# 2023 Rochford District Council election

The 2023 Rochford District Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Rochford District Council in Essex, England. This would be on the same day as other local elections in England.
Less than three months before the election, three Conservative councillors left the party, putting the council under no overall control with the Conservatives becoming a minority administration. Prior to that, the Conservatives had held a majority of the seats on the council since 2002.
The election saw the council remain under no overall control. A coalition of the Rochford District Residents, Liberal Democrats, Greens and independent councillors subsequently formed an administration, with John Mason of the Rochford District Residents being appointed leader of the council at the subsequent annual council meeting on 23 May 2023.

## Summary
### Election result

2023 Rochford District 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 | 5 | 3 | 38.5 | 9 | 14 | 35.9 | 6,393 | 31.9 | –6.5 |
| | Independent | 1 | 1 | 7.7 | 8 | 9 | 23.1 | 1,621 | 8.1 | +4.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 4 | 3 | 30.8 | 4 | 8 | 20.5 | 5,002 | 25.0 | +7.3 |
| | Rochford Resident | 3 | 1 | 23.1 | 4 | 7 | 17.9 | 2,767 | 13.8 | –7.2 |
| | Green | 0 | | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | 2.6 | 889 | 4.4 | –0.4 |
| | Labour | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 2,891 | 14.4 | –0.2 |
| | Britain First | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 214 | 1.1 | N/A |
| | Reform UK | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 187 | 0.9 | N/A |
| | ADF | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 47 | 0.2 | N/A |

## Ward results

The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by Rochford District Council following the close of nomination on 5 April 2023. The results for each ward were as follows:

### Downhall & Rawreth

Downhall & Rawreth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | James Newport* | 1,050 | 68.0 | +1.1 |
| | Conservative | Stuart Belton | 296 | 19.2 | –5.0 |
| | Labour | James Hedges | 126 | 8.2 | –0.7 |
| | Reform UK | Grant Randall | 71 | 4.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 754 | 48.8 | +6.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,543 | 27.9 | +0.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,530 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 3.0 | |

### Foulness & The Wakerings

Foulness & The Wakerings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Daniel Efde* | 731 | 55.4 | –17.9 |
| | Labour | Philip Hannan | 421 | 31.9 | +5.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Deborah Taylor | 168 | 12.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 310 | 23.5 | –23.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,320 | 23.2 | –3.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,690 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 11.6 | |

### Hawkwell East

Hawkwell East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Rochford Resident | Elliot Mason | 513 | 36.1 | –5.5 |
| | Conservative | Mike Webb* | 436 | 30.7 | –7.8 |
| | Green | Rachel White | 213 | 15.0 | N/A |
| | Labour | Victoria Williams | 213 | 15.0 | –4.8 |
| | ADF | Mark Vallance | 47 | 3.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 77 | 5.4 | +2.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,422 | 30.3 | +0.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,693 | | |
| | Rochford Resident gain from Conservative | Rochford Resident gain from Conservative | Swing | 1.2 | |

### Hawkwell West

Hawkwell West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Rochford Resident | Nick Booth | 870 | 54.3 | +15.3 |
| | Conservative | Toni Carter* | 432 | 27.0 | –22.6 |
| | Labour | Keith Montgomery | 166 | 10.4 | –0.9 |
| | Green | Andrew White | 134 | 8.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 438 | 27.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,602 | 32.2 | –1.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,975 | | |
| | Rochford Resident hold | Rochford Resident hold | Swing | 19.0 | |

### Hockley

Hockley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Rochford Resident | Adrian Eves* | 929 | 60.0 | +5.8 |
| | Conservative | James Hall | 386 | 24.9 | –7.8 |
| | Labour | Ian Rooke | 233 | 15.1 | +1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 543 | 35.1 | +13.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,548 | 30.6 | –1.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,059 | | |
| | Rochford Resident hold | Rochford Resident hold | Swing | 6.8 | |

### Hockley & Ashingdon

Hockley & Ashingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mike Carter* | 472 | 28.9 | –8.7 |
| | Rochford Resident | Phil Capon | 455 | 27.9 | +10.8 |
| | Britain First | Paul Harding | 214 | 13.1 | N/A |
| | Labour | Hollie Ridley | 190 | 11.6 | +1.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Roger Gardner | 173 | 10.7 | –8.3 |
| | Green | Leanne Dalby | 126 | 7.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17 | 1.0 | –17.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,630 | 31.7 | –0.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,142 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 9.8 | |

### Hullbridge

Hullbridge :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Tracey Knight* | 982 | 58.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Kelly Moody | 469 | 28.0 | –3.7 |
| | Labour | David Lench | 223 | 13.3 | –0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 513 | 30.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,674 | 29.4 | –4.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,694 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Lodge

Lodge :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Ian Ward* | 687 | 42.3 | +2.0 |
| | Independent | Ian Wilson | 639 | 39.3 | N/A |
| | Labour | Patricia Norrington | 300 | 18.5 | +6.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 48 | 3.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,626 | 31.5 | –1.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,162 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Roche North & Rural

Roche North & Rural :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Simon Wootton* | 409 | 31.3 | –13.2 |
| | Labour | Myra Weir | 358 | 27.4 | +5.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Daniel Irlam | 281 | 21.5 | –11.6 |
| | Green | John-Barry Waldron | 256 | 19.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 51 | 3.9 | –7.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,304 | 25.4 | –2.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,134 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 9.2 | |

### Roche South

Roche South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Arthur Williams* | 490 | 40.9 | –2.8 |
| | Labour | Shona Hyde-Williams | 348 | 29.0 | +4.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Derek Brown | 200 | 16.7 | N/A |
| | Green | Samantha Spiteri | 160 | 13.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 142 | 11.9 | +0.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,198 | 25.1 | –1.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,773 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 3.8 | |

### Sweyne Park & Grange

Sweyne Park & Grange :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Elizabeth Brewer | 1,039 | 72.9 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Scott Peters | 387 | 27.1 | –1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 652 | 45.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,426 | 29.2 | +0.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,884 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A | |

### Trinity

Trinity :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sarah Page | 1,149 | 58.1 | –2.5 |
| | Conservative | Cheryl Roe* | 698 | 35.3 | +3.7 |
| | Labour | Billy Ridley | 130 | 6.6 | –1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 451 | 22.8 | –6.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,977 | 36.3 | –0.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,446 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | 3.4 | |

### Wheatley

Wheatley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Richard Linden | 942 | 54.1 | +14.7 |
| | Conservative | Ian Beatwell | 500 | 28.7 | +0.2 |
| | Labour | Lorraine Ridley | 183 | 10.5 | +2.0 |
| | Reform UK | Adrian Short | 116 | 6.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 442 | 25.4 | +14.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,741 | 34.6 | –2.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,032 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Swing | 7.3 | |