The 2023 Staffordshire Moorlands District Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect all 56 members of Staffordshire Moorlands District Council in Staffordshire, England. This was on the same day as other local elections across England.

The Conservatives lost their majority at this election, with the council going under no overall control and Labour overtaking the Conservatives to become the largest party.

Summary At the previous 2019 election the Conservatives had lost control of the council to no overall control and subsequently formed an administration with some of the independent councillors. Following a number of by-elections and changes of allegiance the Conservatives regained a majority of the seats on the council during May 2022.

Following the results, the Conservatives lost the council to no overall control. Labour was the largest party after the election and was able to form a minority administration with the informal support of independent councillors. Labour's group leader, Mike Gledhill, was appointed leader of the council at the subsequent annual council meeting on 17 May 2023.

Results

Ward results The results for each ward were as follows, with an asterisk (*) indicating an incumbent councillor standing for re-election. Alton

Bagnall and Stanley

Sybil Ralphs had been a Conservative prior to the election but stood as an independent in 2023. Seat shown as Conservative hold to allow comparison with 2019 results.

Biddulph East

Biddulph Moor

Biddulph North

Biddulph South

Biddulph West

Brown Edge and Endon

Caverswall

Cellarhead

Cheadle North East

Phil Routledge had been elected as an independent in 2019 but joined the Conservatives in May 2022. Stephen Ellis had won the seat in a by-election in May 2021 following the death of the previous independent councillor. Both seats shown as independent losses to allow comparison with 2019 results.

Cheadle South East

Both seats had been won by independents in 2019, but Peter Jackson won his seat in a by-election in May 2021 and Zenobia Routledge won her seat in a by-election in May 2022. Both seats shown as independent losses to allow comparison with 2019 results.

Cheadle West

Checkley

Cheddleton

Michael Bowen had been elected as a Conservative in 2019 but left the party in May 2022 to sit as an independent. Seat shown as independent loss to allow comparison with 2019 results.

Churnet

Dane

Forsbrook

Hamps Valley

Horton

Ipstones

Leek East

Brian Johnson had been elected as an independent in 2019 but joined the Conservatives in May 2022. Seat shown as independent loss to allow comparison with 2019 results.

Leek North

Leek South

Leek West

Manifold

Werrington

Changes 2023–2027 May 2024: Connor Brady (Biddulph East) left the Labour Party in May 2024; on 18 November 2025 it was reported that he had joined the Green Party.

References