# 2023 Elmbridge Borough Council election

The 2023 Elmbridge Borough Council election was held on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Elmbridge Borough Council in Surrey, England. This was on the same day as other local elections across England. There were 16 out of 48 seats contested, being the usual third of the council.

## Summary

Prior to the election the council was under no overall control; the Conservatives were the largest party but the council was being run by a coalition of the Residents Associations and the Liberal Democrats, led by Chris Sadler of the Residents Associations. The Conservatives lost the majority of the seats they were defending, mainly to the Liberal Democrats who became the largest party. The Liberal Democrats and Residents Associations continued their coalition after the election, but with Liberal Democrat group leader Bruce McDonald taking over as leader of the council.

## Overall results

2023 Elmbridge 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 % | +/− |
| | Liberal Democrats | 9 | +6 | 56.3 | 10 | 19 | 39.6 | 15,560 | 38.9 | |
| | Conservative | 2 | -4 | 12.5 | 10 | 12 | 25 | 13,139 | 32.8 | |
| | Residents | 5 | -2 | 31.3 | 11 | 17 | 35.4 | 8,384 | 21.0 | |
| | Labour | 0 | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 2,586 | 6.5 | |
| | Heritage | 0 | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 174 | 0.4 | |
| | Reform UK | 0 | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 101 | 0.3 | |
| | UKIP | 0 | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 55 | 0.1 | |

## Ward results

Candidates seeking re-election are marked with an asterisk (*).

### Claygate

Claygate :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alex Coomes* | 1,732 | 70.1 | +5.8 |
| | Conservative | John Burns | 631 | 25.6 | −3.3 |
| | Labour | Sue Cope | 106 | 4.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,101 | 44.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,469 | 44.5 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Cobham and Downside

Cobham and Downside :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robin Stephens* | 1,252 | 49.2 | +1.2 |
| | Conservative | Katerina Lusk Posledni | 1,098 | 43.1 | −4.4 |
| | Labour | Carolyn Gray | 116 | 4.6 | +0.1 |
| | Reform UK | Elaine Kingston | 57 | 2.2 | N/A |
| | Heritage | Paul Van Der Hagen | 23 | 0.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 154 | 6.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,546 | 39.2 | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Robin Stephens had won the seat from the Conservatives in a by-election in 2021. Seat shown as a Liberal Democrat gain from Conservatives to allow comparison with 2019 results.

### Esher

Esher :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Residents | Richard Williams* | 1,301 | 51.3 | +5.5 |
| | Conservative | Amanda Manship | 989 | 39.0 | +0.5 |
| | Labour | Richard Bennett | 247 | 9.7 | +2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 312 | 12.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,537 | 38.6 | |
| | Residents hold | Residents hold | Swing | | |

### Hersham Village

Hersham Village :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Hughes | 1,300 | 46.6 | +1.5 |
| | Conservative | Mary Sheldon* | 1,236 | 44.3 | ±0.0 |
| | Labour | Susan Dennis | 251 | 9.0 | −1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 64 | 2.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,787 | 41.8 | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Hinchley Wood and Weston Green

Hinchley Wood and Weston Green :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Residents | Janet Turner* | 1,603 | 61.9 | −2.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Liz Ambekar | 518 | 20.0 | −2.6 |
| | Conservative | Caroline Kim | 384 | 14.8 | +1.5 |
| | Labour | Rachelle Headland | 84 | 3.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,085 | 41.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,589 | 40.3 | |
| | Residents hold | Residents hold | Swing | | |

### Long Ditton

Long Ditton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Neil Houston* | 1,471 | 70.6 | −2.9 |
| | Conservative | Blake Coe | 471 | 22.6 | −3.9 |
| | Labour | Ahmad Ali | 141 | 6.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,000 | 48.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,083 | 39.6 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Neil Houston had been elected in 2019 as a Liberal Democrat, left the party to sit as an independent during 2021 but returned to the party shortly before the election in 2023.

### Molesey East

Molesey East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Richard Flatau | 1,236 | 42.6 | +6.4 |
| | Residents | Pat Gormley | 920 | 31.7 | +11.1 |
| | Conservative | Chen Zhao | 615 | 21.2 | −15.2 |
| | Labour | Rosie Rendall | 129 | 4.4 | +1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 316 | 10.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,900 | 43.0 | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Residents | Liberal Democrats gain from Residents | Swing | | |

### Molesey West

Molesey West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Residents | Tony Popham* | 927 | 43.0 | +0.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Nagle | 701 | 32.5 | +9.5 |
| | Conservative | Agnes Fuchs | 384 | 17.8 | −6.9 |
| | Labour | Jamal Ajjane | 143 | 6.6 | −3.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 226 | 10.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,155 | 32.8 | |
| | Residents hold | Residents hold | Swing | | |

### Oatlands and Burwood Park

Oatlands and Burwood Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Hilary Butler* | 1,290 | 51.3 | +1.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nicholas Davis | 1,014 | 40.3 | −2.4 |
| | Labour | Angus Rendall | 157 | 6.2 | −1.0 |
| | UKIP | Nicholas Wood | 55 | 2.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 276 | 11.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,516 | 42.1 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Oxshott and Stoke d'Abernon

Oxshott and Stoke d'Abernon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Corinne Sterry | 1,573 | 60.5 | +4.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sue Grose | 898 | 34.6 | −9.0 |
| | Labour | Steven Gray | 69 | 2.7 | N/A |
| | Heritage | Gaynor Van Der Hagen | 59 | 2.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 675 | 25.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,599 | 38.9 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Thames Ditton

Thames Ditton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Residents | Elaine Sesemann | 1,563 | 58.2 | −1.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Gattey | 643 | 24.0 | −3.3 |
| | Conservative | Yanik Gammampila | 307 | 11.4 | −2.0 |
| | Labour | Richard Lewis | 127 | 4.7 | N/A |
| | Reform UK | Nick Denton | 44 | 1.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 920 | 34.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,684 | 40.5 | |
| | Residents hold | Residents hold | Swing | | |

### Walton Central

Walton Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gregor MacGregor | 1,028 | 39.5 | +15.1 |
| | Residents | Andrew Kelly | 926 | 35.6 | +4.1 |
| | Conservative | Lloyd Soldatt | 510 | 19.6 | −6.8 |
| | Labour | Asieh Ahmadzade | 138 | 5.3 | −1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 102 | 3.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,602 | 42.2 | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Residents | Liberal Democrats gain from Residents | Swing | | |

### Walton North

Walton North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Clare Bailey | 1,197 | 55.1 | −0.6 |
| | Conservative | Aliscia Butler | 779 | 35.9 | +1.0 |
| | Labour | Fatima Kamara | 195 | 9.0 | −0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 418 | 19.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,171 | 35.9 | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Walton South

Walton South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Catherine Glass | 1,476 | 50.1 | −5.1 |
| | Conservative | Ellie Ioannou | 1,210 | 41.1 | +3.1 |
| | Labour | Kelly Haines | 169 | 5.7 | +1.2 |
| | Heritage | Charlie Garrod | 92 | 3.1 | +0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 266 | 9.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,947 | 43.0 | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Weybridge Riverside

Weybridge Riverside :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ashley Tilling* | 1,094 | 52.9 | +0.5 |
| | Conservative | Freddie Tshiaba Mbuyi Kawaya | 754 | 36.5 | −2.6 |
| | Labour Co-op | Helen Pilmer | 220 | 10.6 | +2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 340 | 16.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,068 | 35.1 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Weybridge St George's Hill

Weybridge St George's Hill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Residents | Pippa Graeme | 1,144 | 48.8 | +12.9 |
| | Conservative | Colin McFarlane | 908 | 38.7 | −12.8 |
| | Labour Co-op | Gary Dean | 294 | 12.5 | −0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 236 | 10.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,346 | 36.5 | |
| | Residents hold | Residents hold | Swing | | |

## By-elections
### Molesey East

Molesey East: 2 November 2023 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kevin Whincup | 694 | 36.1 | −6.5 |
| | Conservative | Freddie Ingle | 627 | 32.6 | +11.4 |
| | Residents | Pat Gormley | 523 | 27.2 | −4.5 |
| | Green | Andrew Dillon | 77 | 4.0 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 67 | 3.5 | −7.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,921 | 28.1 | −14.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,844 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Residents | Liberal Democrats gain from Residents | Liberal Democrats gain from Residents | Liberal Democrats gain from Residents | Liberal Democrats gain from Residents |