The 2023 Wyre Forest District Council election took place on 4 May 2023, to elect all 33 members of Wyre Forest District Council in Worcestershire, England. This was on the same day as other local elections across England.
Prior to the election the council was under no overall control, being run by a "progressive alliance" of Independent Health Concern, Labour, Green and independent councillors. The Conservatives won a majority of the seats at this election. Wyre Forest was one of only two councils where the Conservatives gained control in the 2023 elections, with the party generally losing seats and councils elsewhere.
Summary Prior to the election the eight Independent Health Concern councillors, five independent councillors and the one Green councillor had sat together as one "Independent Group", led by independent councillor Helen Dyke. The Independent Group and Labour together formed the council's administration, calling themselves a progressive alliance, with Helen Dyke serving as leader of the council. Local party Independent Health Concern announced in 2022 that it would no longer be fielding candidates at elections; its sitting councillors who chose to stand for re-election in 2023 did so as independent candidates.
The Conservatives and Labour saw gains, whilst the Liberal Democrats and independents (when including the former Independent Health Concern councillors) suffered loses. The only Green councillor retained her seat. Whilst the Conservatives suffered loses throughout the country, in Wyre Forest the Conservatives won a majority of the seats. Torbay and Wyre Forest were the only two councils where the Conservatives gained a majority at this election.
Conservative leader Marcus Hart was appointed leader of the council at the subsequent annual council meeting on 17 May 2023.
Overall results The overall results were as follows:
Ward results The results for each ward were as follows, with an asterisk (*) indicating an incumbent councillor standing for re-election:
Aggborough and Spennells
Areley Kings and Riverside
John Thomas had been a Health Concern councillor prior to the election.
Bewdley and Rock
Anna Coleman and Roger Coleman had both been elected as Conservatives but left the party in 2020 and joined Health Concern. Seat change compared to 2019 result.
Blakebrook and Habberley South
Broadwaters
Peter Young was a Health Concern councillor prior to the election; seat shown as independent gain from Health Concern to allow comparison with 2019 results.
Foley Park and Hoobrook
Franche and Habberley North
Ben Brookes and David Ross had previously won their seats in by-elections in 2021 and 2022; their seats shown as Conservative gains from Health Concern to allow comparison with 2019 results.
Lickhill
Dixon Sheppard was a Health Concern councillor prior to the election.
Mitton
Nicky Martin had been a Health Concern councillor prior to the election; seat shown as independent gain from Health Concern.
Offmore and Comberton
Wribbenhall and Arley
Wyre Forest Rural
Changes 2023–2027 By April 2025: Fran Oborski and Shazu Miah (Offmore and Comberton) left the Liberal Democrats to join the Liberal Party. By April 2025: Leigh Whitehouse (Blakebrook and Habberley South) left the Labour Party to sit as an independent, joining the Independent and Green group. By June 2026: Paul Harrison (Wribbenhall and Arley) left the Conservatives to join Reform UK. By June 2026: Ben Brookes (Franche and Habberley North) left the Conservatives to sit as a non-aligned independent.
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