2023 Mid Sussex District Council election

The 2023 Mid Sussex District Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Mid Sussex District Council in West Sussex, England.[1] This was on the same day as other local elections in England.

2023 Mid Sussex District Council election

← 2019 4 May 2023 (2023-05-04) 2027 →

All 48 seats to Mid Sussex District Council
25 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
  Blank Blank Blank
Party Liberal Democrats Conservative Independent
Last election 13 seats, 30.2% 34 seats, 40.0% 4 seats, 8.2%
Seats won 20 18 5
Seat change Increase 8 Decrease 11 Increase 1
Popular vote 28,248 25,147 7,858
Percentage 37.0% 32.9% 10.3%
Swing Increase 6.8% Decrease 7.1% Increase 2.1%

  Fourth party Fifth party
  Blank Blank
Party Green Labour
Last election 3 seats, 11.4% 0 seats, 9.2%
Seats won 4 1
Seat change Increase 1 Increase 1
Popular vote 9,172 5,870
Percentage 12.0% 7.7%
Swing Increase 0.6% Decrease 1.5%

Winner of each seat at the 2023 Mid Sussex District Council election

Leader before election


Conservative

Leader after election


No overall control

New ward boundaries were drawn up for this election, with the number of seats on the council reducing from 54 to 48.[2]

Summary

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Prior to the election the council was under Conservative majority control. Following the election the council was left under no overall control with the Liberal Democrats being the largest party; the Conservative leader of the council, Jonathan Ash-Edwards, lost his seat. Following the election a minority administration of the Liberal Democrats and four of the five independent councillors took control of the council, with Liberal Democrat councillor Robert Eggleston being appointed leader of the council at the subsequent annual council meeting on 23 May 2023.[3]

Overall result

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The overall results were as follows:[4]

2023 Mid Sussex District Council election
Party Candidates Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Liberal Democrats 39 20 8 0   8 41.7 37.0 28,248 +6.8
  Conservative 48 18 0 11   11 37.5 32.9 25,147 –7.1
  Independent 20 5 1 0   1 10.4 10.3 7,858 +2.1
  Green 25 4 1 0   1 8.3 12.0 9,172 +0.6
  Labour 19 1 1 0   1 2.1 7.7 5,870 –1.5
  Monster Raving Loony 1 0 0 0   0.0 0.2 150 N/A

Ward results

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The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by Mid Sussex District Council following the close of nominations on 4 April 2023.[5] The results were as follows, with an asterisk (*) indicating an incumbent councillor standing for re-election.[6][7]

Ardingly, Balcombe & Turners Hill

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Ardingly, Balcombe & Turners Hill (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Jenny Edwards* 709 40.4
Conservative Gary Marsh* 567 32.3
Green Matt Brewin 565 32.2
Conservative Bruce Forbes 511 29.2
Independent Julian Smith 393 22.4
Liberal Democrats Ben Jerrit 358 20.4
Independent Barry Theobald 243 13.9
Turnout 1,753 37.8
Registered electors 4,650
Green win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Ashurst Wood & East Grinstead South

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Ashurst Wood & East Grinstead South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Belsey* 535 64.0
Green Pete Wells 168 20.1
Liberal Democrats Graham Knight 133 15.9
Majority 367 43.9
Turnout 836 41.1
Registered electors 2,053
Conservative win (new seat)

Burgess Hill Dunstall

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Burgess Hill Dunstall (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Mike Kennedy 648 41.6
Conservative Mustak Miah 622 40.0
Liberal Democrats Giles Parsons 553 35.5
Conservative Chris Mucklestone 526 33.8
Independent Yann Davies 249 16.0
Labour Pam Haigh 174 11.2
Turnout 1,556 38.0
Registered electors 4,100
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative
Conservative hold

Burgess Hill Franklands

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Burgess Hill Franklands (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Janice Henwood* 1,130 63.0
Liberal Democrats David Eggleton 1,107 61.7
Conservative Claire Fussell 404 22.5
Conservative Tobias Parker 393 21.9
Independent Andy Stowe 328 18.3
Turnout 1,793 43.0
Registered electors 4,213
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats hold

Burgess Hill Leylands

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Burgess Hill Leylands (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Anne Eves* 848 61.5
Liberal Democrats Simon Hicks* 813 59.0
Conservative Colin Holden 383 27.8
Conservative Adam White 331 24.0
Turnout 1,379 37.7
Registered electors 3,702
Green hold
Liberal Democrats hold

Burgess Hill Meeds & Hammonds

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Burgess Hill Meeds & Hammonds (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Robert Eggleston* 1,208 67.0
Liberal Democrats Tofojjul Hussain* 1,046 58.0
Independent Sean Kelly 402 22.3
Conservative Cherry Catharine 334 18.5
Conservative Elizabeth White 287 15.9
Turnout 1,803 38.1
Registered electors 4,770
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Burgess Hill St Andrews

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Burgess Hill St Andrews (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Christine Cherry 800 45.5
Green Matthew Cornish* 665 37.8
Independent Ray Woods 442 25.1
Conservative Jeremy Catharine 368 20.9
Labour Joanne Rodway 319 18.1
Conservative Toby Dawson 317 18.0
Labour Rebecca Sinnatt 212 12.1
Turnout 1,758 35.0
Registered electors 5,057
Liberal Democrats hold
Green hold

Burgess Hill Victoria

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Burgess Hill Victoria
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Peter Chapman* 666 66.7
Labour Linda Gregory 201 20.1
Conservative Martin Willcock 132 13.2
Majority 465 46.6
Turnout 999 32.4
Registered electors 3,124
Independent hold

Copthorne and Worth

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Copthorne and Worth (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Graham Casella 612 50.9
Independent Christopher Phillips* 505 42.0
Conservative Tony Dorey 481 40.0
Liberal Democrats Maggie Aston 323 26.9
Green Lorcan Smith 219 18.2
Turnout 1,202 28.2
Registered electors 4,276
Conservative gain from Independent
Independent hold

Crawley Down

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Crawley Down (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Ian Gibson* 1,080 62.6
Independent John Hitchcock 980 56.8
Conservative Liz Williams 439 25.5
Conservative Philip Coote* 403 23.4
Green Gordon Westcott 188 10.9
Liberal Democrats Matthew Goldsmith 159 9.2
Turnout 1,724 37.2
Registered electors 4,653
Independent win (new seat)
Independent win (new seat)

Cuckfield, Bolney & Ansty

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Cuckfield, Bolney & Ansty (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Malcolm Avery 894 45.3
Conservative Jim Knight* 706 35.8
Liberal Democrats Barbara King 540 27.4
Independent Sacha Dykes 419 21.2
Liberal Democrats James Holloway 367 18.6
Green Rachel McNamara 360 18.3
Labour Andrew Foster 292 14.8
Monster Raving Loony Baron Von Thunderclap 150 7.6
Turnout 1,972 39.4
Registered electors 5,007
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Downland Villages

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Downland Villages
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Geoff Zeidler 511 55.5
Liberal Democrats Neville Searle 185 20.1
Labour Norina O'Hare 116 12.6
Green Clare Rogers 109 11.8
Majority 326 35.4
Turnout 921 36.8
Registered electors 2,525
Conservative win (new seat)

East Grinstead Ashplats

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East Grinstead Ashplats (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Margaret Belsey* 696 48.6
Conservative Adam Peacock* 561 39.2
Liberal Democrats Andrew Lane 310 21.6
Independent Carly Godfrey 272 19.0
Green Alex Langridge 272 19.0
Labour Thomas Britton 266 18.6
Independent Stef Hillwood 254 17.7
Turnout 1,432 27.2
Registered electors 5,298
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

East Grinstead Baldwins

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East Grinstead Baldwins
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Julie Mockford* 340 38.5
Conservative Christopher Evans 292 33.1
Liberal Democrats Fathi Tarada 250 28.3
Majority 48 5.4
Turnout 882 33.1
Registered electors 2,687
Independent gain from Conservative

East Grinstead Herontye

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East Grinstead Herontye
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Dick Sweatman* 429 45.6
Liberal Democrats Steve Hall 272 28.9
Independent Nick Gibson 126 13.4
Green Sharon Martin 113 12.0
Majority 157 16.7
Turnout 940 35.0
Registered electors 2,706
Conservative hold

East Grinstead Imberhorne

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East Grinstead Imberhorne (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rex Whittaker* 666 43.2
Conservative Lee Farren 530 34.4
Independent Heidi Brunsdon* 517 33.5
Liberal Democrats Peter Williams 412 26.7
Green Chrissie Masters 342 22.2
Independent Christopher Lomas 333 21.6
Turnout 1,542 31.4
Registered electors 4,989
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

East Grinstead Town

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East Grinstead Town (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jacquie Russell 539 40.0
Conservative John Dabell* 504 37.4
Liberal Democrats Steve Barnett 498 36.9
Liberal Democrats Lee Gibbs 378 28.0
Green Laura Buonocore 203 15.0
Independent Norman Mockford 199 14.8
Labour David Wilbraham 183 13.6
Turnout 1,349 27.6
Registered electors 4,905
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

Handcross & Pease Pottage

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Handcross & Pease Pottage
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Eric Prescott 270 44.0
Liberal Democrats Peter Cox 199 32.4
Independent Carole Steggles 145 23.6
Majority 71 11.6
Turnout 621 23.4
Registered electors 2,655
Conservative win (new seat)

Hassocks

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Hassocks (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Sue Hatton* 2,314 75.2
Liberal Democrats Kristian Berggreen 2,084 67.7
Liberal Democrats Christopher Hobbs 1,699 55.2
Conservative Alex Simmons 587 19.1
Labour Alison Whelan 564 18.3
Green Marie Holmstrom 541 17.6
Conservative Philip Beck 474 15.4
Conservative Stephen Horsfield 423 13.7
Turnout 3,077 46.0
Registered electors 6,727
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats hold

Haywards Heath Ashenground

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Haywards Heath Ashenground (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Richard Bates* 873 48.5
Liberal Democrats Duncan Pascoe 708 39.4
Conservative Sujan Wickremaratchi 532 29.6
Conservative Justin Cromie 467 26.0
Labour Murray Crump 370 20.6
Green Richard Kail 328 18.2
Turnout 1,799 33.2
Registered electors 5,424
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative

Haywards Heath Bentswood & Heath

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Haywards Heath Bentswood & Heath (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Alison Rees 751 45.5
Liberal Democrats Anthony Platts 700 42.4
Conservative Rachel Cromie* 560 33.9
Conservative Stephen Hillier* 552 33.4
Labour Jack Taplin 369 22.4
Green Deanna Nicholson 311 18.8
Labour Benjamin Webb 251 15.2
Turnout 1,651 29.6
Registered electors 5,644
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Haywards Heath Franklands

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Haywards Heath Franklands (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rod Clarke* 620 36.8
Labour Paul Kenny 594 35.3
Labour Tim Weekes 562 33.4
Conservative Mike Pulfer* 536 31.8
Liberal Democrats Anne-Marie Lucraft 359 21.3
Liberal Democrats Susan Knight 293 17.4
Green Caroline Mendes 192 11.4
Turnout 1,685 36.8
Registered electors 4,608
Conservative hold
Labour gain from Conservative

Haywards Heath Lucastes & Bolnore

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Haywards Heath Lucastes & Bolnore (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Paul Lucraft 715 39.1
Liberal Democrats Abdul Bashar 710 38.8
Conservative Ruth De Mierre* 704 38.5
Conservative Alastair McPherson 697 38.1
Green Allan Murray 375 20.5
Labour Nick Lashmar 372 20.4
Turnout 1,828 35.4
Registered electors 5,241
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Haywards Heath North

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Haywards Heath North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sandy Ellis* 400 35.7
Liberal Democrats Emiliano Mancino 339 30.2
Green Richard Nicholson 168 15.0
Labour David Morley 167 14.9
Independent Christian Pitt 47 4.2
Majority 61 5.5
Turnout 1,121 40.6
Registered electors 2,791
Conservative win (new seat)

Hurstpierpoint

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Hurstpierpoint (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Alison Bennett* 1,236 62.2
Liberal Democrats Rodney Jackson* 1,050 52.8
Conservative Mark Scholfield 471 23.7
Conservative Billy Lee 444 22.3
Labour Graciano Soares 328 16.5
Green Sue Kelly 315 15.8
Turnout 1,988 41.1
Registered electors 4,869
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Lindfield

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Lindfield (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Anne-Marie Cooke 1,141 44.5
Liberal Democrats Cavan Wood 1,020 39.8
Conservative Jonathan Ash-Edwards* 906 35.3
Conservative Anthea Lea* 855 33.3
Green David Woolley 450 17.5
Green Stu Nisbett 360 14.0
Labour Iain Maclean 225 8.8
Turnout 2,565 48.5
Registered electors 5,329
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative

Lindfield Rural & High Weald

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Lindfield Rural & High Weald (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Paul Brown* 852 40.1
Conservative Lorraine Carvalho 851 40.1
Conservative Sarah Webster 821 38.7
Liberal Democrats Emily Lomax 567 26.7
Green Nigel Cross 519 24.4
Labour Mandy Claiden 305 14.4
Turnout 2,124 39.8
Registered electors 5,363
Green win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

References

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  1. ^ "Notice of Election" (PDF). Mid Sussex District Council. 20 March 2023. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
  2. ^ "The Mid Sussex (Electoral Changes) Order 2022", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2022/812, retrieved 1 May 2023
  3. ^ Dunn, Karen (25 May 2023). "Lib Dems team up with majority of Independents to form minority administration at Mid Sussex District Council". Sussex World. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  4. ^ "Mid Sussex election results". BBC News. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  5. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll" (PDF). Mid Sussex District Council. 4 April 2023. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
  6. ^ Powling, Joshua (5 May 2023). "Full results from Mid Sussex District Council election 2023 - here's how it all unfolded live". Sussex World. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  7. ^ "Election Results". Mid Sussex District Council. Retrieved 28 January 2024.