The 2023 Harlow District Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Harlow District Council in Essex, England.[1] This was on the same day as other local elections across England. One third of the council was up for election.
The Conservatives retained their majority on the council.[2] Immediately after the election the Conservative leader of the council, Russell Perrin, announced his resignation as leader.[3] At the subsequent annual council meeting on 25 May 2023 the new Conservative leader, 22-year-old Dan Swords, was appointed leader of the council.[4]
Summary
Election result
2023 Harlow District Council election |
Party | This election | Full council | This election |
Seats | Net | Seats % | Other | Total | Total % | Votes | Votes % | +/− |
| Conservative | 5 | 1 | 45.5 | 16 | 21 | 63.6 | 6,675 | 41.5 | –6.6 |
| Labour | 6 | 1 | 54.5 | 6 | 12 | 36.4 | 7,041 | 43.8 | +3.7 |
| Green | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1,524 | 9.5 | +0.5 |
| Harlow Alliance | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 455 | 2.8 | +0.5 |
| Liberal Democrats | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 235 | 1.5 | +1.3 |
| Reform UK | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 111 | 0.7 | N/A |
| TUSC | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 42 | 0.3 | +0.1 |
Ward results
The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by Harlow District Council following the close of nomination on 5 April 2023.[5] The results were:[6]
Bush Fair
Bush Fair[7] Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour Co-op | Jodi Dunne* | 687 | 50.9 | +6.7 |
| Conservative | Emma Ghaffari | 450 | 33.3 | –11.3 |
| Green | Jennifer Steadman | 142 | 10.5 | +2.9 |
| Liberal Democrats | Christopher Millington | 63 | 4.7 | +1.6 |
Majority | 237 | 17.6 | N/A |
Turnout | 1,350 | 24.7 | –2.9 |
Registered electors | 5,469 | | |
| Labour Co-op hold | Swing | 9.0 | |
Church Langley
Church Langley[8] Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Andrew Johnson* | 1,000 | 64.1 | –5.3 |
| Labour | Michael Danvers | 402 | 25.8 | +4.9 |
| Green | Bengeman White | 154 | 9.9 | +0.4 |
Majority | 598 | 38.3 | –10.4 |
Turnout | 1,561 | 24.5 | –3.2 |
Registered electors | 6,378 | | |
| Conservative hold | Swing | 5.1 | |
Great Parndon
Great Parndon[7] Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | David Carter* | 749 | 51.9 | –0.2 |
| Labour | John Strachan | 441 | 30.6 | +0.8 |
| Harlow Alliance | Nicholas Taylor | 173 | 12.0 | –5.9 |
| Green | Paul King | 77 | 5.3 | N/A |
Majority | 308 | 21.4 | –1.0 |
Turnout | 1,442 | 29.8 | –4.3 |
Registered electors | 4,837 | | |
| Conservative hold | Swing | 0.5 | |
Harlow Common
Harlow Common[7] Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Mark Wilkinson* | 707 | 46.9 | +2.1 |
| Conservative | Danielle Brown | 645 | 42.8 | –5.1 |
| Green | Nathan Ederton | 149 | 9.9 | +2.9 |
Majority | 62 | 4.1 | N/A |
Turnout | 1,507 | 27.8 | –3.0 |
Registered electors | 5,429 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | 3.6 | |
Little Parndon and Hare Street
Little Parndon and Hare Street[7] Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Margaret Hulcoop | 988 | 65.2 | +14.3 |
| Conservative | Jayne Saunders | 450 | 29.7 | –8.3 |
| Green | Klara Bow | 66 | 4.4 | –5.9 |
Majority | 538 | 35.5 | +22.3 |
Turnout | 1,516 | 23.6 | –4.2 |
Registered electors | 6,415 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | 11.3 | |
Mark Hall
Mark Hall[9] Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Aiden O'Dell | 626 | 47.4 | +4.3 |
| Conservative | Geoffrey Longster | 320 | 24.2 | –16.5 |
| Green | Jamie Gilbert | 176 | 13.3 | –2.5 |
| Reform UK | Mark Gough | 111 | 8.4 | N/A |
| Liberal Democrats | Lesley Rideout | 82 | 6.2 | N/A |
Majority | 306 | 23.2 | +20.7 |
Turnout | 1,320 | 24.8 | –4.6 |
Registered electors | 5,332 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | 10.4 | |
Netteswell
Netteswell[8] Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Nancy Watson* | 705 | 52.0 | +2.3 |
| Conservative | Elena Hardware | 452 | 33.3 | –6.0 |
| Green | Kim O'Connor | 103 | 7.6 | –3.0 |
| Liberal Democrats | Robert Thurston | 90 | 6.7 | N/A |
Majority | 253 | 18.6 | +8.2 |
Turnout | 1,357 | 22.8 | –4.9 |
Registered electors | 5,944 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | 4.2 | |
Old Harlow
Old Harlow[8] Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Sue Livings* | 1,073 | 48.7 | –3.8 |
| Labour | Stefan Mullard | 747 | 33.9 | +5.1 |
| Green | Yasmin Gregory | 325 | 14.7 | –1.1 |
| TUSC | Paul Lenihan | 42 | 1.9 | ±0.0 |
Majority | 326 | 14.8 | –8.7 |
Turnout | 2,204 | 25.5 | –3.8 |
Registered electors | 8,652 | | |
| Conservative hold | Swing | 4.5 | |
Staple Tye
Staple Tye[9] Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | John Steer | 504 | 42.7 | –9.6 |
| Labour Co-op | Jake Shepherd | 476 | 40.4 | +1.4 |
| Harlow Alliance | Karen James | 105 | 8.9 | N/A |
| Green | Gareth Williams | 90 | 7.6 | –0.7 |
Majority | 28 | 2.4 | –11.0 |
Turnout | 1,179 | 23.1 | –3.6 |
Registered electors | 5,096 | | |
| Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | 5.5 | |
Sumners & Kingsmoor
Sumners & Kingsmoor[9] Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Conservative | Clive Souter* | 574 | 43.5 | –8.1 |
| Labour | Anita Schultschik | 481 | 36.4 | +4.4 |
| Harlow Alliance | Alan Leverett | 177 | 13.4 | +2.3 |
| Green | David Margetts | 86 | 6.5 | +1.4 |
Majority | 93 | 7.0 | –12.6 |
Turnout | 1,321 | 26.2 | –3.0 |
Registered electors | 5,049 | | |
| Conservative hold | Swing | 6.3 | |
Toddbrook
Toddbrook[9] Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Daniella Pritchard | 781 | 56.0 | +7.9 |
| Conservative | Brian Kasule | 458 | 32.8 | –6.9 |
| Green | Julie Taylor | 156 | 11.2 | –1.0 |
Majority | 323 | 23.0 | N/A |
Turnout | 1,402 | 25.2 | –3.9 |
Registered electors | 5,557 | | |
| Labour hold | Swing | 7.4 | |
Reactions
The Conservative leader of the council, Russell Perrin, said the election was a "brilliant result" for the party.[10] Robert Halfon, the Conservative MP for Harlow, thanked voters and noted that the gain from Labour in Staple Tye resulted in the ward having all Conservative councillors for the first time.[11]
The leader of the Labour group on the council, Chris Vince, called the election a "good result for Harlow Labour", pointing to the party winning the popular vote and the majority of seats up for election.[12]
References
- ^ "Notice of Election" (PDF). Harlow District Council. 24 March 2023. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
- ^ "Local elections 2023: Conservatives lose control of Brentwood council". BBC News. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
- ^ "Leader of Harlow Council resigns over work life balance". BBC News. 12 May 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
- ^ Meyler, Piers (26 May 2023). "Harlow councillor, 22, becomes one of youngest council leaders in the country". Essex Live. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
- ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated" (PDF). Harlow District Council. 5 April 2023. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
- ^ "Local council election results". Harlow Council. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
- ^ a b c d @HarlowCouncil (May 4, 2023). "Full result sheets for the Bush Fair, Great Parndon, Harlow Common and Little Parndon & Hare Street wards" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ a b c @HarlowCouncil (May 4, 2023). "Full result sheets for Church Langley, Netteswell and Old Harlow wards" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ a b c d @HarlowCouncil (May 4, 2023). "Full result sheets for the Mark Hall, Staple Tye, Sumners & Kingsmoor and Toddbrook wards" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "Harlow Council leader responds to election night result". Your Harlow. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
- ^ "Harlow MP pleased as Tories retain council". Your Harlow. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
- ^ "Harlow Labour leader in positive mood following local election results". Your Harlow. Retrieved 5 May 2023.