# 2019 Forest of Dean District Council election

The 2019 Forest of Dean District Council election was held on 2 May 2019 as part of the 2019 United Kingdom local elections. This was the first election in the Forest of Dean following a boundary review, which reduced the total number of Councillors from 48 to 38. Due to the boundary review, party seat changes in the summary box (right) are based on notional results, not the actual 2015 results.

## Summary
### Background

Only the Conservatives fielded candidates for all 38 seats. The Green Party fielded 27 candidates, Labour 24, the Liberal Democrats 5 and UKIP 2. There were 24 independent candidates.
A Green Party candidate standing in Newen & Taynton ward, David Richard Humphreys, died whilst canvassing for the party, causing the election to be postponed to 20 June 2019.

### Election result

2019 Forest of Dean District Council election :
| Party | Candidates | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Independent | 25 | 14 | N/A | N/A | 8 | 40.0 | 25.6 | 10,409 | +15.6 |
| Conservative | 38 | 10 | N/A | N/A | 11 | 28.6 | 30.0 | 12,197 | –4.1 |
| Green | 27 | 6 | N/A | N/A | 5 | 17.1 | 21.6 | 8,775 | +11.4 |
| Labour | 24 | 5 | N/A | N/A | 8 | 14.3 | 16.4 | 6,660 | –9.9 |
| Liberal Democrats | 6 | 0 | N/A | N/A | | 0.0 | 5.2 | 2,093 | +2.6 |
| UKIP | 2 | 0 | N/A | N/A | 7 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 472 | –15.3 |

### Council composition

| Party | Party | 2015 election | Pre-2019 election* | 2019 election |
| | Independent | 6 | 15 | 14 |
| | Conservative | 21 | 19 | 10 |
| | Green | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| | Labour | 13 | 9 | 5 |
| | UKIP | 7 | 3 | 0 |
| | Vacant | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Total | Total | 48 | 48 | 38 |
Changes since the 2015 election are due to defections and by-elections.

### Aftermath

Following the election, an administration was formed between the Independents, Green and Labour councillors. Tim Gwilliam, an Independent councillor who had served as Leader of the Council since July 2017, was re-elected as leader. A cabinet was formed consisting of two Independents, two Green and two Labour members.

## Ward results
### Berry Hill

Berry Hill (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Tim Gwilliam | 727 | 60.2 | |
| | Independent | Michelle Claire Mumford | 370 | 30.6 | |
| | Conservative | Nigel John Bluett | 319 | 26.4 | |
| | Conservative | Marrilyn Jane Smart | 260 | 21.5 | |
| | Green | Richard Noel Henson | 251 | 20.8 | |
| | Green | Mike Smith | 163 | 13.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,208 | | |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |

### Bream

Bream (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Richard Nicholas Leppington | 651 | 48.5 | |
| | Independent | Paul John Hiett | 442 | 32.9 | |
| | Labour | Steve Crick | 335 | 25.0 | |
| | Green | Rachel Cameron | 261 | 19.4 | |
| | Green | Jackie Dale | 237 | 17.7 | |
| | Conservative | Alan Roy John Bensted | 198 | 14.8 | |
| | Conservative | Liz Stuart | 159 | 11.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |

### Cinderford East

Cinderford East (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Max Coborn | 424 | 55.4 | |
| | Labour | Di Martin | 417 | 54.4 | |
| | Independent | Jeremy Paul Charlton-Wright | 224 | 29.2 | |
| | Conservative | Grace Bensted | 159 | 20.8 | |
| | Conservative | Pamela Kay Plummer | 123 | 16.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 766 | | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Cinderford West

Cinderford West (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Mark David Turner | 317 | 41.5 | |
| | Labour | Lynn Iris Sterry | 288 | 37.7 | |
| | Labour | Roger Anthony Sterry | 284 | 37.2 | |
| | Conservative | Catherine Alys Broadhead | 141 | 18.5 | |
| | Green | Jill Raymond | 132 | 17.3 | |
| | Conservative | Roger Burgess Newton Stuart | 113 | 14.8 | |
| | Green | Piers Gawain Chivers | 70 | 9.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 763 | | |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Coleford

Coleford (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Clive Terence Elsmore | 712 | 46.3 | |
| | Independent | Ian Richard Whitburn | 486 | 31.6 | |
| | Conservative | Carole Ann Allaway Martin | 458 | 29.8 | |
| | Green | Beth Llewellyn | 420 | 27.3 | |
| | Conservative | David William Easton | 379 | 24.7 | |
| | Labour | James Bricis | 325 | 21.1 | |
| | Conservative | Denis Riley | 315 | 20.5 | |
| | Labour | Neil Hampson | 300 | 19.5 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Heather Margaret Lusty | 268 | 17.4 | |
| | Green | Bhogini Vieira | 164 | 10.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,537 | | |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Dymock

Dymock (1 seat) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Roger Yeates | 432 | 65.3 | |
| | Green | Bob Rhodes | 230 | 34.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 662 | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Hartpury & Redmarley

Hartpury & Redmarley (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Philip Howard Joseph Burford | 850 | 59.4 | |
| | Conservative | Brian Cecil Lewis | 546 | 38.2 | |
| | Conservative | Clayton Williams | 519 | 36.3 | |
| | Green | John Edward Thomas Turvill | 421 | 29.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,430 | | |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Longhope & Huntley

Longhope & Huntley (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Brian Richard Robinson | 549 | 51.3 | |
| | Conservative | Brian Anthony Jones | 493 | 46.1 | |
| | Green | Jane Prescott | 460 | 43.0 | |
| | Labour | Toby Alexander Flitton | 267 | 25.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,070 | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Lydbrook

Lydbrook (1 seat) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Sid Phelps | 500 | 67.4 | |
| | Independent | Matthew James Williams | 213 | 28.7 | |
| | Conservative | Zehra Zaidi | 29 | 3.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 742 | | |
| | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) |

### Lydney East

Lydney East (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Alan Preest | 475 | 39.5 | |
| | Independent | James Arthur Bevan | 431 | 35.8 | |
| | Conservative | Claire Elizabeth Vaughan | 360 | 29.9 | |
| | Independent | Bill Osborne | 282 | 23.4 | |
| | Labour | Zac Arnold | 273 | 22.7 | |
| | Independent | Roger Ashley Jean Wilkinson | 221 | 18.4 | |
| | Green | James Carwithen Greenwood | 220 | 18.3 | |
| | Labour | Louis Neal Arnold | 214 | 17.8 | |
| | Labour | Mel Farrant | 207 | 17.2 | |
| | Conservative | Robert Francis Garside | 194 | 16.1 | |
| | Green | Rachel Ann Pardoe | 190 | 15.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,204 | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Lydney North

Lydney North (1 seat) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Harry Joseph Ives | 270 | 43.7 | |
| | Labour | Louise Penny | 157 | 25.4 | |
| | Independent | Phoebe Winter Coleman-Wood | 99 | 16.0 | |
| | Green | Jane Margaret Carr | 92 | 14.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 618 | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Lydney West & Aylburton

Lydney West & Aylburton (1 seat) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Mark Topping | 285 | 40.9 | |
| | Conservative | Jim Simpson | 273 | 39.2 | |
| | Labour | Steve Stockham | 139 | 19.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 697 | | |
| | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) |

### Mitcheldean, Ruardean & Drybrook

Mitcheldean, Ruardean & Drybrook (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Andrew Edward Gardiner | 665 | 35.6 | |
| | Labour | Jackie Fraser | 605 | 32.4 | |
| | Independent | Thom Forester | 556 | 29.8 | |
| | Labour | Douglas Martin Scott | 464 | 24.8 | |
| | Labour | Shaun Stammers | 428 | 22.9 | |
| | Green | Jackie Orman | 419 | 22.4 | |
| | Conservative | Philip John Robinson | 404 | 21.6 | |
| | Conservative | Sarah Jane Cuthbert | 356 | 19.1 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sue Henchley | 340 | 18.2 | |
| | Conservative | Jane Henson Horne | 310 | 16.6 | |
| | UKIP | Roy Bardo | 296 | 15.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,868 | | |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |

### Newent & Taynton

Newent & Taynton (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Julia Denise Gooch | 551 | 30.1 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gill Moseley | 462 | 25.2 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Vilnis Oliver Vesma | 423 | | |
| | Conservative | Len Lawton | 404 | 22.0 | |
| | Conservative | Eli Heathfield | 392 | | |
| | Green | Bob Rhodes | 306 | 16.7 | |
| | Green | David John Price | 282 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Steve Martin | 266 | | |
| | Green | Johnny Back | 251 | | |
| | Conservative | Nick Winter | 217 | | |
| | Independent | Edward Hugh Wood | 175 | | |
| | Independent | Simon Holmes | 170 | | |
| | Labour | Jean Sampson | 110 | 6.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
* On 29 April 2019, it was announced that David Richard Humphreys died whilst canvassing for the Green Party. The election for the ward was then held on 20 June.

### Newland & Sling

Newland & Sling (1 seat) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | David Andrew John Wheeler | 347 | 42.8 | |
| | Independent | Roger John James | 208 | 25.7 | |
| | Conservative | Terry Hale | 198 | 24.4 | |
| | Labour | Sally Reader | 57 | 7.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 810 | | |
| | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) |

### Newnham

Newnham (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Nicky Packer | 813 | 57.5 | |
| | Conservative | Richard Henry Boyles | 571 | 40.4 | |
| | Labour | Stephen Robert Miller | 519 | 36.7 | |
| | Conservative | Gareth Rhys Hughes | 497 | 35.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,415 | | |
| | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Pillowell

Pillowell (1 seat) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Andy Moore | 266 | 38.3 | |
| | UKIP | Alan Philip Grant | 176 | 25.3 | |
| | Conservative | Frankie Evans | 134 | 19.3 | |
| | Labour | Elizabeth June Pugh | 119 | 17.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 695 | | |
| | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) |

### Ruspidge

Ruspidge (1 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Bernard Anthony O'Neill | 268 | 59.4 | |
| | Conservative | Grant Stephen Hughes | 183 | 40.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 451 | | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### St Briavels

St Briavels (1 seat) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Chris McFarling | 870 | 80.9 | |
| | Conservative | Patrick Christopher John Molyneux | 205 | 19.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,075 | | |
| | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) |

### Tidenham

Tidenham (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Nick Evans | 635 | 35.3 | |
| | Independent | Maria Edwards | 617 | 34.3 | |
| | Independent | Helen Mary Molyneux | 580 | 32.2 | |
| | Green | Adrian Birch | 468 | 26.0 | |
| | Conservative | Judy Davis | 402 | 22.3 | |
| | Conservative | John Rodney Fox | 388 | 21.6 | |
| | Independent | Gethyn Joffre Davies | 366 | 20.3 | |
| | Green | Fiona Bowie | 344 | 19.1 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Harrison Brown | 334 | 18.6 | |
| | Green | Sophie Jane Blacksell Jones | 313 | 17.4 | |
| | Labour | Angela Farrant | 203 | 11.3 | |
| | Labour | Roger Edward Holmes | 174 | 9.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,800 | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |

### Westbury-on-Severn

Westbury-on-Severn (1 seat) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Simon Charles Phelps | 437 | 61.9 | |
| | Conservative | Kate Elisabeth Robinson | 137 | 19.4 | |
| | Labour | Benjamin Elliott Garrick Webb | 83 | 11.8 | |
| | Independent | Gwyn John Evans | 49 | 6.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 706 | | |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |

## By-elections
### Berry Hill

Berry Hill, 6 May 2021 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Jamie Elsmore | 561 | 40.7 | +10.1 |
| | Conservative | Terry Hale | 400 | 29.0 | +2.6 |
| | Green | Melanie Getgood | 199 | 14.4 | −6.4 |
| | Labour | Matt Bishop | 185 | 13.4 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Taylerson | 33 | 2.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,378 | 37 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

### Cinderford East

Cinderford East, 6 May 2021 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Shaun Stammers | 362 | 39.5 | −15.9 |
| | Conservative | Carol Thomas | 319 | 34.8 | +14.0 |
| | Green | Carl Picton | 152 | 16.6 | N/A |
| | Independent | Jeremy Charlton-Wright | 83 | 9.1 | −20.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 916 | 27 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |