December 2023: Sally Povolotsky, elected as a Liberal Democrat for Steventon & the Hanneys, left the party to sit as an independent. May 2024: Debra Dewhurst, elected as a Liberal Democrat for Blewbury & Harwell, left the party to sit as an independent. In July 2024 she and Povolotsky formed the Independent Voice for Vale group. May 2026: Mike Pighills, elected as a Liberal Democrat for Abingdon Peachcroft, left the party to sit as an independent after disagreeing with the allocation of councillors to committees.

By-elections

Sutton Courtenay

The by-election followed the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Richard Webber, who at the same time stood down from Oxfordshire County Council for health reasons.

Botley & Sunningwell

Liberal Democrat councillor Debby Hallett, a member of the council since 2011, resigned, prompting this by-election.

Ridgeway

Liberal Democrat councillor Paul Barrow resigned for health reasons, following a cancer diagnosis in 2019, triggering this by-election.

Abingdon Abbey Northcourt

Green Party councillor Cheryl Briggs resigned from the council, causing this by-election.

Stanford

The resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Sue Caul led to this by-election.

References