# 2023 King's Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council election

The 2023 King's Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of King's Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council in Norfolk, England. This was on the same day as other local elections in England.
Prior to the election the council was under Conservative majority control. Following the election the Conservatives remained the largest party but lost their majority, leaving the council under no overall control. A coalition of the independent councillors, Liberal Democrats and Greens formed a minority administration with informal support from Labour, with independent councillor Terry Parish being appointed leader of the council at the subsequent annual council meeting on 18 May 2023. A few days after the elections, unseated councillor and former mayor David Whitby passed away.

## Summary
### Election result

The overall results were:
2023 King's Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council election :
| Party | Candidates | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Conservative | 49 | 21 | 3 | 10 | 7 | 37.0 | 40.8 | 20,479 | –7.4 |
| Independent | 35 | 18 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 33.3 | 29.3 | 14,687 | +2.9 |
| Labour | 29 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 20.4 | 18.3 | 9,172 | +1.6 |
| Liberal Democrats | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5.6 | 6.0 | 3,014 | +4.0 |
| Green | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3.7 | 5.1 | 2,536 | +1.1 |
| Monster Raving Loony | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 0.4 | 188 | N/A |
| Heritage | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 0.2 | 98 | N/A |

## Ward results

The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by South Norfolk District Council following the close of nominations on 5 April 2023. The results for each ward were as follows, with an asterisk (*) indicating an incumbent councillor standing for re-election:

### Airfield

Airfield (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Jim Moriarty | 784 | 63.1 | N/A |
| | Green | Pallavi Devulapalli | 455 | 36.6 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Graham Philpot | 357 | 28.7 | −20.9 |
| | Independent | Michael Howland* | 326 | 26.2 | −37.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 29 | |
| | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent |
| | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative |

### Bircham with Rudhams

Bircham with Rudhams :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Chris Morley* | 504 | 62.2 | +10.2 |
| | Conservative | Michael Chenery | 306 | 37.8 | −10.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 37 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

### Brancaster

Brancaster :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Tom De Winton | 421 | 56.9 | +11.2 |
| | Independent | Bob Lawton* | 319 | 43.1 | −11.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 38 | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |

### Burnham Market & Docking

Burnham Market & Docking :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Samantha Sandell* | 518 | 67.3 | +5.8 |
| | Labour | Ken Hubbard | 252 | 32.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 38 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Clenchwarton

Clenchwarton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Steven Bearshaw | 443 | 64.0 | N/A |
| | Conservative | David Whitby* | 249 | 36.0 | −11.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 30 | |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Denver

Denver :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Peter Hodson | 311 | 51.5 | +10.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alan Holmes* | 293 | 48.5 | −10.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 31 | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |

### Dersingham

Dersingham (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Judith Collingham* | 828 | 48.0 | −15.0 |
| | Conservative | Tony Bubb* | 813 | 47.1 | −18.8 |
| | Green | Jordan Stokes | 511 | 29.6 | +7.0 |
| | Labour | Richard Pennington | 456 | 26.4 | −2.2 |
| | Independent | John Houston | 437 | 25.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,726 | 34.91 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Downham Old Town

Downham Old Town :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Joshua Osborne | 301 | 46.3 | +20.5 |
| | Conservative | Barry Hobbs | 194 | 29.8 | −0.9 |
| | Independent | Zara Hipsey | 155 | 23.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 29 | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### East Downham

East Downham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Josie Ratcliffe* | 310 | 66.2 | +23.2 |
| | Conservative | Tony White | 158 | 33.8 | +6.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 23 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Emneth & Outwell

Emneth & Outwell (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Chris Crofts* | 517 | 56.3 | +4.0 |
| | Conservative | Harry Humphrey* | 437 | 47.6 | +1.8 |
| | Independent | Yvonne Howard | 417 | 45.4 | ±0.0 |
| | Monster Raving Loony | Earl Elvis of Outwell | 188 | 20.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 919 | 22.91 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Fairstead

Fairstead (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Margaret Wilkinson* | 368 | 51.4 | −3.6 |
| | Labour | Steve Everett | 330 | 46.1 | −2.8 |
| | Conservative | Andrew Wilson | 262 | 36.6 | +9.9 |
| | Green | Joel Blackmur | 175 | 24.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 716 | 16.80 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Feltwell

Feltwell (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Martin Storey* | 550 | 51.0 | −15.9 |
| | Conservative | Adrian Lawrence* | 447 | 41.4 | −5.3 |
| | Independent | Terry Hipsey | 373 | 34.6 | N/A |
| | Labour | Phil Davies | 302 | 28.0 | N/A |
| | Heritage | Gary Conway | 98 | 9.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,079 | 26.54 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Gayton & Grimston

Gayton & Grimston (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Andrew De Whalley* | 732 | 50.9 | −1.2 |
| | Independent | Bal Anota | 681 | 47.4 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Sue Fraser | 548 | 38.1 | −0.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 30 | |
| | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative |

### Gaywood Chase

Gaywood Chase :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Joshua Lowe | 227 | 47.2 | −11.3 |
| | Independent | Rick Morrish | 134 | 27.9 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Liam Hind | 120 | 24.9 | −16.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 25 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Gaywood Clock

Gaywood Clock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Alex Ware* | 263 | 69.0 | +27.9 |
| | Conservative | Mike Roberts | 118 | 31.0 | +3.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 18 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Gaywood North Bank

Gaywood North Bank (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Rob Colwell | 685 | 44.8 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Sayers | 543 | 35.5 | N/A |
| | Labour | Sandra Collop* | 504 | 32.9 | −3.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Crofts | 492 | 32.2 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Michael Baldwin | 429 | 28.0 | −8.1 |
| | Labour | Helen Dalgliesh | 428 | 28.0 | −4.2 |
| | Labour | Wilf Lambert | 404 | 26.4 | −5.7 |
| | Conservative | Philip Trask | 384 | 25.1 | −10.3 |
| | Green | Vicky Fairweather | 207 | 13.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,530 | 23.72 | |
| | 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 |
| | 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 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Heacham

Heacham (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Terry Parish* | 1,006 | 67.7 | −9.6 |
| | Conservative | Andrew Jamieson | 494 | 33.2 | −1.7 |
| | Labour | Michelle Carter | 463 | 31.2 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Michael Jackson | 393 | 26.4 | +4.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,486 | 34.50 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Hunstanton

Hunstanton (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Angie Dickinson | 609 | 41.9 | +1.2 |
| | Independent | Paul Beal* | 522 | 35.9 | −1.9 |
| | Conservative | Howard Johnston | 510 | 35.1 | −0.4 |
| | Independent | David Nice | 436 | 30.0 | N/A |
| | Labour | Mark Fuchter | 361 | 24.8 | +8.6 |
| | Labour | Ed Robb | 256 | 17.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 39 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Massingham with Castle Acre

Massingham with Castle Acre :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Alistair Beales | 569 | 64.9 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Timothy Tilbrook | 308 | 35.1 | +21.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 37 | |
| | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Swing | | |

### Methwold

Methwold :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Tom Ryves | 370 | 62.6 | +17.8 |
| | Conservative | Mick Peake | 221 | 37.4 | −3.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 27 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

### North Downham

North Downham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Andy Bullen* | 207 | 31.0 | −6.4 |
| | Conservative | Matthew Sawyer | 176 | 26.3 | −4.7 |
| | Independent | Barrie Wiles | 166 | 24.9 | N/A |
| | Labour | Eamonn McCusker | 119 | 17.8 | +3.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 31 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

### North Lynn

North Lynn (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ben Jones* | 355 | 67.7 | −0.6 |
| | Labour | Micaela Bartrum | 329 | 62.8 | −2.5 |
| | Conservative | Bill Cox | 155 | 29.6 | +3.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 524 | 12.37 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Snettisham

Snettisham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Stuart Dark | 413 | 51.7 | +1.5 |
| | Independent | Avril Wright | 241 | 30.2 | N/A |
| | Labour | Lesley Marriage | 145 | 18.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 36 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### South & West Lynn

South & West Lynn (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Alexandra Kemp* | 481 | 66.2 | −4.6 |
| | Labour | Charles Joyce* | 357 | 49.1 | −1.0 |
| | Labour | John Wheatley | 161 | 22.1 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Rosalie Costin | 124 | 17.1 | −2.3 |
| | Conservative | David Costin | 121 | 16.6 | +2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 727 | 20.70 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### South Downham

South Downham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Don Tyler* | 278 | 37.2 | −20.1 |
| | Independent | Steve Moyses | 195 | 26.1 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Elaine Heath | 166 | 22.2 | −6.7 |
| | Labour | Heather Fouracre | 109 | 14.6 | +0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 37 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Springwood

Springwood :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Jo Rust* | 330 | 48.5 | −8.7 |
| | Conservative | Richard Parr | 196 | 28.8 | −14.0 |
| | Labour | Richard Johnson | 155 | 22.8 | −34.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 33 | |
| | Independent gain from Labour | Independent gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### St Margaret's with St Nicholas

St Margaret's with St Nicholas (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Francis Bone* | 373 | 41.0 | +3.5 |
| | Labour | Deborah Heneghan | 299 | 32.9 | +0.4 |
| | Green | Rob Archer | 250 | 27.5 | −6.0 |
| | Conservative | Josh Maddocks | 225 | 24.7 | −16.1 |
| | Conservative | Tony Wright | 211 | 23.2 | −4.8 |
| | Green | Claire Archer | 206 | 22.6 | N/A |
| | Independent | Andrew Williams | 116 | 12.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 24 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative |

### Terrington

Terrington (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Paul Kunes* | 591 | 51.6 | +1.0 |
| | Independent | Sandra Squire* | 515 | 44.9 | −2.7 |
| | Conservative | Remi Clark | 439 | 38.3 | +18.1 |
| | Labour | Matt Hannay | 350 | 30.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,146 | 24.40 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### The Woottons

The Woottons (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Paul Bland | 1,039 | 49.8 | +7.7 |
| | Independent | Simon Ring | 953 | 45.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Richard Coates | 842 | 40.4 | −14.5 |
| | Conservative | Graham Middleton* | 806 | 38.6 | −4.0 |
| | Conservative | Greville Howard* | 781 | 37.4 | −13.3 |
| | Labour | Peter Smith | 633 | 30.3 | +18.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,086 | 38.07 | |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Tilney, Marshland & Wiggenhall

Tilney, Marshland & Wiggenhall (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Barry Ayres* | 524 | 50.1 | +0.8 |
| | Conservative | Brian Long* | 517 | 49.4 | +3.3 |
| | Independent | Ashley Collins | 400 | 38.2 | −0.8 |
| | Labour | Niall Haigh | 357 | 34.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,046 | 25.46 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Upwell & Delph

Upwell & Delph (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Vivienne Spikings | 614 | 47.1 | +11.9 |
| | Independent | Colin Rose* | 561 | 43.1 | −1.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Graham Dent | 525 | 40.3 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Gina Wise | 507 | 38.9 | +6.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 26 | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Walsoken, West Walton & Walpole

Walsoken, West Walton & Walpole (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Julian Kirk* | 706 | 59.3 | +16.0 |
| | Conservative | Richard Blunt* | 659 | 55.3 | −0.2 |
| | Independent | James Whitaker | 425 | 35.7 | N/A |
| | Labour | Simon Pick | 277 | 23.3 | +4.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 25 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Watlington

Watlington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Jim Bhondi* | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | N/A | N/A | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### West Winch

West Winch (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Thomas Barclay | 422 | 35.3 | −9.4 |
| | Independent | Simon Nash* | 407 | 34.0 | −14.4 |
| | Independent | Benjamin Lemmon | 390 | 32.6 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Olivia Morris | 370 | 30.9 | −9.1 |
| | Independent | Peter Gidney* | 320 | 26.8 | −17.9 |
| | Labour | Christopher Heneghan | 238 | 19.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 30 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Wissey

Wissey :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Sue Lintern | 465 | 63.3 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Colin Sampson* | 270 | 36.7 | −8.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 34 | |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Swing | | |