# 2023 Lewes District Council election

The 2023 Lewes District Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Lewes District Council in East Sussex, England. This was on the same day as other local elections in England.
Prior to the election the council was under no overall control, being run by a "co-operative alliance" comprising the Liberal Democrat, Green and Labour groups and one independent councillor, with the Liberal Democrat and Green leaders taking turns to be leader of the council in alternate years. The Conservatives, with 18 councillors, were the largest individual party and formed the council's opposition.
The election saw the Conservatives lose all their seats. The Greens, Liberal Democrats and Labour all made significant gains, with the Greens becoming the largest party. Following the election the Greens and Labour formed an alliance to run the council, with the Liberal Democrats taking the scrutiny roles as the opposition.

## Summary
### Election result

2023 Lewes District Council election :
| Party | Candidates | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Green | 41 | 17 | 9 | 1 | 8 | 41.5 | 31.8 | 19,991 | +3.9 |
| Liberal Democrats | 41 | 15 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 36.6 | 28.0 | 17,610 | +5.5 |
| Labour | 20 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 22.0 | 16.7 | 10,522 | +6.2 |
| Conservative | 35 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 19 | 0.0 | 22.1 | 13,893 | –5.0 |
| Independent | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 776 | –8.9 |
| Reform UK | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 0.2 | 129 | N/A |

## Ward results

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

### Chailey, Barcombe & Hamsey

Chailey, Barcombe & Hamsey (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Joa Saunders | 990 | 53.7 | +30.7 |
| | Green | Mark Slater | 914 | 49.6 | +27.7 |
| | Conservative | Sharon Davy* | 686 | 37.2 | –8.0 |
| | Conservative | Isabelle Linington* | 640 | 34.7 | –6.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Marlon Hughes | 247 | 13.4 | –11.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Spain | 212 | 11.5 | –10.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative |
| | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative |

### Ditchling & Westmeston

Ditchling & Westmeston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Mellor | 377 | 34.3 | –5.8 |
| | Green | Edward Elford | 365 | 33.2 | +20.8 |
| | Conservative | Alan Jones | 356 | 32.4 | –15.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12 | 1.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | 13.3 | |

### East Saltdean & Telscombe Cliffs

East Saltdean & Telscombe Cliffs (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Christine Robinson* | 1,132 | 69.9 | +32.5 |
| | Labour | Laurence O'Connor* | 1,089 | 67.3 | +33.0 |
| | Labour | Ian Alexander | 1,087 | 67.2 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Paul Clark | 538 | 33.2 | –2.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Simon Ackroyd | 328 | 20.3 | +5.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Liz Lee | 180 | 11.1 | N/A |
| | Green | Nicky Blackwell | 151 | 9.3 | –20.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Donna Martinez-Claras | 132 | 8.2 | N/A |
| | Green | Nick Tigg | 112 | 6.9 | N/A |
| | Green | Diana Wilkins | 106 | 6.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | 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 |

### Kingston

Kingston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stella Spiteri | 431 | 47.5 | –4.3 |
| | Green | David Hoare | 326 | 35.9 | +18.1 |
| | Conservative | Rosemarie Jeffery | 150 | 16.5 | –6.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 105 | 11.6 | –16.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 11.2 | |

### Lewes Bridge

Lewes Bridge (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Zoe Nicholson* | 916 | 49.3 | –0.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Janet Baah | 812 | 43.7 | +4.2 |
| | Green | Adrian Ross* | 794 | 42.7 | –0.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jeremy Halley | 491 | 26.4 | –6.4 |
| | Labour | Matt Kent | 246 | 13.2 | +1.6 |
| | Conservative | Colin French | 168 | 9.0 | +0.1 |
| | Labour | Amy Wilkins | 147 | 7.9 | –1.5 |
| | Conservative | Catharine Robinson | 144 | 7.7 | –0.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Green | Liberal Democrats gain from Green | Liberal Democrats gain from Green | Liberal Democrats gain from Green | Liberal Democrats gain from Green |

### Lewes Castle

Lewes Castle (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Wendy Maples | 696 | 47.8 | +5.4 |
| | Green | Nicolas Kortalla-Bird | 600 | 41.2 | +3.5 |
| | Labour | Emily Clarke | 572 | 39.3 | +14.4 |
| | Labour | Stephen Catlin | 356 | 24.5 | +11.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kate Wood | 236 | 16.2 | –16.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Tony Parker | 229 | 15.7 | –13.7 |
| | Conservative | Diane Burman | 122 | 8.4 | +2.2 |
| | Conservative | Karen French | 99 | 6.8 | +0.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold |
| | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold |

### Lewes Priory

Lewes Priory (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Imogen Makepeace* | 1,727 | 54.7 | +13.4 |
| | Green | Graham Clews | 1,457 | 46.2 | +8.6 |
| | Green | Paul Keene | 1,420 | 45.0 | +14.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kevin West | 981 | 31.1 | +14.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paddy Henshaw | 927 | 29.4 | +15.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Edwina Livesey | 870 | 27.6 | +15.6 |
| | Labour | Linda Drabble | 550 | 17.4 | +10.9 |
| | Labour | Peter Hambly | 515 | 16.3 | +9.9 |
| | Labour | Danny Sweeney | 423 | 13.4 | +7.3 |
| | Conservative | Catherine Boorman | 318 | 10.1 | +6.1 |
| | Conservative | Elizabeth Slater | 283 | 9.0 | +5.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold |
| | Green gain from Independent | Green gain from Independent | Green gain from Independent | Green gain from Independent | Green gain from Independent |
| | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold |

### Newhaven North

Newhaven North (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Julie Carr* | 628 | 58.7 | +31.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sean Macleod | 589 | 55.0 | +30.1 |
| | Independent | Steve Saunders* | 348 | 32.5 | –2.4 |
| | Conservative | Susan Chowen | 245 | 22.9 | –1.0 |
| | Independent | Andrew Winter | 171 | 15.2 | N/A |
| | Green | Tai Ray-Jones | 96 | 9.0 | –1.5 |
| | Green | Dirk Campbell | 64 | 6.0 | –3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent |

### Newhaven South

Newhaven South (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Graham Amy* | 766 | 58.3 | +4.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | James MacCleary* | 672 | 51.2 | +7.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christoph Von Kurthy* | 611 | 46.5 | +1.2 |
| | Independent | Pinky McLean-Knight | 387 | 29.5 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Bill Giles | 338 | 25.7 | +6.9 |
| | Conservative | Linda Wallraven | 263 | 20.0 | +4.5 |
| | Conservative | Abdul Ahmed | 239 | 18.2 | +2.9 |
| | Green | Holly Atkins | 216 | 16.5 | –2.0 |
| | Independent | Nick Jones | 189 | 14.4 | N/A |
| | Green | Martin Meadows | 140 | 10.7 | –7.4 |
| | Green | Martin O'Brien | 118 | 9.0 | –6.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold |

### Newick

Newick :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Charlotte Keenan | 533 | 56.5 | +39.1 |
| | Conservative | Nate Delo | 337 | 35.7 | –21.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Samantha Robbins | 73 | 7.7 | –12.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 194 | 25.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Swing | 30.2 | |

### Ouse Valley & Ringmer

Ouse Valley & Ringmer (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Johnny Denis* | 1,263 | 57.1 | –6.2 |
| | Green | Emily O'Brien* | 1,213 | 54.8 | +5.1 |
| | Green | Lucy Agace | 1,042 | 47.1 | +2.3 |
| | Conservative | Richard Turner | 697 | 31.5 | +8.8 |
| | Conservative | Matther Crisp | 659 | 29.8 | +7.1 |
| | Conservative | Katie Sanderson | 595 | 26.9 | +5.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Victoria Vincent | 420 | 19.0 | –7.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Cathy Bryan | 383 | 17.3 | –4.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lindsey Macleod | 367 | 16.6 | –6.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold |
| | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold |
| | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold |

### Peacehaven East

Peacehaven East (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Paul Davies | 620 | 58.4 | +21.3 |
| | Labour | Cathy Gallagher | 537 | 50.6 | +18.0 |
| | Conservative | Nigel Enever | 399 | 37.6 | –4.5 |
| | Conservative | Tara Moore | 324 | 30.5 | –4.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Emily Kramers | 73 | 6.9 | N/A |
| | Green | Lesley Orr | 65 | 6.1 | –12.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Helena Pickup | 61 | 5.7 | N/A |
| | Green | Anthony Shuster | 43 | 4.1 | –12.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Peacehaven North

Peacehaven North (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ciarron Clarkson* | 555 | 52.0 | +24.1 |
| | Labour | Isobel Sharkey | 553 | 51.8 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Keira O'Neill* | 409 | 38.3 | –6.6 |
| | Conservative | Andy Smith | 389 | 36.4 | –9.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Joyce Bell | 65 | 6.1 | N/A |
| | Green | Liz Mansfield | 60 | 5.6 | –15.2 |
| | Green | Rikki Begley | 56 | 5.2 | –10.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Stechler | 49 | 4.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative |

### Peacehaven West

Peacehaven West (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Chris Collier* | 689 | 72.6 | N/A |
| | Labour | Nikki Fabry | 557 | 58.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Keiran Sefton | 390 | 41.1 | +6.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Liz Webb | 100 | 10.5 | –11.8 |
| | Green | Emily Slater | 71 | 7.5 | –16.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Fawzia Whittuck | 46 | 4.8 | N/A |
| | Green | Debra Vice-Holt | 44 | 4.6 | –12.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative |

### Plumpton, Streat, East Chiltington & St John (Without)

Plumpton, Streat, East Chiltington & St John (Without) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Daniel Stewart-Roberts | 601 | 66.6 | +0.8 |
| | Conservative | Tam Large | 208 | 23.1 | +0.2 |
| | Green | John Oughton | 93 | 10.3 | +1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 393 | 43.5 | +0.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 902 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 0.3 | |

### Seaford Central

Seaford Central (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen Gauntlett* | 632 | 50.1 | +4.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Freddie Hoareau | 532 | 42.2 | +10.8 |
| | Conservative | Geoff Rutland* | 411 | 32.6 | –2.2 |
| | Labour | Elaine Sammarco | 297 | 23.6 | –6.1 |
| | Labour | Christopher Purser | 276 | 21.9 | N/A |
| | Green | Alice McCarthy Sommerville | 188 | 14.9 | –2.6 |
| | Green | Roy Francomb | 185 | 14.7 | –1.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold |
| | 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 |

### Seaford East

Seaford East (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Becky Francomb | 774 | 44.8 | +19.5 |
| | Green | Ezra Cohen | 764 | 44.3 | +25.3 |
| | Conservative | Sam Adenji* | 695 | 40.3 | –6.3 |
| | Conservative | Julian Peterson* | 583 | 33.8 | –11.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lindsay Stirton | 225 | 13.0 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Maggie Wearmouth | 215 | 12.5 | N/A |
| | Reform UK | Alan Latham | 129 | 7.5 | N/A |
| | Independent | Lorraine Crawley | 68 | 3.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative |
| | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative |

### Seaford North

Seaford North (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | James Meek | 584 | 41.9 | +16.4 |
| | Green | Roy Clay | 566 | 40.6 | +26.6 |
| | Conservative | James Lord* | 414 | 29.7 | –12.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Morag Everden | 409 | 29.4 | –3.7 |
| | Conservative | Sylvia Lord* | 409 | 29.4 | –9.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sally Markwell | 404 | 29.0 | –2.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative |
| | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative |

### Seaford South

Seaford South (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christine Brett* | 799 | 55.5 | +13.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Olivia Honeyman | 760 | 52.8 | +11.3 |
| | Conservative | Mark Brown | 422 | 29.3 | –13.4 |
| | Conservative | Melvyn Simmons | 349 | 24.2 | –11.3 |
| | Green | Miranda Suheimat | 218 | 15.1 | +2.1 |
| | Labour Co-op | Alun Tlusty-Sheen | 182 | 12.6 | –2.3 |
| | Green | Rachel Fryer | 150 | 10.4 | –2.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold |
| | 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 |

### Seaford West

Seaford West (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christina Bristow | 851 | 50.6 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lesley Boniface | 733 | 43.6 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Liz Boorman* | 663 | 39.4 | –15.6 |
| | Conservative | Bill Payne | 606 | 36.0 | –20.4 |
| | Green | Robert Burns | 219 | 13.0 | –28.5 |
| | Green | Gemma McFarlane | 155 | 9.2 | –17.6 |
| | Labour | Martin Waite | 139 | 8.3 | –15.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| | 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 |

### Wivelsfield

Wivelsfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | William Coupland | 497 | 52.6 | +35.1 |
| | Conservative | Nancy Bikson* | 345 | 36.5 | –19.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Julie Salmon | 102 | 10.8 | –15.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 152 | 16.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | | |
| | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Swing | 27.5 | |

## Changes 2023–2027

* Imogen Makepeace, elected for the Greens, left the party to sit as an independent in April 2024.
* Ciarron Clarkson, elected for Labour, left the part to sit as an independent in June 2024.

### By-elections
#### Wivelsfield

Wivelsfield: 10 October 2024 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Sue Morris | 315 | 42.3 | –10.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nadine Stothard | 216 | 29.0 | +18.2 |
| | Conservative | Sarah Webster | 213 | 28.6 | –7.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 99 | 13.3 | –2.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 744 | 32.7 | |
| | Green hold | Green hold | Swing | 14.3 | |