# 2023 South Oxfordshire District Council election

The 2023 South Oxfordshire District Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of South Oxfordshire District Council in Oxfordshire, England. This was on the same day as other local elections across England.
Prior to the election the council was under no overall control, being run by a Liberal Democrat and Green coalition. The Liberal Democrats won a majority of seats at this election, although chose to continue to operate in partnership with the Greens.

## Summary
### Election result

The Liberal Democrats gained control (from No Overall Control) at this election. The Conservatives lost all except one seat at this election, with the Lib Dems and Green Party making gains. Labour and the Henley Residents Group retained three seats each.
2023 South Oxfordshire District Council election :
| Party | Candidates | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Liberal Democrats | 24 | 21 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 58.3 | 35.8 | 27,852 | +8.0 |
| Green | 12 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 22.2 | 15.7 | 12,241 | +1.9 |
| Labour | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | | 8.3 | 8.5 | 6,597 | –1.9 |
| Henley Residents | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | | 8.3 | 6.6 | 5,143 | +1.7 |
| Conservative | 36 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 2.8 | 30.9 | 24,051 | +1.6 |
| Independent | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 1,154 | –10.8 |
| SDP | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 0.7 | 515 | N/A |
| Reform UK | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 0.3 | 257 | N/A |

## Ward results

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

### Benson and Crowmarsh

Benson & Crowmarsh (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sue Cooper* | 1,589 | 63.2 | +5.1 |
| | Green | Andrea Powell* | 1,534 | 61.0 | +9.7 |
| | Conservative | Felix Bloomfield | 799 | 31.8 | –1.3 |
| | Conservative | Gary Flux | 719 | 28.6 | –2.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,514 | 37.7 | –5.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,664 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold |
| | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold |

### Berinsfield

Berinsfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Robin Bennett* | 761 | 80.0 | +20.8 |
| | Conservative | Bob Dhillon | 190 | 20.0 | –2.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 571 | 60.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 964 | 32.9 | –4.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,928 | | |
| | Green hold | Green hold | Swing | 11.8 | |

### Chalgrove

Chalgrove :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Turner* | 929 | 86.3 | –0.8 |
| | Conservative | Jit Patel | 147 | 13.7 | +0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 782 | 72.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,083 | 37.4 | –5.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,895 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 0.8 | |

### Chinnor

Chinnor (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ed Sadler | 1,354 | 54.3 | +20.5 |
| | Green | Ali Gordon-Creed | 1,334 | 53.5 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Louise Heathcote | 1,082 | 43.4 | –4.3 |
| | Conservative | James Endean-Mills | 919 | 36.9 | –7.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,492 | 34.9 | +4.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,147 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative |
| | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative |

### Cholsey

Cholsey (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anne-Marie Simpson* | 1,634 | 53.4 | +11.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ben Manning | 1,387 | 45.3 | N/A |
| | Independent | Sue Roberts | 912 | 29.8 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Jane Murphy* | 808 | 26.4 | –18.8 |
| | Conservative | Paul Jackson | 697 | 22.8 | –14.0 |
| | SDP | Kyn Pomlett | 188 | 6.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,059 | 42.1 | +3.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,264 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative |

### Didcot North East

Didcot North East (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Rouane* | 1,471 | 55.7 | +29.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andrew Tinsley | 1,237 | 46.9 | +14.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Zia Mohammed | 1,213 | 45.9 | +20.4 |
| | Conservative | Andrea Warren* | 739 | 28.0 | +4.0 |
| | Conservative | Alan Thompson* | 731 | 27.7 | +5.5 |
| | Conservative | Annah Francisco | 665 | 25.2 | +4.2 |
| | Labour | Craig Wilson | 548 | 20.8 | –0.1 |
| | Labour | George Ryall | 493 | 18.7 | +3.6 |
| | Labour | Phil Wheeler | 425 | 16.1 | +2.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,640 | 33.4 | –1.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,894 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold |

### Didcot South

Didcot South (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Mocky Khan* | 1,237 | 45.9 | +8.6 |
| | Labour Co-op | Denise Macdonald | 1,056 | 39.2 | +6.7 |
| | Labour Co-op | Axel Macdonald* | 926 | 34.3 | +2.9 |
| | Conservative | Anthony Dearlove | 765 | 28.4 | –1.8 |
| | Green | Sarah Nohre | 702 | 26.0 | –4.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jim Loder | 635 | 23.6 | –5.0 |
| | Conservative | Tom Wiltshire | 611 | 22.7 | –5.0 |
| | Conservative | Thomas Skuse | 590 | 21.9 | –2.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Hugh Macdonald | 500 | 18.5 | –9.7 |
| | SDP | Owen Edwards | 327 | 12.1 | N/A |
| | Reform UK | Peter Shields | 106 | 3.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,696 | 28.4 | +0.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,492 | | |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold |

### Didcot West

Didcot West (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Ian Snowdon* | 791 | 41.2 | +0.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Tony Worgan | 630 | 32.8 | +6.2 |
| | Green | Adam Grindey | 577 | 30.1 | +2.3 |
| | Conservative | Lee Marsden | 574 | 29.9 | –3.4 |
| | Labour | James Broadbent | 566 | 29.5 | –2.0 |
| | Labour | Nick Hards | 509 | 26.5 | +0.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,920 | 32.4 | +3.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,933 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative |

### Forest Hill and Holton

Forest Hill & Holton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Tim Bearder* | 837 | 71.9 | +15.7 |
| | Conservative | Greg Flynn | 327 | 28.1 | –5.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 510 | 43.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,189 | 43.3 | +1.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,749 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 10.8 | |

### Garsington and Horspath

Garsington & Horspath :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sam James-Lawrie | 414 | 38.9 | +15.9 |
| | Conservative | Fiona Ardern | 257 | 24.1 | –25.9 |
| | Independent | Sue Lawson | 242 | 22.7 | N/A |
| | Labour | Stuart Macbeth | 109 | 10.2 | –4.3 |
| | Green | James Meyer-Bejdl | 43 | 4.0 | –8.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 157 | 14.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,068 | 37.8 | +3.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,828 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | 20.9 | |

### Goring

Goring :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Maggie Filipova-Rivers* | 1,098 | 73.3 | +27.3 |
| | Conservative | Kevin Bulmer | 400 | 26.7 | –12.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 698 | 46.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,520 | 48.1 | +4.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,162 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 19.9 | |

### Haseley Brook

Haseley Brook :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Georgina Heritage | 741 | 59.7 | +15.3 |
| | Conservative | Richard Newman | 501 | 40.3 | –6.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 240 | 19.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,250 | 37.6 | –1.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,322 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | 10.9 | |

### Henley-on-Thames

Henley-on-Thames (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Henley Residents | Stefan Gawrysiak* | 1,934 | 59.7 | –1.8 |
| | Henley Residents | Ken Arlett* | 1,652 | 51.0 | –2.4 |
| | Henley Residents | Kellie Hinton* | 1,557 | 48.0 | –6.3 |
| | Conservative | Lorraine Hillier | 1,014 | 31.3 | +0.6 |
| | Conservative | Dave Adkins | 793 | 24.5 | –3.6 |
| | Green | Helen Fraser | 730 | 22.5 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Hugh Legh | 664 | 20.5 | –3.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Powell | 612 | 18.9 | +6.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,241 | 34.3 | –6.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,444 | | |
| | Henley Residents hold | Henley Residents hold | Henley Residents hold | Henley Residents hold | Henley Residents hold |
| | Henley Residents hold | Henley Residents hold | Henley Residents hold | Henley Residents hold | Henley Residents hold |
| | Henley Residents hold | Henley Residents hold | Henley Residents hold | Henley Residents hold | Henley Residents hold |

### Kidmore End and Whitchurch

Kidmore End & Whitchurch :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Peter Dragonetti* | 717 | 62.5 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Jim Donahue | 430 | 37.5 | +12.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 287 | 25.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,145 | 40.3 | –0.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,840 | | |
| | Green gain from Independent | Green gain from Independent | Swing | N/A | |
Dragonetti had previously stood as an Independent, but was re-elected to the seat this time as a Green Party councillor.

### Sandford and the Wittenhams

Sandford & the Wittenhams :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Sam Casey-Rerhaye* | 895 | 74.0 | +0.6 |
| | Conservative | Edwin Samu | 315 | 26.0 | –0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 580 | 48.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,225 | 39.0 | –4.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,144 | | |
| | Green hold | Green hold | Swing | 0.6 | |

### Sonning Common

Sonning Common (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Leigh Rawlins* | 1,250 | 55.4 | +30.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mike Giles | 1,135 | 50.3 | N/A |
| | Conservative | David Bartholomew* | 979 | 43.4 | –0.4 |
| | Conservative | Bruce Harrison | 902 | 39.9 | +7.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,258 | 39.0 | –1.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,788 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative |
Rawlins was elected in 2019 as an Independent

### Thame

Thame (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kate Gregory* | 1,943 | 57.7 | +14.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Bretherton* | 1,939 | 57.6 | +15.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Pieter-Paul Barker* | 1,862 | 55.3 | +22.1 |
| | Conservative | David Dodds | 1,093 | 32.5 | +4.5 |
| | Conservative | William Hall | 793 | 23.6 | –4.0 |
| | Conservative | Dylan Thomas | 765 | 22.7 | –4.3 |
| | Labour | Steven Hartridge | 728 | 21.6 | +7.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,366 | 34.1 | –1.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,872 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold |

### Wallingford

Wallingford (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | James Barlow | 2,032 | 76.4 | +25.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Katharine Keats-Rohan | 1,762 | 66.2 | +26.2 |
| | Conservative | Adrian Lloyd | 609 | 22.9 | –0.3 |
| | Conservative | Chidinma Okolo | 363 | 13.6 | –8.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,660 | 41.5 | +2.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,412 | | |
| | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold |

### Watlington

Watlington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Freddie Van Mierlo | 916 | 69.6 | +21.1 |
| | Conservative | Harry Petano-Heathcote | 400 | 30.4 | –21.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 516 | 39.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,330 | 40.9 | –1.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,255 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | 21.1 | |

### Wheatley

Wheatley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alexandrine Kantor* | 774 | 66.6 | +2.4 |
| | Conservative | Lizzie Tully | 389 | 33.4 | +7.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 385 | 33.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,179 | 36.1 | +0.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,270 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 2.5 | |

### Woodcote and Rotherfield

Woodcote & Rotherfield (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Jo Robb* | 1,529 | 58.2 | +16.0 |
| | Green | James Norman | 1,387 | 52.8 | +13.2 |
| | Conservative | Julian Kingsbury | 1,028 | 39.1 | –10.3 |
| | Conservative | Pauline Vahey | 902 | 34.3 | –4.5 |
| | Reform UK | David Carpin | 151 | 5.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,626 | 40.2 | +4.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,527 | | |
| | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold |
| | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative |

## Changes 2023-2027
### By-elections
#### Cholsey

Cholsey by-election: 4 December 2024 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Crispin Topping | 949 | 62.2 | +16.1 |
| | Conservative | Alan Thompson | 362 | 23.7 | +0.9 |
| | SDP | Kyn Pomlett | 116 | 7.6 | +2.3 |
| | Labour | Jim Broadbent | 71 | 4.7 | N/A |
| | Independent | Karen Shoobridge | 28 | 1.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 587 | 38.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,533 | 20.5 | –21.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,481 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 7.6 | |