# 2023 Babergh District Council election

The 2023 Babergh District Council election was held on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Babergh District Council in Suffolk, England. This was on the same day as other local elections.

## Summary

Prior to the election the council was under no overall control, being run by a coalition of independents, Greens, Liberal Democrats and Labour, led by independent councillor John Ward who had been initially appointed as a Conservative before leaving the party in 2022.
All parties, excluding the Conservatives, stood increased numbers of candidates since the 2019 election. The number of Labour and Liberal Democrat candidates doubled and the Green Party stood a full-slate for the first time at a Babergh District Council election. In contrast to the other parties, the number of Conservative candidates substantially declined, with several former councillors opting to stand as Independents.
The council remained under no overall control, with the Greens emerging as the largest party. Conservative group leader Simon Barrett lost his seat. Conversely, Deputy Council Leader and Independent Group Leader Clive Arthey was heavily defeated in Lavenham, which the Conservatives targeted hard, thus culminating in their only gain of the election.
A coalition of the Greens, independents and Liberal Democrats formed after the election with an agreement that leadership would rotate between the groups across the four years to the next election, with Liberal Democrat councillor David Busby being leader for the first year, Green councillor Deborah Saw leading for the second and fourth years and independent councillor John Ward leading for the third year.

## Overall results

2023 Babergh District Council election :
| Party | Candidates | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Green | 32 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 31.3 | 31.1 | 11,116 | +7.8 |
| Independent | 13 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 28.1 | 15.9 | 5,671 | –3.6 |
| Conservative | 21 | 7 | 1 | 9 | 8 | 21.9 | 24.1 | 8,610 | –10.7 |
| Liberal Democrats | 23 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 15.6 | 15.8 | 5,645 | +5.5 |
| Labour | 22 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3.1 | 13.1 | 4,680 | +3.5 |

## Ward results

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

### Assington

Assington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lee Parker | 452 | 49.8 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Richard Sunderland | 341 | 37.6 | +4.5 |
| | Green | Amy Aylett | 115 | 12.7 | –4.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 111 | 12.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 917 | 41.0 | +1.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,237 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Swing | N/A | |

### Box Vale

Box Vale :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Bryn Hurren* | 684 | 64.0 | –16.1 |
| | Conservative | Fred Topham | 180 | 16.8 | –3.1 |
| | Green | Theresa Munson | 154 | 14.4 | N/A |
| | Labour | Rupert Perry | 51 | 4.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 504 | 47.2 | –13.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,071 | 46.3 | –1.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,313 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 6.5 | |

### Brantham

Brantham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Alastair McCraw* | 560 | 77.7 | –8.2 |
| | Green | Miriam Burns | 101 | 14.0 | +7.0 |
| | Labour | Steven Hunter | 60 | 8.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 459 | 63.7 | –15.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 721 | 33.9 | –7.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,127 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | 7.9 | |

### Brett Vale

Brett Vale :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | John Ward* | 457 | 39.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Shaun Davis | 352 | 30.6 | –16.2 |
| | Green | Peter Lynn | 158 | 13.7 | –6.2 |
| | Labour | Lindsay Francis | 102 | 8.9 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Benjamin Herbig | 81 | 7.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 105 | 9.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,151 | 43.7 | +2.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,636 | | |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A | |

### Bures St Mary & Nayland

Bures St Mary & Nayland :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Isabelle Reece | 369 | 39.8 | –13.4 |
| | Green | Patrick McKenna | 319 | 34.4 | –12.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Rain Welham-Cobb | 165 | 17.8 | N/A |
| | Labour | Julian Freeman | 73 | 7.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 50 | 5.4 | –1.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 932 | 41.6 | +7.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,242 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 0.5 | |

### Capel St Mary

Capel St Mary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Whyman | 635 | 79.0 | –0.1 |
| | Green | Andrew Iredale Jaswal | 169 | 21.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 466 | 58.0 | –0.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 821 | 31.4 | –6.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,616 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Chadacre

Chadacre (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Michael Holt* | 748 | 46.5 | –5.6 |
| | Independent | Stephen Plumb* | 712 | 44.3 | –21.3 |
| | Green | Ralph Carpenter | 541 | 33.6 | +8.8 |
| | Green | Polly Rodger-Brown | 314 | 19.5 | –2.1 |
| | Labour | Matthew Marshall | 278 | 17.3 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Cheryl Schmidt | 203 | 12.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,609 | 33.4 | +2.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,824 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Copdock & Washbrook

Copdock & Washbrook :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Busby* | 591 | 56.4 | –5.0 |
| | Conservative | Christopher Hudson | 309 | 29.5 | –9.1 |
| | Green | Karen Marshall | 147 | 14.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 282 | 26.9 | +4.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,061 | 39.8 | ±0.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,663 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 2.1 | |

### East Bergholt

East Bergholt :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Sallie Davies | 546 | 52.7 | +27.0 |
| | Independent | John Hinton* | 253 | 24.4 | –20.0 |
| | Conservative | Stephen Williams | 141 | 13.6 | –16.4 |
| | Labour | Adrian James | 74 | 7.1 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lauren De Banks | 22 | 2.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 293 | 28.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,044 | 46.5 | +5.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,243 | | |
| | Green gain from Independent | Green gain from Independent | Swing | 23.5 | |

### Ganges

Ganges :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Derek Davis* | 310 | 45.9 | –25.0 |
| | Conservative | Shane Rolin | 190 | 28.1 | +14.1 |
| | Green | Shazz Kennedy | 67 | 9.9 | +1.7 |
| | Labour | Simon Whitney | 63 | 9.3 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Woodcraft | 45 | 6.7 | –0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 120 | 17.8 | –39.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 676 | 34.1 | –7.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,982 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | 19.6 | |

### Great Cornard

Great Cornard (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Ruth Hendry | 694 | 35.4 | +14.6 |
| | Conservative | Mark Newman* | 660 | 33.7 | –4.5 |
| | Conservative | Peter Beer* | 658 | 33.6 | –5.7 |
| | Conservative | Judith Wilson | 627 | 32.0 | –3.8 |
| | Labour | Emma Bishton | 545 | 27.8 | –3.1 |
| | Labour | Kevin Graham | 542 | 27.6 | –0.6 |
| | Labour | Tom Keane | 450 | 22.9 | –3.0 |
| | Green | Melanie Boyce | 438 | 22.3 | +5.0 |
| | Green | Heather James | 396 | 20.2 | +4.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Marjorie Bark | 387 | 19.7 | +5.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,961 | 27.4 | +2.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,152 | | |
| | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Hadleigh North

Hadleigh North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Simon Dowling | 230 | 33.8 | +13.8 |
| | Conservative | Sian Dawson* | 199 | 29.3 | –6.7 |
| | Independent | Gordon McLeod | 101 | 14.9 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Butcher | 80 | 11.8 | –10.5 |
| | Labour | Andy Kennedy | 70 | 10.3 | –11.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 31 | 4.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 686 | 30.3 | –2.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,266 | | |
| | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Swing | 10.3 | |

### Hadleigh South

Hadleigh South (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Jane Carruthers | 539 | 40.4 | +16.2 |
| | Independent | Kathryn Grandon* | 498 | 37.3 | –17.5 |
| | Green | Alex Parvu | 483 | 36.2 | +20.1 |
| | Conservative | Alan Ferguson | 418 | 31.3 | +2.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Duncan Read | 250 | 18.7 | N/A |
| | Labour | Mark Heath | 171 | 12.8 | –8.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,334 | 30.1 | –3.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,435 | | |
| | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Lavenham

Lavenham (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Margaret Maybury* | 966 | 52.7 | +6.8 |
| | Conservative | Paul Clover | 844 | 46.1 | +7.6 |
| | Independent | Clive Arthey* | 376 | 20.5 | –22.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nigel Adam | 363 | 19.8 | N/A |
| | Green | Shaun Moffat | 355 | 19.4 | –14.0 |
| | Green | Steve Nuttall | 256 | 14.0 | N/A |
| | Labour | Andrew Worpole | 242 | 13.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,832 | 40.7 | +1.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,499 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent |

### Long Melford

Long Melford (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | John Nunn* | 1,069 | 65.2 | –11.2 |
| | Independent | Liz Malvisi* | 571 | 34.8 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Melanie Barrett | 399 | 23.4 | –13.1 |
| | Green | Fae Gilfillan | 279 | 17.0 | –5.9 |
| | Labour | Michael Fitzmaurice | 228 | 13.9 | N/A |
| | Green | Michael Chapman | 201 | 12.3 | ±0.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alan Scott | 124 | 7.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,639 | 32.8 | –3.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,993 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative |

### North West Cosford

North West Cosford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Deborah Saw | 630 | 82.9 | +12.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mark Whyman | 130 | 17.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 500 | 65.8 | +24.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 804 | 36.8 | –8.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,187 | | |
| | Green hold | Green hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Orwell

Orwell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Daniel Potter | 509 | 63.4 | –9.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Chris Janes | 191 | 23.8 | N/A |
| | Labour | Keith Wade | 103 | 12.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 318 | 39.6 | –6.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 824 | 38.7 | –6.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,129 | | |
| | Green hold | Green hold | Swing | N/A | |

### South East Cosford

South East Cosford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Leigh Jamieson* | 811 | 88.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Rebecca Simpson | 101 | 11.1 | +11.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Green hold | Green hold | Swing | | |

### Sproughton & Pinewood

Sproughton & Pinewood (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Helen Davies | 496 | 41.3 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Brian Riley | 474 | 39.4 | +2.6 |
| | Green | Mary Cook | 327 | 27.2 | –4.4 |
| | Labour | Mary Manuel | 237 | 19.7 | –11.9 |
| | Labour | Graham Manuel | 223 | 18.6 | N/A |
| | Green | John Lyall | 176 | 14.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,202 | 26.6 | +2.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,511 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Green | Liberal Democrats gain from Green | Liberal Democrats gain from Green | Liberal Democrats gain from Green | Liberal Democrats gain from Green |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Stour

Stour :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Mary McLaren* | 448 | 46.0 | N/A |
| | Green | Carrie Wheeler | 216 | 22.2 | +5.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | James Gilchrist | 194 | 19.9 | –4.1 |
| | Labour | Tracy De Bernhardt Wood | 116 | 11.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 232 | 23.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 980 | 40.4 | –0.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,428 | | |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A | |

### Sudbury North East

Sudbury North East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Alison Owen* | 176 | 37.7 | +1.3 |
| | Independent | Jan Osborne | 129 | 27.6 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Simon Barrett | 79 | 16.9 | –9.2 |
| | Green | Julie Fowles-Smith | 48 | 10.3 | –1.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gareth Evans | 35 | 7.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 47 | 10.1 | –0.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 472 | 23.4 | –2.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,013 | | |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Sudbury North West

Sudbury North West (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Jessie Carter | 800 | 55.7 | +38.1 |
| | Green | Tim Regester | 537 | 37.4 | +23.9 |
| | Conservative | Nicholas Younger | 348 | 24.3 | –9.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nigel Bennett | 312 | 21.7 | –3.0 |
| | Labour | Adrian Stohr | 272 | 19.0 | –11.3 |
| | Labour | Matthew Olyver | 265 | 18.5 | –4.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,435 | 34.6 | +3.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,142 | | |
| | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative |
| | Green gain from Labour | Green gain from Labour | Green gain from Labour | Green gain from Labour | Green gain from Labour |

### Sudbury South East

Sudbury South East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Adrian Osborne* | 187 | 28.3 | N/A |
| | Labour Co-op | David Finnigan | 172 | 26.0 | –8.1 |
| | Green | Debo Adams | 136 | 20.6 | +7.8 |
| | Conservative | Portia Berry-Kilby | 117 | 17.7 | –24.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Martin Bark | 49 | 7.4 | –3.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15 | 2.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 662 | 34.6 | +3.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,911 | | |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A | |

### Sudbury South West

Sudbury South West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Laura Smith | 414 | 50.1 | +38.4 |
| | Conservative | Jacqueline Rawlinson | 191 | 23.1 | –12.5 |
| | Labour | Luke Cresswell | 167 | 20.2 | –7.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andrew Welsh | 55 | 6.7 | –6.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 223 | 27.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 841 | 38.0 | +3.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,215 | | |
| | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Swing | 25.5 | |