# 2023 Hartlepool Borough Council election

The 2023 Hartlepool Borough Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Hartlepool Borough Council in County Durham, 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 coalition of the Conservatives and Independent Union, led by Shane Moore of the Independent Union. The council remained under no overall control after the election. Labour made significant gains but remained one seat short of taking a majority. The Conservatives and independents formed an administration after the election, with Conservative leader Mike Young being appointed leader of the council at the subsequent annual council on 16 May 2023.

## Summary
### Election result

2023 Hartlepool 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 % | +/− |
| | Labour | 9 | 5 | 75.0 | 9 | 18 | 50.0 | 7,630 | 44.6 | +2.3 |
| | Conservative | 2 | 1 | 16.7 | 10 | 12 | 33.3 | 3,864 | 22.6 | –11.6 |
| | Independent | 1 | 3 | 8.3 | 4 | 5 | 13.9 | 3,532 | 20.6 | +8.1 |
| | IU | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | 2.8 | 535 | 3.1 | -1.1 |
| | Reform UK | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1,289 | 7.5 | +5.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 263 | 1.5 | -0.6 |

## Candidates

The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by Hartlepool Borough Council following the close of nominations on 5 April 2023.

### Burn Valley

Burn Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ged Hall* | 895 | 60.8 | −8.2 |
| | Conservative | Margaret Lyall | 271 | 18.4 | −12.6 |
| | Independent | John Hayes | 197 | 13.4 | N/A |
| | Reform UK | James Brewer | 108 | 7.3 | −23.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 624 | 42.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,471 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### De Bruce

De Bruce :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Brenda Harrison* | 759 | 63.84 | +11.1 |
| | Reform UK | Paul Manley | 237 | 19.93 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Rodney Pangbourne | 193 | 16.23 | −10.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 522 | 43.91 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,189 | | |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold |

### Fens & Greatham

Fens & Greatham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Philip Holbrook | 780 | 41.69 | −8.2 |
| | Conservative | Marc Owens | 468 | 25.01 | −26.1 |
| | Independent | Angela Falconer* | 307 | 16.41 | N/A |
| | Independent | Tony Richardson | 220 | 11.76 | N/A |
| | Reform UK | Roger Scott Jones | 96 | 5.13 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 312 | 16.68 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,871 | | |
| | Labour Co-op gain from Independent | Labour Co-op gain from Independent | Labour Co-op gain from Independent | Labour Co-op gain from Independent | Labour Co-op gain from Independent |

### Foggy Furze

Foggy Furze :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Martin Dunbar | 711 | 52.39 | +12.8 |
| | Conservative | Kevin Tiplady* | 372 | 27.41 | +2.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Barry McKinstray | 173 | 12.75 | +7.7 |
| | Reform UK | Leah Syead | 101 | 7.44 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 339 | 24.98 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,357 | | |
| | Labour Co-op gain from Conservative | Labour Co-op gain from Conservative | Labour Co-op gain from Conservative | Labour Co-op gain from Conservative | Labour Co-op gain from Conservative |

### Hart

Hart :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Rob Darby | 493 | 31.56 | −7.1 |
| | Labour | David Innes | 491 | 31.43 | −2.7 |
| | Independent | Rob Cook* | 477 | 30.54 | N/A |
| | Independent | Pauline Phillips | 101 | 6.47 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2 | 0.13 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,562 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent |

### Headland & Harbour

Headland & Harbour :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Matthew Dodds | 550 | 40.80 | +7.1 |
| | IU | Tim Fleming* | 535 | 39.69 | −5.1 |
| | Conservative | Arthur Southcott | 263 | 19.51 | −1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15 | 1.11 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,348 | | |
| | Labour Co-op gain from IU | Labour Co-op gain from IU | Labour Co-op gain from IU | Labour Co-op gain from IU | Labour Co-op gain from IU |

### Manor House

Manor House :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Ben Clayton* | 549 | 58.16 | +8.0 |
| | Conservative | Angela Jackson | 176 | 18.64 | −9.1 |
| | Reform UK | Steve Wright | 129 | 13.67 | +3.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Donna Hotham | 90 | 9.53 | −1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 373 | 39.52 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 944 | | |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold |

### Rossmere

Rossmere :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Tom Feeney* | 538 | 52.03 | +9.4 |
| | Independent | Jaime Horton | 375 | 36.27 | +5.3 |
| | Reform UK | Tracy Connolly | 121 | 11.70 | +8.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 163 | 15.76 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,034 | | |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold |

### Rural West

Rural West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mike Young* | 980 | 47.39 | −6.9 |
| | Labour Co-op | Malcolm Walker | 563 | 27.22 | −1.4 |
| | Independent | Pam Shurmer | 450 | 21.76 | N/A |
| | Reform UK | John O'Brien | 75 | 3.63 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 417 | 20.17 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,068 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Seaton

Seaton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Leisa Smith* | 850 | 52.12 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Josh Bagnall | 318 | 19.50 | −36.1 |
| | Labour | Ralph Gabbatiss | 316 | 19.38 | −7.7 |
| | Reform UK | Glynis Jones | 147 | 9.01 | −8.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 532 | 32.62 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,631 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Throston

Throston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Steve Wallace | 717 | 50.25 | −0.4 |
| | Independent | Peter Jackson* | 555 | 38.89 | N/A |
| | Reform UK | Trevor Rogan | 155 | 10.86 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 162 | 11.36 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,427 | | |
| | Labour Co-op gain from Independent | Labour Co-op gain from Independent | Labour Co-op gain from Independent | Labour Co-op gain from Independent | Labour Co-op gain from Independent |

### Victoria

Victoria :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Karen Oliver | 761 | 62.84 | +2.6 |
| | Conservative | Misra Bano-Mahroo | 330 | 27.25 | −1.3 |
| | Reform UK | Thomas Bird | 120 | 9.91 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 431 | 35.59 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,211 | | |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold |

## Changes 2023–2024

Steve Wallace, elected as a Labour councillor, left the party in July 2023 to sit as an independent.