2023 Breckland District Council election

The 2023 Breckland District Council election took place on the 4th May 2023 to elect members of Breckland District Council in England. This was be on the same day as other local elections. The boundaries for this election were the same as those used in 2015 and 2019.

2023 Breckland District Council election

4 May 2023

All 49 council seats
26 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
  Blank Blank Blank
Leader Sam Chapman-Allen[1] Terry Jermy[2] Roger Atterwill
Party Conservative Labour Independent
Leader's seat Forest Thetford Burrell Lincoln
Last election 37 6 4
Seats before 36 7 3
Seats won 30 12 5
Seat change -7 6 1

  Fourth party Fifth party
  Blank Blank
Party Green Liberal Democrats
Last election 2 0
Seats before 2 0
Seats won 1 1
Seat change -1 1

Map of the 2023 election results.

Leader before election

Sam Chapman-Allen
Conservative

Leader after election

Sam Chapman-Allen
Conservative

Previous to this election, the Conservative Party held the council in the 2019 election with a very large majority: it lost a small number of seats in that election, with the Green and Labour parties and some Independent candidates gaining seats.[3]

In 2023, the Conservative party again lost seats, though maintained a majority on the council with thirty of the 49 available seats. The Labour Party made the largest gains, with six additional seats from the district's largest towns of Thetford and Dereham. One additional independent was elected, the Green Party lost one of the two seats they had gained in 2019 back to the Conservatives, and the Liberal Democrats gained a seat for the first time in over twenty years.

Nominations

As in previous elections, the number of candidates selected by each party in 2023 varied considerably.[4][5] In the 2023 election cycle, considerably more non-Conservative candidates registered to stand than in other recent elections. The Conservative Party nominated 43 candidates, down from 47 at the previous election: the reduction was mostly in already opposition-held wards, for example not nominating candidates in the Labour-held wards of Thetford Burrell and Thetford Priory. Labour meanwhile nominated 39 candidates, its largest total in some years, and far more independent candidates were nominated, up to 21 from just 8 in 2019. The Liberal Democrats stood six candidates, up from just one in 2019. The Green party nominated one fewer, down to six, and UKIP stood just one candidate, down from two in 2019. Reform UK was the only new party to stand, nominating two candidates.

Conservative Party (43/49)





Labour Party (39/49)





Independent (21/49)





Green Party (6/49)





Liberal Democrats (6/49)





Reform UK (2/49)





UKIP (1/49)





Overall results

2023 Breckland District Council election
Party Candidates Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative 43 30 1 8 Decrease 7 61.2 44.6 24,550 -13.7
  Labour 39 12 6 0 Increase 6 24.4 27.9 15,346 +6.7
  Independent 21 5 1 0 Increase 1 10.2 16.3 8,984 +5.2
  Liberal Democrats 6 1 1 0 Increase 1 2.0 5.9 3,170 +4.8
  Green 6 1 0 1 Decrease 1 2.0 4.5 2,498 -2.6
  Reform UK 2 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 0.6 313 +0.6
  UKIP 1 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 0.3 153 –1.0

Note that gains/losses in the above table are taken compared to 2019: that is, excluding changes due to by-elections to allow for a more direct comparison from one election to the next. Changes in the individual ward results below, however, do take by-elections and individual ward histories into account.

Results by Ward

All Saints & Wayland

All Saints & Wayland
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sarah Elizabeth Suggitt 848 47.2 -17.0
Conservative Phil Cowen 790 43.9 -19.6
Liberal Democrats Ian Minto 626 34.8 N/A
Liberal Democrats Ulrike Corinna Behrendt 504 28.0 N/A
Labour Ed Szczepanowski 305 17.0 -8.1
Labour Sue Szczepanowski 301 16.7 -8.3
Majority
Turnout 1,812 33.05
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing

The Conservatives defended both seats: both of their candidates were incumbent councillors.

Ashill

Ashill
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Fabian Royston Eagle 549 69.6 +4.8
Green Anne Rix 137 17.4 -5.2
Labour Nicola Joanne Newell 103 13.1 +0.5
Majority
Turnout 806 35.98
Conservative hold Swing

The Conservatives defended this seat with the incumbent candidate.

Attleborough Burgh & Havercroft

Attleborough Burgh & Havercroft (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Taila Joan Taylor 613 53.1 +11.3
Independent Stephen Paul Fraser 431 37.3 N/A
Conservative Michelle Julie Barron 378 32.8 -5.9
Labour David Hodgkinson 278 24.1 +1.7
Labour Tom Stewart 244 21.1 +6.0
Majority
Turnout 1,158 21.33
Conservative hold Swing
Independent gain from Independent Swing

The Conservatives were defending both seats. Taila Taylor, incumbent, won the seat as an independent in 2019 before switching to the Conservative Party. The other incumbent Conservative, Keith Martin, did not re-stand. Taylor was involved in 2021 in a notable row with the Town Council over bullying allegations which the council accepted were false, leading to a large financial settlement.[6][7]

Attleborough Queens & Besthorpe

Attleborough Queens & Besthorpe (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sam Taylor 685 47.2 -6.9
Conservative Tristan John Ashby 685 47.2 +2.1
Conservative Oliver Rhodri 558 38.4 -5.6
Labour Marcia Solloway-Brown 484 33.3 +3.4
Labour Paul Smith 421 29.0 N/A
Labour Vic Peters 410 28.2 N/A
Independent Debbie Lane 409 28.2 N/A
Reform UK Kabeer Kher 142 9.8 N/A
Majority
Turnout 1,455 23.69
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing

The Conservatives defended all three seats: Rhodri and Ashby were incumbent councillors.

Bedingfield

Bedingfield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Sherwood 377 52.6 -21.7
Labour Doug Jefferson 194 27.1 +1.4
Independent Ruth Louise Hargreaves 146 20.4 N/A
Majority 728
Turnout 709 29.59
Conservative hold Swing

The Conservatives defended this seat. Ian Sherwood was an incumbent 2019 councillor, but for the seat of Swaffham.

The Buckenhams and Banham

The Buckenhams and Banham
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Stephen Askew 486 59.9 +5.0
Labour Barry Sumner 326 40.1 +27.4
Majority
Turnout 821 31.13
Conservative hold Swing

The Conservatives defended this seat with their incumbent councillor.

Dereham Neatherd

Dereham Neatherd (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alison Mary Webb 828 46.7 -6.0
Conservative Linda Helen Monument 744 42.0 -9.9
Conservative William Robert James Richmond 701 39.5 -7.9
Green Philip Neil Morton 688 38.8 -14.1
Independent Zoe Flint 569 32.1 N/A
Labour Issy Myhill 555 31.3 N/A
Labour Howard Hawkes 475 26.8 N/A
Majority
Turnout 1,785 30.02
Conservative gain from Green Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing

Green party councillor Philip Morton got the most votes here in 2019 but failed to defend the seat: Linda Monument and Alison Webb defended the other two seats for the Conservatives, with the third Conservative 2018 candidate, William Richmond, also re-standing and this time being successfully elected.

Dereham Toftwood

Dereham Toftwood (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Kendra Bryony Cogman 572 49.7 +12.7
Labour Sarah Simpson 555 48.3 +4.5
Conservative Stuart Richard Green 518 45.0 -5.4
Conservative Philip James Duigan 512 44.5 -7.3
Majority 1,163 25.62
Turnout
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

The Conservatives were the defending party in both seats: Duigan was an incumbent councillor.

Dereham Withburga

Dereham Withburga (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Harry Clarke 665 67.0 +22.1
Labour Ray O'Callaghan 574 57.8 +20.0
Conservative Robin James Hunter-Clarke 305 30.7 -8.8
Conservative Judy Rogers 263 26.5 N/A
Majority
Turnout 1,003 23.17
Labour hold Swing
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

In 2019 Labour and the Conservatives each won a seat here. The Labour incumbent, Harry Clarke, re-stood: the Conservative incumbent Kay Grey did not.

Forest

Forest (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sam Chapman-Allen 469 66.1 -4.6
Conservative Robert George Kybird 455 64.1 +3.4
Labour Viola Ross-Smith 217 30.6 +4.7
Labour Matthew Stirrup 193 27.2 N/A
Majority
Turnout 727 29.23
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing

The Conservative Party defended both seats with incumbent councillors: this is the seat of their council leader, Sam Chapman-Allen.

Guiltcross

Guiltcross
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Marion Penelope Chapman-Allen 479 53.5 -14.2
Labour Liz Bernard 416 46.5 +14.2
Majority
Turnout 909 35.27
Conservative hold Swing

The Conservatives defended this ward with their incumbent councillor.

Harling and Heathlands

Harling and Heathlands
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative William Nunn 498 64.2 -7.3
Labour Hayley Balster 278 35.8 +7.3
Majority
Turnout 791 29.50
Conservative hold Swing

The Conservatives defended this ward with their incumbent councillor.

Hermitage

Hermitage
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Mitchell Thurbon 316 41.1 N/A
Conservative Robert Andrew Hambidge 297 38.7 -32.6
Labour John Peter Barnard 155 20.2 -8.5
Majority
Turnout 777 34.29
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing

Robert Hambidge was the incumbent Conservative councillor in the seat. The Conservative elected in 2019, Trevor Carter, resigned in 2021.[8] Hambidge won the resulting by-election with a small majority over the Liberal Democrat candidate, Ian Minto (who ran in All Saints & Wayland ward in this election).[9]

Launditch

Launditch
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mark Alexander Kiddle-Morris 378 51.8 -21.7
Liberal Democrats Matthew Weatherill 213 29.2 N/A
Labour Paul Siegert 139 19.0 -7.5
Majority
Turnout 735 35.10
Conservative hold Swing

The Conservatives defended this seat with their incumbent councillor.

Lincoln

Lincoln (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Roger David Atterwill 958 65.0 +15.4
Conservative Richard William Duffield 607 41.2 -6.0
Labour Danielle Claire Glavin 421 28.6 N/A
Conservative Paula Ann Wood 389 26.4 -15.6
Majority
Turnout 1,482 34.70
Independent hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing

This ward is being defended by incumbent independent councillor Roger Atterwill, and incumbent Conservative Richard Duffield. Atterwill is the leader of the Independent Group on the council.[10]

Mattishall

Mattishall (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Paul Donald Claussen 680 47.1 -5.2
Conservative Paul Jonathan Plummer 633 43.8 -10.7
Labour Bob Burrell 620 42.9 +13.2
Green Ann Bowyer 580 40.1 N/A
Majority
Turnout 1467 32.48
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing

Both Conservative councillors are incumbent: Plummer won the seat formerly held by Conservative Ian Martin, who resigned due to ill health, in a 2022 by-election.[11][12]

Nar Valley

Nar Valley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Samuel Wilkinson 455 61.5 -13.1
Labour Cliff Wilson 285 38.5 +13.1
Majority
Turnout 748 32.88
Conservative hold Swing

The Conservatives defended this seat with their incumbent councillor.

Necton

Necton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nigel Charles Wilkin 397 50.9 -10.5
Labour Joe Sisto 383 49.1 +10.5
Majority
Turnout 786 35.87
Conservative hold Swing

The Conservatives defended this seat with their incumbent councillor.

Saham Toney

Saham Toney (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Helen Susan Crane 674 61.6 +9.6
Green Peter Kevin Bate 523 47.8 -4.5
Conservative David Robert Mullenger Sawyer 407 37.2 -9.6
Majority
Turnout 1,107 26.45
Conservative hold Swing
Green hold Swing

The Green Party gained a seat here in 2019, coming first in the poll. Their candidate in 2023 is new. Helen Crane defends the other seat for the Conservatives.

Shipdham-with-Scarning

Shipdham-with-Scarning (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Paul Jonathan Hewett 549 43.8 -18.9
Conservative Lynda Susan Turner 502 40.1 -16.2
Labour Timothy Philip Kinnaird 438 35.0 -0.4
Labour Michael Christopher O'Neil 353 28.2 N/A
Green Geoffrey Gilbert Plank 271 21.6 N/A
Reform UK Scott Daynes 171 13.7 N/A
Majority
Turnout 1,253 28.73
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing

The Conservatives held both seats with incumbent councillors.

Swaffham

Swaffham (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Judy Anscombe 925 47.5 N/A
Conservative Jacob Morton 847 43.5 -0.3
Independent David Sydney Wickerson 838 43.0 -11.9
Conservative Paul Robert Wiliam Darby 835 42.9 +4.4
Independent Bob Wade 832 42.7 N/A
Conservative Leanne Smart 781 40.1 -0.4
Majority
Turnout 1,978 28.04
Independent gain from Conservative Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Independent hold Swing

Independent candidate David Wickerson came first here in 2019 and is defending his seat. The other two seats went to Conservative candidates who are not re-standing, though the sole unsuccessful member of the 2019 Conservative slate, Paul Darby, is standing again.

Thetford Boudica

Thetford Boudica (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Stuart David Terry 505 55.8 +9.3
Labour Terry Land 477 52.7 N/A
Conservative Barbara Joyce Tullett 324 35.8 -18.3
No Description Zak Marketis 123 13.6 N/A
No Description Philip Reynolds 118 13.0 N/A
Majority
Turnout 925 26.06
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

Labour are defending both seats here. They gained one from UKIP in 2019, and the other from the Conservatives in a 2022 by-election after the resignation of Mark Robinson, who came first here in 2019.[13][14]

Thetford Burrell

Thetford Burrell (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Chris Harvey 546 54.3 +17.0
Labour David Blackbourn 470 46.7 -0.6
Independent Carla Barreto 293 29.1 +7.3
Independent Geoff Mealing 258 25.6 N/A
Independent Bob Seys 226 22.5 N/A
Majority
Turnout 1,020 24.12
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

Both seats here were defended by the Labour Party. Chris Harvey was an incumbent councillor: this was also the seat of Breckland's Labour group leader Terry Jermy, though this election he stood instead in Thetford Priory.

Thetford Castle

Thetford Castle (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ann Blackbourn 465 43.2 +6.7
Labour Hazel McCambridge 414 38.5 +4.8
Conservative Jane Lilian James 318 29.6 -18.3
Conservative Roy Frederick William Brame 305 28.3 -22.4
No Description Kirstie Robb 159 14.8 N/A
UKIP Denis Melvin Crawford 153 14.2 N/A
No Description Ijaz Karim 126 11.7 N/A
Majority
Turnout 1,092 24.84
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

The Conservatives were defending both seats with incumbent councillors.

Thetford Priory

Thetford Priory (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Terry Jermy 629 56.6 +19.1
Labour Mike Brindle 551 49.6 +4.8
Independent Ron Wood 320 28.8 N/A
No Description Gordon Margrie 200 18.0 N/A
No Description Mark Petrie Taylor 199 17.9 -18.2
Majority
Turnout 1,136 22.77
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

The Labour Party defended both seats here, having gained one from UKIP in 2019. Independent candidate Mark Taylor formerly stood here for UKIP.

Upper Wensum

Upper Wensum (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gordon Bambridge 946 52.5 -0.2
Conservative Bill Borrett 917 50.9 -1.1
Liberal Democrats Mark Foley 823 45.6 +14.6
Liberal Democrats Roger Keith Norman 688 38.2 N/A
Majority
Turnout 1,819 34.95
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing

The Conservative party defended both seats with incumbent councillors. This was the only seat to have a Liberal Democrat candidate in the previous election.

Watton

Watton (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Keith Stephen Gilbert 903 49.3 -20.3
Conservative Claire Rosemary Bowes 798 43.6 -0.4
Conservative Tina Kiddell 770 42.0 -7.0
Independent Pat Warwick 485 26.5 N/A
Independent Gilian Lee Turrant 466 25.4 N/A
Labour Brian English 341 18.6 +2.9
Labour Andrew Dujon 303 16.5 N/A
Green Jane Keidan Cooper 299 16.3 -12.4
Labour Barry John Hale 285 15.6 N/A
Majority
Turnout 1,842 26.32
Independent hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing

The Conservatives defended two of the three seats here with incumbent candidates: the third incumbent councillor is independent Keith Gilbert, who came first in 2019 as well as doing so this year.

References

  1. "Councillor details – Councillor Sam Chapman-Allen". www.breckland.gov.uk. 9 April 2023. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  2. "Councillor details – Councillor Terry Jermy". www.breckland.gov.uk. 9 April 2023. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  3. "Local Elections Archive Project – 2019 – Breckland". andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  4. "District & Parish Elections". Breckland Council. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  5. "Breckland local election". whocanivotefor.co.uk. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  6. "Attleborough: Mayor of 'The Godfather' town hits out at bullying". 21 February 2020. Retrieved 9 April 2023 via www.bbc.com.
  7. "Attleborough Town Council's 'Godfather' bullying row costs £114k". 13 May 2021. Retrieved 9 April 2023 via www.bbc.com.
  8. "Former army officer resigns as councillor for 'personal reasons'". Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  9. "Local Elections Archive Project — Hermitage Ward". andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  10. "Councillor details – Councillor Roger Atterwill". www.breckland.gov.uk. 9 April 2023. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  11. "Former Tory councillor backs independent candidate in by-election". Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  12. "Local Elections Archive Project — Mattishall Ward". andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  13. "Former Thetford mayor resigns as councillor". Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  14. "Local Elections Archive Project — Thetford Boudica Ward". andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
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