# 2023 Rugby Borough Council election

The 2023 Rugby Borough Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect 14 members (one-third) of Rugby Borough Council in Warwickshire, England. This was on the same day as other local elections across England.

## Summary

The council was under Conservative majority control prior to the election. Following the results, the Conservatives remained the largest party, but lost their majority, leaving the council under no overall control. One of the Conservatives to lose his seat was the leader of the council, Seb Lowe. The Conservatives managed to form a minority administration after the election, and appointed Derek Poole as their new leader. He was confirmed as the new leader of the council at the subsequent annual council meeting on 18 May 2023. The Labour group also changed their leader after the election; former leader Maggie O'Rourke was appointed mayor, and Michael Moran became the new Labour leader.
2023 Rugby Borough Council election :
| Party | Party | This election | This election | This election | Full council | Full council | Full council | This election | This election | This election |
| Party | Party | Seats | Net | Seats % | Other | Total | Total % | Votes | Votes % | +/− |
| | Conservative | 6 | 2 | 42.9 | 15 | 21 | 50.0 | 9,260 | 36.1 | –1.8 |
| | Labour | 5 | 2 | 35.7 | 7 | 12 | 28.6 | 8,916 | 34.8 | +0.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 3 | | 21.4 | 6 | 9 | 21.4 | 5,552 | 21.6 | –0.6 |
| | Green | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1,768 | 6.9 | +1.1 |
| | Reform UK | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 156 | 0.6 | N/A |

## Ward results

The results for each ward were as follows:

### Admirals & Cawston

Admirals & Cawston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Verity Robinson | 1,067 | 45.3 | –6.2 |
| | Conservative | Dean Richards | 977 | 41.5 | +7.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lee Chase | 186 | 7.9 | –0.7 |
| | Green | Jenny Farley | 124 | 5.3 | –0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 90 | 3.8 | –13.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,354 | 34.0 | –0.9 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 6.7 | |

### Benn

Benn :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Rob Barnett | 914 | 62.8 | ±0.0 |
| | Conservative | Dapo Awotunde | 280 | 19.2 | –1.2 |
| | Green | Angie Dunne | 151 | 10.4 | –6.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Trisha Trimble | 111 | 7.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 634 | 43.6 | +1.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,456 | 24.8 | –1.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 0.6 | |

### Bilton

Bilton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Lisa Parker | 787 | 36.3 | –5.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen Pimm | 712 | 32.8 | +1.1 |
| | Labour | Colin Mander | 555 | 25.6 | +5.2 |
| | Green | Benjamin Gladwin | 115 | 5.3 | –1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 75 | 3.5 | –6.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,169 | 43.0 | +0.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 3.2 | |

### Coton & Boughton

Coton & Boughton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Senthil Periasamy | 909 | 45.1 | +3.1 |
| | Conservative | Seb Lowe | 813 | 40.3 | –0.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Edward Blackburn | 127 | 6.3 | –2.3 |
| | Green | Roy Sandison | 103 | 5.1 | –2.0 |
| | Reform UK | Jamie Pullin | 64 | 3.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 96 | 4.8 | +3.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,016 | 35.3 | +2.8 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 1.7 | |

### Dunsmore

Dunsmore :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Keeling | 1,089 | 44.8 | –4.8 |
| | Labour | Ann Coomber | 638 | 26.2 | +8.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jonathan Bennett | 494 | 20.3 | –12.0 |
| | Green | Helen Ford | 212 | 8.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 451 | 18.6 | +1.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,433 | 35.9 | –2.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 6.4 | |

### Eastlands

Eastlands :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Neil Sandison | 894 | 49.3 | –0.1 |
| | Labour | George Bates | 461 | 25.4 | +2.0 |
| | Conservative | Heidi Thomas | 347 | 19.1 | –1.4 |
| | Green | Mark Patrick | 113 | 6.2 | –0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 433 | 23.9 | –2.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,815 | 31.9 | –3.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 1.0 | |

### Hillmorton

Hillmorton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Luke Russell | 909 | 44.4 | –1.2 |
| | Labour | Jenny Offordile | 866 | 42.3 | +3.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Julie Douglas | 168 | 8.2 | –6.9 |
| | Green | Becca Stevenson | 105 | 5.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 43 | 2.1 | –4.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,048 | 32.9 | –1.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 2.1 | |

### Leam Valley

Leam Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Dale Keeling | 477 | 57.5 | –23.7 |
| | Labour | Mark Gore | 171 | 20.6 | +1.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Victoria Saxby-Edwards | 94 | 11.3 | N/A |
| | Green | Chris Mawby | 88 | 10.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 306 | 36.9 | –25.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 830 | 42.2 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 12.8 | |

### New Bilton

New Bilton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Barbara Brown | 717 | 59.4 | +0.5 |
| | Conservative | Christopher Johnson | 298 | 24.7 | –3.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Claire Sandison | 109 | 9.0 | N/A |
| | Green | Maralyn Pickup | 84 | 7.0 | –6.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 419 | 34.7 | +3.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,208 | 22.8 | –2.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 1.8 | |

### Newbold & Brownsover

Newbold & Brownsover :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Nooria Sayani | 777 | 51.3 | –3.8 |
| | Conservative | Ginny Gould | 498 | 32.9 | +0.9 |
| | Green | Mark Summers | 132 | 8.7 | –3.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Hugh Trimble | 108 | 7.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 279 | 18.4 | –4.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,515 | 24.7 | –1.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 2.4 | |

### Paddox

Paddox :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jerry Roodhouse | 1,197 | 59.1 | +3.0 |
| | Labour | Chris Mawby | 363 | 17.9 | +0.1 |
| | Conservative | Bella Leathley | 360 | 17.8 | –3.0 |
| | Green | Bob Beggs | 107 | 5.3 | +0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 834 | 41.2 | +5.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,027 | 37.0 | –1.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 1.5 | |

### Revel & Binley Woods

Revel & Binley Woods :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Heather Timms | 1,126 | 61.4 | –2.7 |
| | Labour | Sarah Feeney | 502 | 27.4 | –8.5 |
| | Green | Stephen Ward | 119 | 6.5 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | James Moran | 87 | 4.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 624 | 34.0 | +5.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,834 | 36.0 | –1.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 2.9 | |

### Rokeby & Overslade

Rokeby & Overslade :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Isabelle McKenzie | 1,180 | 57.6 | –8.1 |
| | Conservative | Louise Adkins | 397 | 19.4 | ±0.0 |
| | Labour | Chris Lee | 356 | 17.4 | +2.5 |
| | Green | Kate Crowley | 115 | 5.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 783 | 38.2 | –8.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,048 | 35.4 | –1.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 4.1 | |

### Wolston & The Lawfords

Wolston & The Lawfords :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Derek Poole | 902 | 47.6 | –6.3 |
| | Labour | Kieren Brown | 616 | 32.5 | +3.6 |
| | Green | Lesley Summers | 200 | 10.6 | –1.7 |
| | Reform UK | John Birch | 92 | 4.9 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Hossain Tafazzal | 85 | 4.5 | –0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 286 | 15.1 | –9.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,895 | 31.6 | –1.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 5.0 | |

## Changes 2023–2024

Dunsmore by-election, 14 December 2023 (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jonathan Carl Bennett | 613 | 37.5 | +17.2 |
| | Conservative | Jill Beverley Simpson-Vince | 588 | 36.0 | −8.8 |
| | Conservative | Salome Hlupi Eric | 557 | 34.1 | −10.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Trisha Trimble | 548 | 33.5 | +13.2 |
| | Labour | Stephen Dyke | 299 | 18.3 | −7.9 |
| | Labour | Jenny Offordile | 256 | 15.7 | −10.5 |
| | Green | Helen Rebecca Ford | 145 | 8.9 | +0.2 |
| | Green | Mark Andrew Summers | 89 | 5.4 | −3.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,634 | 23.7 | |
| | 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 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
The double by-election in Dunsmore ward was triggered by the resignations of Conservative councillors Howard Roberts and Deepah Roberts.