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2023 Bedford Borough Council election

← 2019 4 May 2023 (2023-05-04) 2027 →
All 46 seats to Bedford Borough Council 24 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	34.9%
First party Second party Third party   Leader Sue Oliver Graeme Coombes Dave Hodgson Party Labour Conservative Liberal Democrats Last election 11 seats, 27.6% 11 seats, 31.3% 15 seats, 30.3% Seats won 14 13 13 Seat change 3 2 2 Popular vote 24,563 23,316 23,194 Percentage 29.4% 27.9% 27.7% Swing 1.8% 3.4% 2.6%   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Leader N/A N/A N/A Party Green Independent Vacant Last election 2 seats, 6.4% 1 seat, 3.7% Seats won 3 2 1 Seat change 1 1 1 Popular vote 6,786 5,479 Percentage 8.1% 6.5% Swing 1.8% 2.8%
Winner of each seat at the 2023 Bedford Borough Council election
Mayor before election Dave Hodgson Liberal Democrat No overall control Mayor after election Tom Wootton Conservative No overall control

The 2023 Bedford Borough Council election took place on 4 May 2023, electing members of Bedford Borough Council in Bedfordshire, England. An election for the borough's directly-elected mayor took place at the same time. This was the same day as other local elections.

The whole council was up for election on new ward boundaries. The total number of seats increased by 6, from 40 to 46. Issues being debated by the candidates include the route of East West Rail through the town, with Government confirmation on the route still awaited at the time of the election.

The council remained under no overall control after the election. The Conservative candidate, Tom Wootton, won the mayoralty, defeating the Liberal Democrat incumbent, Dave Hodgson, who had held the post since 2009.

Summary

Election result

2023 Bedford Borough Council election (new boundaries)
Party		Candidates	Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	Labour	45	14	1	0	3	31.1	29.4	24,563	+1.8
	Conservative	45	13	0	1	2	28.9	27.9	23,316	–3.4
	Liberal Democrats	46	13	0	2	2	28.9	27.7	23,194	–2.6
	Green	25	3	1	0	1	6.7	8.1	6,786	+1.7
	Independent	9	2	1	0	1	4.4	6.5	5,479	+2.8
	Reform UK	2	0	0	0		0.0	0.4	310	New
	TUSC	1	0	0	0		0.0	<0.1	6	New
	Communist	1	0	0	0		0.0	<0.1	5	New
	Vacant	0	1	0	0		2.2	N/A	N/A	N/A

Ward results

Official results were published by Bedford Borough Council as the count progressed. They were also reported live by the Bedford Independent and also reported by the Bedford Times and Citizen newspaper, initially through its website.

The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by Bedford Borough Council following the close of nominations on 5 April 2023.

Biddenham

Brickhill

Bromham

Castle and Newnham

Cauldwell

Clapham and Oakley

De Parys

Goldington

Great Barford

Great Barford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Phillippa Martin-Moran-Bryant*	781	69.9	+15.8
	Green	Toby Waltham	160	14.3	±0.0
	Liberal Democrats	Malcolm Smith	103	9.2	–13.7
	Labour	Harvey Stimson	73	6.5	–2.1
Majority			621	55.6	N/A
Turnout			1,117	40.9	+2.0
Registered electors			2,752
	Conservative hold		Swing	7.9

Great Denham

Greyfriars

Harpur

Harrold

Harrold

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Alison Foster*	789	60.6	–7.1
	Liberal Democrats	James Thomson	190	14.6	+8.8
	Labour	David Bevan	164	12.6	+6.1
	Green	Niamh Lynch	160	12.3	–7.7
Majority			599	46.0
Turnout			1,303	40.9
Registered electors			3,209
	Conservative hold		Swing	8.0

Kempston Central and East

Kempston North

Kempston North

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Sue Oliver*	665	64.8	+17.5
	Conservative	Elizabeth Hedison	233	22.7	–17.5
	Green	Laura Fitzgerald	78	7.6	–0.3
	Liberal Democrats	Bipinchandra Shah	50	4.9	+0.3
Majority			432	42.1
Turnout			1,026	32.0	–4.1
Registered electors			3,228
	Labour hold		Swing	17.5

Kempston South

Kempston South

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Carl Meader*	902	82.8	–0.7
	Conservative	Barry Ryan	113	10.4	–2.7
	Liberal Democrats	Janet Trengrove	44	4.0	+0.6
	Green	Sanjay Patel	31	2.8	N/A
Majority			789	72.4
Turnout			1,090	33.5	–3.9
Registered electors			3,256
	Labour hold		Swing	1.0

Kempston West

Kempston West

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	James Valentine*	615	68.6	+16.5
	Conservative	Elizabeth Wootton	191	21.3	–19.4
	Liberal Democrats	Paramjeet Kaur	60	6.7	–0.5
	Green	James Long	26	2.9	N/A
	Communist	Markus Keaney	5	0.6	N/A
Majority			424	47.3
Turnout			897	28.9	–2.9
Registered electors			3,119
	Labour hold		Swing	18.0

Kingsbrook

Putnoe

Queens Park

Renhold and Ravensden

Riseley

Riseley

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Martin Towler*	865	62.1	+1.6
	Labour	Min Rodruguez	265	19.0	–6.9
	Green	Joanne Hill	142	10.2	N/A
	Liberal Democrats	Lorna Marchant	121	8.7	–4.9
Majority			600	43.1
Turnout			1,393	44.0	+6.1
Registered electors			3,212
	Conservative hold		Swing	4.3

Riverfield

Sharnbrook

Sharnbrook

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Doug McMurdo*	946	67.0	+2.9
	Conservative	Douglas Hansen-Luke	252	17.9	–7.8
	Labour	Thomas McEwan	123	8.7	+4.3
	Liberal Democrats	Paul Stekelis	90	6.4	+0.6
Majority			694	49.1
Turnout			1,411	44.6	–5.3
Registered electors			3,185
	Independent hold		Swing	5.4

Shortstown

Wixams and Wilstead

Wootton and Kempston Rural

Wyboston

Wyboston

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Tom Wootton*	878	76.0	+4.5
	Liberal Democrats	Thomas Townsend	156	13.5	–15.0
	Labour	Ian Nicholls	121	10.5	N/A
Majority			722	62.5
Turnout			1,155	40.6	–1.5
Registered electors			2,875
	Conservative hold		Swing	9.8

Note: since Wootton had been elected Mayor of Bedford the result was a vacant seat.

Changes 2023–2027

In November 2023, Mohammed Mahboob Din, elected as a Labour councillor, left the party to sit as an independent.

The Riverfield by-election was triggered by the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Billy Thompson.

References

1. Dave Hodgson elected mayor, Christine McHugh group leader

1. "Notice of Election". Bedford Borough Council. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
2. "The Bedford (Electoral Changes) Order 2022", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2022/268, retrieved 29 April 2023
3. Holmes, Amy (13 April 2023). "East-West Rail: Bedford's mayoral candidates split on rail project". BBC News. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
4. "Local elections 2023: Conservatives take Bedford mayor from Lib Dems". BBC News. 6 May 2023. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
5. "Election results - 4 May 2023". Bedford Borough Council. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
6. "LIVE: Bedford Borough mayoral and council elections results 2023". Bedford Independent. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
7. "Bedford Elections: Who has been elected to Bedford Borough Council and who is the mayor?". Bedford Times and Citizen. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
8. "Election notices". Bedford Borough Council. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
9. "Election results - 4 May 2023". Bedford Borough Council. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
10. Hutchinson, Paul (3 November 2023). "Bedford Borough Councillor resigns from party over Gaza conflict". Bedford Independent. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
11. "Riverfield Ward by-election Thursday 2 May 2024". Bedford Borough Council. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
12. Guinn, John (26 March 2024). "Lib Dem councillor resigns following move from the area". Bedford Independent. Retrieved 6 May 2024.

v t e Council elections in Bedfordshire
Bedford Borough Council	1973 1976 1979 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 2009 2011 2015 2019 2023
Central Bedfordshire Council	2009 2011 2015 2019 2023
Luton Borough Council	1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1996 1998 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023
Bedfordshire County Council	1889 1892 1895 1898 1901 1904 1907 1910 1913 1919 1922 1925 1928 1931 1934 1937 1946 1949 1952 1955 1958 1961 1964 1967 1970 1973 1977 1981 1985 1989 1993 1997 2001 2005 Abolished
Mid Bedfordshire District Council	1973 1976 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 Abolished
South Bedfordshire District Council	1973 1976 1979 1980 1982 1983 1984 1986 1987 1988 1990 1991 1992 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2002 2003 2004 2006 2007 Abolished
See also: Wards Boundary changes

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