# 2023 Vale of White Horse District Council election

The 2023 Vale of White Horse District Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Vale of White Horse District Council in Oxfordshire, England. This was on the same day as other local elections across England. The election saw the Liberal Democrats increase their majority on the council, as well as the defeat of all remaining Conservatives.

## Summary
### Election result

All six Conservative councillors lost their seats, while the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party gained an additional three seats each. This was the first time since the creation of the council in 1974 that no Conservative councillors were elected.
2023 Vale of White District Council election :
| Party | Candidates | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Liberal Democrats | 34 | 34 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 89.5 | 54.6 | 34,321 | –0.8 |
| Green | 15 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 10.5 | 10.9 | 6,823 | +5.8 |
| Conservative | 38 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 29.4 | 18,499 | –1.8 |
| Labour | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0 | 4.8 | 3,005 | –2.0 |
| Reform UK | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0 | 0.2 | 101 | N/A |
| Independent | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0 | 0.2 | 100 | –0.1 |

## Ward results

The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by Vale of White Horse District Council on 5 April 2023.
* = sitting councillor in this ward prior to election

### Abingdon Abbey Northcourt

Abingdon Abbey Northcourt (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Elizabeth Pighills* | 1,109 | 62.9 | −10.0 |
| | Green | Cheryl Briggs* | 948 | 53.8 | −10.5 |
| | Conservative | Vicky Jenkins | 389 | 22.1 | −1.0 |
| | Labour | Stephen Webb | 299 | 17.0 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Vijay Srao | 273 | 15.5 | −7.1 |
| | Labour | Nathan Websdale | 215 | 12.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,762 | 37.30 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Green hold | Green hold | Swing | | |

### Abingdon Caldecott

Abingdon Caldecott (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Neil Fawcett* | 805 | 49.8 | −6.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andrew Skinner | 672 | 41.6 | −14.4 |
| | Conservative | Alice Badcock | 522 | 32.3 | +0.5 |
| | Conservative | Alexandra Green | 503 | 31.1 | +1.1 |
| | Green | Aidan Reilly | 301 | 18.6 | N/A |
| | Labour | Sayantani Mitra-Jones | 280 | 17.3 | +2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,616 | 29.52 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Abingdon Dunmore

Abingdon Dunmore (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andy Foulsham* | 1,216 | 64.7 | +2.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Oliver Forder | 1,131 | 60.2 | −4.8 |
| | Conservative | Andrew Packard | 506 | 26.9 | −1.7 |
| | Conservative | Christopher McCarthy | 451 | 24.0 | −3.9 |
| | Labour | Paul Burton | 281 | 15.0 | +6.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,879 | 40.29 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Abingdon Fitzharris

Abingdon Fitzharris :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Eric de la Harpe* | 894 | 48.6 | −10.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Maddison* | 838 | 45.5 | −12.5 |
| | Conservative | Chris Palmer | 520 | 28.2 | −0.3 |
| | Conservative | David Pope | 493 | 26.8 | −5.3 |
| | Green | Steven Rogers | 313 | 17.0 | N/A |
| | Labour | Moira Logie | 276 | 15.0 | +7.1 |
| | Labour | Julian Pierce | 168 | 9.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,841 | 38.94 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Abingdon Peachcroft

Abingdon Peachcroft (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mike Pighills* | 1,140 | 59.1 | −4.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Max Thompson* | 1,122 | 58.2 | −3.9 |
| | Conservative | Cavan Pirouet | 561 | 29.1 | −2.1 |
| | Conservative | Warren Brooker | 551 | 28.6 | +0.1 |
| | Labour | Edward Shelton | 276 | 14.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,929 | 37.59 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Blewbury & Harwell

Blewbury & Harwell (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Hayleigh Gascoigne* | 1,813 | 69.3 | +8.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Debra Dewhurst | 1,745 | 66.7 | +7.7 |
| | Conservative | Cath Convery | 743 | 28.4 | ±0.0 |
| | Conservative | Joe Murphy | 612 | 23.4 | −4.3 |
| | Reform UK | Peter Shields | 101 | 3.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,615 | 39.21 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Botley & Sunningwell

Botley & Sunningwell (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Emily Smith* | 1,184 | 59.9 | −3.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Debby Hallett* | 1,155 | 58.4 | −4.3 |
| | Conservative | Alexander Horsfall-Turner | 327 | 16.5 | +0.5 |
| | Labour | Nekisa Gholami-Babaahmady | 323 | 16.3 | +3.5 |
| | Conservative | Elina Horsfall-Turner | 316 | 16.0 | +0.9 |
| | Labour | Jamie Spooner | 284 | 14.4 | +3.9 |
| | Green | Katherine Phillips | 27 | 1.4 | −12.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,977 | 38.91 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Cumnor

Cumnor (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Judy Roberts* | 1,333 | 69.0 | +6.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Antony Houghton | 1,078 | 55.8 | −7.7 |
| | Conservative | Craig Robinson | 486 | 25.2 | −2.7 |
| | Conservative | Mohinder Kainth | 437 | 22.6 | −3.0 |
| | Labour | Erica Davis | 291 | 15.1 | +5.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,931 | 38.17 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Drayton

Drayton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andy Cooke* | 690 | 72.7 | −1.2 |
| | Conservative | Christopher Campbell | 259 | 27.3 | +1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 949 | 33.77 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Faringdon

Faringdon (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Bethia Thomas* | 1,531 | 68.0 | +12.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lucy Edwards | 1,390 | 61.7 | +15.5 |
| | Conservative | James Famakin | 583 | 25.9 | +0.7 |
| | Conservative | Robin Morrisen | 481 | 21.3 | −1.9 |
| | Green | Adam Swallow | 319 | 14.2 | +2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,253 | 34.49 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Grove North

Grove North (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ron Batstone* | 986 | 69.6 | +20.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kiera Bentley | 906 | 63.9 | +17.1 |
| | Conservative | Ben Mabbett* | 471 | 33.2 | +0.6 |
| | Conservative | Craig Brown | 395 | 27.9 | +2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,417 | 27.57 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Hendreds

Hendreds :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Sarah James | 735 | 67.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Janet Shelley* | 350 | 32.3 | −24.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,085 | 41.05 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Kennington & Radley

Kennington & Radley (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Diana Lugova* | 1,056 | 56.0 | −7.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | James Cox | 899 | 47.7 | −24.2 |
| | Conservative | Gareth Jennings | 515 | 27.3 | −4.5 |
| | Conservative | David Brown | 462 | 24.5 | +2.7 |
| | Green | Charles Couper | 282 | 15.0 | N/A |
| | Green | Christopher Henderson | 247 | 13.1 | N/A |
| | Labour | Ruth Mayne | 170 | 9.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,886 | 36.30 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Kingston Bagpuize

Kingston Bagpuize :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jill Rayner | 880 | 59.6 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Dianna Swale | 596 | 40.4 | +40.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,476 | 38.77 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Marcham

Marcham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Clegg | 497 | 58.2 | −12.5 |
| | Conservative | James Plumb | 357 | 41.8 | +12.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 854 | 34.15 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Ridgeway

Ridgeway :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Barrow* | 671 | 58.0 | +7.8 |
| | Conservative | Amos Lundie | 485 | 42.0 | −7.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,156 | 44.01 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Stanford

Stanford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sue Caul | 546 | 44.2 | +24.4 |
| | Conservative | Nathan Boyd* | 536 | 43.4 | −4.6 |
| | Green | James Brooks | 153 | 12.4 | −5.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,235 | 41.00 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Steventon & the Hanneys

Steventon & the Hanneys :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sally Povolotsky* | 876 | 64.4 | +23.4 |
| | Conservative | Louise Brown | 485 | 35.6 | −12.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,361 | 41.67 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Sutton Courtenay

Sutton Courtenay :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Richard Webber* | 488 | 58.5 | −17.4 |
| | Conservative | Patrick Atkinson | 233 | 27.9 | +3.8 |
| | Green | Michel Grandjean | 113 | 13.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 834 | 32.66 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Thames

Thames :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mark Coleman | 606 | 49.8 | −3.2 |
| | Conservative | Richard Swale | 427 | 35.1 | −11.9 |
| | Independent | Jerry Avery* | 100 | 8.2 | −44.8 |
| | Labour | Daniel Crouch | 83 | 6.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,216 | 44.13 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Wantage & Grove Brook

Wantage & Grove Brook (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jenny Hannaby* | 1,160 | 65.1 | +2.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Amos Duveen* | 976 | 54.7 | +6.6 |
| | Conservative | Clare Boyd | 446 | 25.0 | −5.5 |
| | Conservative | Gabriella Turnbull | 418 | 23.4 | −1.8 |
| | Green | Thomas Gaston | 360 | 20.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,783 | 31.13 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Wantage Charlton

Wantage Charlton (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andy Crawford* | 1,291 | 67.1 | +6.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Patrick O'Leary* | 1,205 | 62.6 | +2.3 |
| | Conservative | Charlotte Dickson | 436 | 22.6 | −5.5 |
| | Green | Darshana Patel | 388 | 20.2 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Charles Dickson | 380 | 19.7 | −6.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,925 | 32.46 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Watchfield & Shrivenham

Watchfield & Shrivenham (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Katherine Foxhall | 1,355 | 55.6 | N/A |
| | Green | Viral Patel | 1,170 | 48.0 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Simon Howell* | 1,091 | 44.7 | −16.1 |
| | Conservative | Elaine Ware* | 1,055 | 43.3 | −19.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,438 | 39.76 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
| | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Wootton

Wootton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Val Shaw* | 432 | 45.4 | −16.8 |
| | Conservative | George Robinson | 348 | 36.6 | −1.2 |
| | Green | Anna Thomas | 112 | 11.8 | N/A |
| | Labour | Chris Hall | 59 | 6.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 951 | 35.05 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

## Changes 2023–2027
### Sutton Courtenay

Sutton Courtenay By-Election 20 June 2024 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Stevens | 226 | 33.6 | −24.9 |
| | Green | Aidan Reilly | 214 | 31.8 | +18.3 |
| | Conservative | Christopher Campbell | 182 | 27.1 | −0.8 |
| | Labour | Stephen Webb | 50 | 7.4 | new |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12 | 1.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 672 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | +17.3 | |