2023 Central Bedfordshire Council election

The 2023 Central Bedfordshire Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Central Bedfordshire Council in Bedfordshire, England. This was on the same day as other local elections. New ward boundaries increased the number of seats on the council by four.[1]

2023 Central Bedfordshire Council election
4 May 2023 (2023-05-04)
All 63 seats to Central Bedfordshire Council
32 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
  Blank Blank Blank
Leader Adam Zerny Richard Wenham Shaun Roberts
Party Independent Conservative Liberal Democrats
Last election 13 seats, 18.3% 41 seats, 43.3% 3 seats, 9.7%
Seats won 27 20 10
Seat change Increase 14 Decrease 21 Increase 7
Popular vote 27,595 22,176 12,645
Percentage 32.7% 26.3% 15.0%
Swing Increase 14.4% Decrease 17.0% Increase 5.3%
  Fourth party Fifth party
  Blank Blank
Leader Matthew Brennan Susan Clinch
Party Labour Green
Last election 1 seat, 19.8% 0 seats, 0%
Seats won 5 1
Seat change Increase 4 Increase 1
Popular vote 15,729 5,068
Percentage 18.6% 6.0%
Swing Decrease 1.2% Increase 2.8%
Winner of each seat at the 2023 Central Bedfordshire Council election
Leader before election

Richard Wenham
Conservative

 Leader after election

Adam Zerny
Independent
No overall control

Ahead of the election, the Conservative administration had frozen council tax at a time when most councils were raising it to cover the increased cost of delivering public services. The extent to which this was the right course of action was debated by the candidates.[2]

The Conservatives lost control of the council, only winning 20 of the 63 seats. They had previously held a majority of the seats on the council since its creation in 2009. Independent candidates won 27 of the seats, with the resulting council being under no overall control.[3][4] An independent-led administration subsequently formed, with Adam Zerny being appointed leader of the council at the annual meeting on 25 May 2023.[5]

Summary

Election result
2023 Central Bedfordshire Council election
Party Candidates Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Independent 48 27 6 1 Increase 14 42.9 32.7 27,595 +14.4
  Conservative 61 20 1 7 Decrease 21 31.7 26.3 22,176 –17.0
  Liberal Democrats 43 10 7 0 Increase 7 15.9 15.0 12,645 +5.3
  Labour 63 5 5 0 Increase 4 7.9 18.6 15,729 –1.2
  Green 21 1 1 0 Increase 1 1.6 6.0 5,068 +2.8
  Reform UK 6 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 1.3 1,065 N/A
  English Democrat 1 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 0.2 133 N/A

Ward results

The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by Central Bedfordshire Council following the close of nominations on 5 April 2023.[6]

Ampthill
Ampthill (3 seats)[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Mark Smith* 1,923 47.5 –7.2
Independent Gary Summerfield 1,513 37.4 N/A
Green Susan Clinch 1,330 32.9 +2.3
Conservative Mike Blair* 1,268 31.3 –9.6
Conservative Stephen Addy 1,197 29.6 –9.9
Conservative Paul Duckett* 1,092 27.0 –13.1
Green Julia Jones 906 22.4 N/A
Liberal Democrats Catherine Brown 572 14.1 –10.7
Labour Louise Chinnery 485 12.0 +0.5
Labour Alan Worley 436 10.8 +1.2
Labour David Short 341 8.4 +1.7
Reform UK Maggie Moriondo 149 3.7 N/A
Turnout 4,046 37.2 –1.1
Registered electors 10,888
Independent hold
Independent gain from Conservative
Green gain from Conservative

Arlesey & Fairfield
Arlesey & Fairfield (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Jodie Chillery 895 39.5
Labour Nick Andrews 724 32.0
Liberal Democrats Neil Stevenson 620 27.4
Conservative Jilleane Brown 458 20.2
Conservative Ian Dalgarno* 434 19.2
Labour Tudor Fox 431 19.0
Independent Nicola Harris* 430 19.0
Turnout 2,263 33.4
Registered electors 6,771
Labour win (new seat)
Independent win (new seat)

Aspley and Woburn
Aspley & Woburn
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent John Michael Baker* 1,844 90.4 +11.9
Conservative Martin Hawkins 103 5.1 –12.2
Labour Neil Davies 68 3.3 –0.9
Liberal Democrats James Alan Emm 24 1.2 N/A
Majority 1,741 85.3
Turnout 2,041 54.9 –2.5
Registered electors 3,713
Independent hold Swing Increase12.1

Barton-le-Clay & Silsoe
Barton-le-Clay & Silsoe (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Anna French 882 37.2
Independent Liz Childs 879 37.1
Conservative Joe Irwin 596 25.2
Conservative Aarron Colin Byng 573 24.2
Liberal Democrats Jonathan Paxton 403 17.0
Labour Gemma Widdowfield 376 15.9
Labour Sanho Lupata 340 14.4
Liberal Democrats Paul Martin 199 8.4
Reform UK Mandy Ellis 97 4.1
Turnout 2,368 37.5
Registered electors 6,314
Independent win (new seat)
Independent win (new seat)

Biggleswade East
Biggleswade East (2 seats)[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Gareth Tranter 769 37.3
Conservative Grant Fage 676 32.8
Conservative Mark Foster* 659 31.9
Labour Andrew Skilton 658 31.9
Independent Mollie Smy 513 24.9
Labour George Tookey 428 20.7
Green Alistair Nelson 140 6.8
Liberal Democrats Jacob Holland-Lindsay 73 3.5
Turnout 2,064 32.8
Registered electors 6,300
Independent win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Biggleswade West
Biggleswade West (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Hayley Whitaker* 2,118 60.0
Independent Steven Watkins* 1,581 44.8
Independent Paul How 1,395 39.5
Labour Julian Vaughan 739 20.9
Labour Natalie Ashton 698 19.8
Labour Paul Burgin 698 19.8
Conservative Madeline Russell 692 19.6
Conservative Ian Bond* 678 19.2
Conservative Sarju Patel 589 16.7
Liberal Democrats Tommy Godfrey 179 5.1
Turnout 3,529 34.6
Registered electors 10,195
Independent win (new seat)
Independent win (new seat)
Independent win (new seat)

Caddington
Caddington (2 seats)[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Vicky Malone 1,394 47.4 N/A
Conservative Kevin Collins* 1,043 35.5 –13.0
Conservative Michael Stott 719 24.4 –18.6
Independent John Waller 651 22.1 –13.5
Labour Shirley Smith 421 14.3 –4.6
Labour Mala Dinsdale 333 11.3 –3.9
Green Matt Russell 309 10.5 N/A
Liberal Democrats Eila Goss 289 9.8 N/A
Liberal Democrats Susan Thorne 145 4.9 N/A
Turnout 2,941 38.2 +1.2
Registered electors 7,706
Independent gain from Conservative
Conservative hold

Clifton, Henlow & Langford
Clifton, Henlow & Langford (3 seats)[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Drew Richardson 1,680 48.6
Conservative David Shelvey 1,667 48.2
Conservative Richard Wenham 1,589 46.0
Labour Laura Abbott 1,270 36.7
Labour Kevin O'Daly 1,001 29.0
Labour Vipulkumar Patel 881 25.5
Green Linda Fuller 742 21.5
Liberal Democrats David Mann 647 18.7
Turnout 3,456 30.8
Registered electors 11,203
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Cranfield & Marston Moretaine
Cranfield & Marston Moretaine (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sue Clark* 1,406 41.3 –4.0
Independent Saverlo Bongo 1,312 38.6 N/A
Conservative Robert Morris* 984 28.9 –6.6
Independent Alan Victor 925 27.2 N/A
Conservative Bhaumik Dalal 888 26.1 –12.5
Labour Elizabeth Rooney 767 22.5 +3.6
Labour Karl O'Dell 695 20.4 +5.2
Labour Joel Durojaiye 581 17.1 +4.0
Green Andrew Tyrtania 507 14.9 –8.3
Independent Gillian Clough 444 13.1 N/A
Liberal Democrats Juliet Taylor 425 12.5 N/A
Reform UK Norman Maclean 176 5.2 N/A
Turnout 3,402 29.4 –1.3
Registered electors 11,584
Conservative hold
Independent gain from Conservative
Conservative hold

Dunstable Central
Dunstable Central[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Carole Hegley* 368 36.4 –18.1
Labour Gregory Alderman 351 34.7 +7.1
Independent Andy Palmer 221 21.9 N/A
Liberal Democrats David Jones 71 7.0 –10.9
Majority 17 1.7
Turnout 1,019 28.0 –1.5
Registered electors 3,641
Conservative hold Swing Decrease12.6

Dunstable East
Dunstable East (2 seats)[12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent John Gurney 716 35.0
Independent Kenson Gurney 565 27.6
Conservative Gloria Martin 536 26.2
Labour Gemma Russell 490 24.0
Labour Shafi Kottadan 473 23.1
Conservative Jay Patel 396 19.4
Independent Louise O'Riordan 316 15.5
Liberal Democrats Richard Hunt 180 8.8
Liberal Democrats Rita Egan 154 7.5
Turnout 2,044 27.0
Registered electors 7,559
Independent gain from Conservative
Independent gain from Conservative

Dunstable North
Dunstable North (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour Matthew Brennan 647 39.6
Labour Matthew Neall 524 32.1
Conservative Johnson Tamara* 492 30.1
Independent Zakaria Kuddus 469 28.7
Independent Bev Coleman 381 23.3
Independent Alan Corkhill 261 16.0
Green Paul Hundal 110 6.7
Liberal Democrats Elaine Morgan 103 6.3
Liberal Democrats Ken Wattingham 63 3.9
Turnout 1,632 22.7
Registered electors 7,206
Labour gain from Conservative
Labour gain from Conservative

Dunstable South
Dunstable South
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Philip Crawley* 290 30.5
Independent Nicholas Kotarski 288 30.3
Labour Sally Kimondo 266 28.0
Liberal Democrats Pat Larkman 106 11.2
Turnout 955 26.7
Registered electors 3,572
Conservative hold

Dunstable West
Dunstable West (2 seats)[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Eugene Ghent* 893 39.9
Conservative Nigel Young 819 36.6
Independent Richard Attwell 697 31.1
Labour Roger Pepworth 526 23.5
Independent Khaleel Morrison 439 19.6
Labour Philip Crooks 462 20.6
Liberal Democrats Elizabeth Owen 251 11.2
Liberal Democrats Ian Witherick 195 8.7
Turnout 2,240 31.1
Registered electors 7,211
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Eaton Bray
Eaton Bray[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Philip Spicer* 693 63.3 –5.5
Green Dominic Scholfield 209 19.1 –4.1
Labour Keith Faulkner 193 17.6 +9.6
Majority 484 43.6
Turnout 1,107 33.1 –1.7
Registered electors 3,343
Conservative hold Swing Increase0.7

Flitwick
Flitwick (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Gareth Mackey* 2,248 57.9 +18.7
Independent Heather Townsend 1,785 45.9 N/A
Conservative Ian Adams 1,138 34.4 +1.1
Conservative Neil Bunyan* 1,090 28.1 –13.0
Conservative Tim Parsons 854 22.0 –9.4
Labour Chris Yates 698 18.0 +1.1
Labour Nick London 493 12.7 –3.2
Labour Klaus Dudas 469 12.1 –3.1
Green Kai Roberts 429 11.0 N/A
Green Robert Harley 292 7.5 N/A
Green Leisa Milne 252 6.5 N/A
Liberal Democrats Andrea Kidd 209 5.4 –10.1
Reform UK Russ Shaw 192 4.9 N/A
Liberal Democrats Alan White 147 3.8 –11.0
Turnout 3,885 36.9 +2.9
Registered electors 10,535
Independent hold
Independent gain from Conservative
Conservative hold

Heath & Reach
Heath & Reach
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mark Versallion* 782 59.7 –15.5
Labour Christine Sheppard 209 16.0 +6.3
Liberal Democrats Rhiannon Leaman 143 10.9 N/A
Reform UK Harry Palmer 121 9.2 N/A
Green Sebastien Hine 54 4.1 –11.0
Majority 573 43.7
Turnout 1,311 37.9 –2.2
Registered electors 3,461
Conservative hold Swing Decrease10.9

Houghton Conquest & Haynes
Houghton Conquest & Haynes
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Rebecca Hares* 628 56.7 +14.7
Conservative Mark Smith 233 21.0 –13.1
Labour Keith Brown 149 13.5 +1.8
Liberal Democrats Paul Foster 49 4.4 N/A
Green Penny Hartley 48 4.3 N/A
Majority 395 35.7
Turnout 1,113 30.6 –8.6
Registered electors 3,663
Independent hold Swing Increase13.9

Houghton Regis East
Houghton Regis East (3 seats)[15]
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Pat Hamill* 730 39.8
Independent Tracey McMahon 619 33.8
Labour Chloe Alderman 563 30.7
Labour Andrew Green 466 25.4
Labour Sam Russell 463 25.3
Independent Jan Cooper 434 23.7
Liberal Democrats Laura Ellaway 366 20.0
Liberal Democrats Debra Taylor 345 18.8
Liberal Democrats Marion Rolfe 296 16.2
Conservative Nicola Hampton-Daly 239 13.0
Conservative Nigel Warren 201 11.0
Green Gillia Patrick 121 6.6
Turnout 1,832 22.0
Registered electors 8,343
Independent win (new seat)
Independent win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)

Houghton Regis West
Houghton Regis West (2 seats)[16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Liberal Democrats Susan Goodchild* 498 38.0
Liberal Democrats Yvonne Farrell* 392 29.9
Labour Wendy Bater 341 26.0
Labour Alex Butler 292 22.3
Conservative Olga Krupski 228 17.4
Independent Jimmy Carroll 190 14.5
Independent Michelle Herber 182 13.9
Conservative Vera Nnadozie 182 13.9
Green Catherine Aganoglu 103 7.9
Turnout 1,311 20.9
Registered electors 6,260
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats hold

Leighton Linslade North
Leighton Linslade North
Party Candidate Votes %
Liberal Democrats David Bligh 1,285 39.8
Liberal Democrats Kevin Pughe 1,271 39.4
Liberal Democrats Nigel Carnell 1,200 37.2
Labour Mike Bishop 976 30.2
Conservative Steve Jones 956 29.6
Labour Patrick Carberry 920 28.5
Conservative Tony Morris 911 28.2
Labour Jane Woodman 876 27.1
Conservative Ewan Wallace 864 26.8
English Democrat Antonio Vitiello 133 4.1
Turnout 3,228 29.5
Registered electors 10,941
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative

Leighton Linslade South
Leighton Linslade South (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes %
Liberal Democrats Emma Holland-Lindsay 2,355 60.6
Liberal Democrats Chris Leaman 2,211 56.9
Liberal Democrats Shaun Roberts 2,146 55.2
Conservative Amanda Dodwell* 696 17.9
Conservative Ray Berry* 652 16.8
Labour Graham Marsden 577 14.8
Conservative Branko Bjelobaba 566 14.6
Labour Clive Betts 539 13.9
Labour Daniel Scott 537 13.8
Independent June Tobin 422 10.9
Independent Sarah Cursons 387 10.0
Turnout 3,889 35.5
Registered electors 10,949
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative

Leighton Linslade West
Leighton Linslade West (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Victoria Harvey* 1,786 42.8
Liberal Democrats Steve Owen 1,756 42.0
Liberal Democrats Russ Goodchild 1,583 37.9
Liberal Democrats Joseph Worrall 1,021 24.4
Conservative Julian Gallie 942 22.6
Labour Benjamin Bowles 939 22.5
Labour Kieran Roan 888 21.3
Conservative Adam Fahn 862 20.6
Labour Beverley McBain 838 20.1
Independent Ryan Battams 618 14.8
Turnout 4,177 39.8
Registered electors 10,486
Independent hold
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative
Liberal Democrats hold

Meppershall & Shillington
Meppershall & Shillington[17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Blake Stephenson 778 55.8
Labour Glenda Tizard 239 17.1
Reform UK Dave Holland 165 11.8
Liberal Democrats Ray Morgan 123 8.8
Independent Ian Shingler* 89 6.3
Majority 539 38.7
Turnout 1,403 37.5
Registered electors 3,746
Conservative win (new seat)

Northill
Northill[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Paul Daniels 676 47.4 –31.6
Independent Simon Sheridan 541 37.9 N/A
Labour Andrew Harland 210 14.7 –6.3
Majority 135 9.5
Turnout 1,432 39.3 +3.3
Registered electors 3,644
Conservative hold Swing N/A

Potton
Potton (2 seats)[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Adam Zerny* 2,296 84.0 –1.8
Independent Tracey Wye* 1,908 69.8 +2.2
Conservative Suzanne Worboys 288 10.5 –3.3
Conservative Robert Pullinger 272 9.9 –1.9
Green Rebecca Beattie 216 7.9 N/A
Labour Rhiannon Barrow 163 6.0 +0.8
Labour Robert Cheesewright 109 4.0 +0.8
Turnout 2,734 39.7 –10.4
Registered electors 6,889
Independent hold
Independent hold

Sandy
Sandy (3 seats)[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Simon Ford* 2,124 62.2 +3.3
Independent Sue Bell 1,325 38.8 N/A
Independent Robert Pashby 1,124 32.9 N/A
Conservative Caroline Maudlin* 1,018 29.8 –1.7
Liberal Democrats Nigel Aldis 831 24.3 –3.0
Conservative Joanna Hewitt 802 23.5 –5.2
Conservative Morgan Gilling 589 17.2 –6.3
Labour Andy King 586 17.2 +8.5
Labour Wendy Mott 425 12.4 +4.7
Labour Matthew Yardley 339 9.9 +2.5
Turnout 3,415 34.3 –2.9
Registered electors 9,971
Independent hold
Independent gain from Conservative
Independent gain from Conservative

Shefford
Shefford (2 seats)[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mark Liddiard* 918 47.6 –18.1
Conservative Tony Brown* 907 47.0 –18.4
Labour Jack Risbridger 752 39.0 +8.3
Labour John Tizard 747 38.7 +13.7
Liberal Democrats Jack Moore 315 16.3 N/A
Turnout 1,929 29.3 +0.3
Registered electors 6,595
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Stotfold
Stotfold (2 seats)[22]
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Kathryn Woodfine 1,348 55.4
Labour Helen Wightwick 743 30.5
Conservative Steven Dixon* 604 24.8
Labour Satinderjit Dhaliwal 569 23.4
Conservative Josie Richardson 527 21.7
Liberal Democrats Rachel McGann 386 15.9
Turnout 2,433 33.9
Registered electors 7,181
Independent win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)

Toddington
Toddington (2 seats)[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Mary Walsh* 1,418 57.4 +14.4
Conservative Gary Purser 716 29.0 +2.1
Green Steven Winslet 618 25.0 N/A
Conservative Shahid Akhter 562 22.8 +3.4
Labour Maggie Herod 467 18.9 +3.6
Labour Connell Owen 326 13.2 +0.9
Liberal Democrats Miranda Roberts 313 12.7 N/A
Turnout 2,469 33.2 –7.0
Registered electors 7,433
Independent hold
Conservative gain from Independent

Westoning, Flitton & Greenfield
Westoning, Flitton & Greenfield[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Jamieson* 793 54.7 –16.6
Independent Ekta Bhasin 261 18.0 N/A
Green Gareth Ellis 186 12.8 –9.3
Labour Nick Hickman 136 9.4 +2.9
Liberal Democrats Drew Bowater 73 5.0 N/A
Majority 532 36.6
Turnout 1,453 39.4 –3.4
Registered electors 3,692
Conservative hold Swing N/A

References
  1. "The Central Bedfordshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2021", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2021/1051, retrieved 29 April 2023
  2. Holmes, Amy (21 April 2023). "Could tax freeze impact Central Bedfordshire election?". BBC News. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  3. "Local elections 2023: Conservatives lose control of Central Beds". BBC News. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  4. Duncan, Euan (16 May 2023). "Central Bedfordshire: Ousted council leader points blame at Westminster for Tory collapse". Bedfordshire Live. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  5. "Council meeting, 25 May 2023". Central Bedfordshire Council. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  6. "Statement of Persons Nominated - Central Bedfordshire Council". Central Bedfordshire Council. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  7. https://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/directory_record/163130/ampthill_election_results_-_2023
  8. https://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/directory_record/163135/biggleswade_east_election_results_-_2023
  9. https://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/directory_record/163138/caddington_election_results_-_2023
  10. https://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/directory_record/163139/clifton_henlow_and_langford_election_results_-_2023
  11. https://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/directory_record/163141/dunstable_central_election_results_-_2023
  12. https://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/directory_record/163142/dunstable_east_election_results_-_2023
  13. https://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/directory_record/163145/dunstable_west_election_results_-_2023
  14. https://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/directory_record/163146/eaton_bray_election_results_-_2023
  15. https://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/directory_record/163150/houghton_regis_east_election_results_-_2023
  16. https://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/directory_record/163151/houghton_regis_west_election_results_-_2023
  17. https://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/directory_record/163155/meppershall_and_shillington_election_results_-_2023
  18. https://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/directory_record/163156/northill_election_results_-_2023
  19. https://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/directory_record/163157/potton_election_results_-_2023
  20. https://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/directory_record/163158/sandy_election_results_-_2023
  21. https://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/directory_record/163159/shefford_election_results_-_2023
  22. https://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/directory_record/163161/stotfold_election_results_-_2023
  23. https://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/directory_record/163163/toddington_election_results_-_2023
  24. https://www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/directory_record/163164/westoning_flitton_and_greenfield_election_results_-_2023
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