# 2023 Staffordshire Moorlands District Council election

The 2023 Staffordshire Moorlands District Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect all 56 members of Staffordshire Moorlands District Council in Staffordshire, England. This was on the same day as other local elections across England.
The Conservatives lost their majority at this election, with the council going under no overall control and Labour overtaking the Conservatives to become the largest party.

## Summary

At the previous 2019 election the Conservatives had lost control of the council to no overall control and subsequently formed an administration with some of the independent councillors. Following a number of by-elections and changes of allegiance the Conservatives regained a majority of the seats on the council during May 2022.
Following the results, the Conservatives lost the council to no overall control. Labour was the largest party after the election and was able to form a minority administration with the informal support of independent councillors. Labour's group leader, Mike Gledhill, was appointed leader of the council at the subsequent annual council meeting on 17 May 2023.

## Results

2023 Staffordshire Moorlands District Council Election :
| Party | Candidates | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 35 | 24 | 9 | 0 | 11 | 42.9 | 36.7 | 17,186 | +10.7 |
| Conservative | 39 | 22 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 39.3 | 34.7 | 16,242 | -1.6 |
| Green | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1.8 | 7.6 | 3,538 | +2.5 |
| Liberal Democrats | 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | 1.8 | 3.7 | 1,745 | -0.5 |
| Reform UK | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | - | 0.3 | 135 | N/A |
| Independent | 25 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 14.3 | 17.0 | 7,961 | -11.5 |

## Ward Results

The results for each ward were as follows, with an asterisk (*) indicating an incumbent councillor standing for re-election.

### Alton

Alton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Nigel John Moult | 209 | 54.9 | −11.6 |
| | Labour | Jenny Lingham | 172 | 45.1 | +11.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 381 | 33.3 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Bagnall and Stanley

Bagnall and Stanley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charlotte Hannah Edwards | 356 | 53.7 | −17.1 |
| | Independent | Sybil Ralphs* | 189 | 28.5 | −42.3 |
| | Labour | Dave Jennings | 79 | 11.9 | −1.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lee Jagger | 39 | 5.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 666 | 49.0 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Sybil Ralphs had been a Conservative prior to the election but stood as an independent in 2023. Seat shown as Conservative hold to allow comparison with 2019 results.

### Biddulph East

Biddulph East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jill Salt* | 583 | 72.2 | +21.7 |
| | Labour | Connor Brady* | 451 | 55.9 | +16.7 |
| | Labour | Christopher Wood | 435 | 53.9 | +6.5 |
| | Independent | Sheryl Bayley | 219 | 27.1 | N/A |
| | Independent | Chris Perkin | 191 | 23.7 | −10.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Geoff Preston | 109 | 13.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 807 | 18.4 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Biddulph Moor

Biddulph Moor :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | John Thomas Jones* | 308 | 75.3 | −5.2 |
| | Labour | Jim Bostock | 101 | 24.7 | +19.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 409 | 30.2 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

### Biddulph North

Biddulph North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Adam Parkes | 652 | 51.7 | +25.1 |
| | Independent | Jim Garvey | 643 | 51.0 | N/A |
| | Independent | Andrew Hart* | 641 | 50.8 | −7.2 |
| | Independent | Ken Harper | 440 | 34.9 | N/A |
| | Green | Ian Waite | 277 | 22.0 | +3.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,261 | 28.6 | |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

### Biddulph South

Biddulph South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Andrew Stuart Cunningham Church | 207 | 46.8 | +27.0 |
| | Independent | Adrian Charles Lawton | 176 | 39.8 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Roy William Gregg | 59 | 13.3 | −20.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 442 | 32.4 | |
| | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |

### Biddulph West

Biddulph West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Nigel Yates* | 482 | 44.7 | +9.8 |
| | Labour | Dave Proudlove* | 451 | 41.8 | N/A |
| | Labour | Charlie Smith* | 440 | 40.8 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Derek James Stubbs | 419 | 38.8 | +7.9 |
| | Conservative | Maj Stubbs | 344 | 31.9 | +5.1 |
| | Conservative | Mark Andrew Stubbs | 328 | 30.4 | +15.6 |
| | Independent | Neil Eardley | 282 | 26.1 | N/A |
| | Independent | Alistair McLoughlin | 225 | 20.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,079 | 27.0 | |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Brown Edge and Endon

Brown Edge and Endon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Joe Porter* | 707 | 50.3 | +9.5 |
| | Conservative | Keith Flunder* | 606 | 43.1 | −5.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christina Jebb | 585 | 41.6 | +11.6 |
| | Conservative | Roy Alan James Molson | 506 | 36.0 | −5.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Danielle Spooner | 452 | 32.1 | +9.1 |
| | Labour | Joy Majekodunmi | 436 | 31.0 | +10.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Redfern* | 339 | 24.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,406 | 36.2 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Caverswall

Caverswall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Paul Roberts* | 241 | 53.3 | −26.8 |
| | Labour | Chris Podszus | 211 | 46.7 | +26.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 452 | 31.1 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Cellarhead

Cellarhead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Barbara Aillen Hughes* | 403 | 59.5 | +8.1 |
| | Conservative | Patricia Ann Hughes | 319 | 47.1 | −11.3 |
| | Green | James Martin Firkins | 267 | 39.4 | +0.5 |
| | Green | Julian Bernard King-Salter | 244 | 36.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 677 | 26.0 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Cheadle North East

Cheadle North East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Liz Whitehouse | 284 | 41.7 | +24.6 |
| | Labour | Matthew Charles Spooner | 245 | 36.0 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Phil Routledge* | 233 | 34.2 | −0.4 |
| | Conservative | Stephen Ellis* | 231 | 33.9 | N/A |
| | Independent | Julie Bull | 176 | 25.8 | +4.1 |
| | Independent | Dennis Wilson | 130 | 19.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 681 | 23.8 | |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Phil Routledge had been elected as an independent in 2019 but joined the Conservatives in May 2022. Stephen Ellis had won the seat in a by-election in May 2021 following the death of the previous independent councillor. Both seats shown as independent losses to allow comparison with 2019 results.

### Cheadle South East

Cheadle South East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Mike Haines | 466 | 57.0 | +30.7 |
| | Labour | Vicky O'Shea | 401 | 49.1 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Peter Jackson* | 341 | 41.7 | +18.8 |
| | Conservative | Zenobia Rose Lillian Routledge* | 324 | 39.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 817 | 28.5 | |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Both seats had been won by independents in 2019, but Peter Jackson won his seat in a by-election in May 2021 and Zenobia Routledge won her seat in a by-election in May 2022. Both seats shown as independent losses to allow comparison with 2019 results.

### Cheadle West

Cheadle West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Kate Mills* | 602 | 52.9 | +7.4 |
| | Independent | Gary Bentley* | 551 | 48.4 | +9.8 |
| | Independent | Ian William Plant* | 464 | 40.7 | −0.3 |
| | Labour | Bernie Charlesworth | 438 | 38.5 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Jonathan Nicholas Mason | 334 | 29.3 | −3.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,139 | 28.6 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

### Checkley

Checkley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Peter Wilkinson* | 629 | 47.2 | +1.5 |
| | Conservative | Mark Anthony Deaville* | 603 | 45.2 | −3.3 |
| | Conservative | Alan Hulme* | 532 | 39.9 | −0.8 |
| | Labour | Liz Haines | 399 | 29.9 | +9.0 |
| | Independent | Luke Daniel Emery | 371 | 27.8 | N/A |
| | Green | Derek Tatton | 301 | 22.6 | +0.2 |
| | Independent | Mark Hall | 218 | 16.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,333 | 29.4 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Cheddleton

Cheddleton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mike Worthington* | 607 | 41.2 | −1.8 |
| | Labour | Dylan Pascall | 526 | 35.7 | +0.2 |
| | Conservative | Oliver Pointon | 507 | 34.4 | −9.5 |
| | Conservative | Andrea Grocott | 461 | 31.3 | −11.5 |
| | Labour | Eddie Sabir | 418 | 28.4 | −1.9 |
| | Independent | Michael Thomas Bowen* | 364 | 24.7 | −19.2 |
| | Green | Dan Mayers | 246 | 16.7 | N/A |
| | Independent | Harold Jennings | 194 | 13.2 | N/A |
| | Independent | Keith Harvey | 168 | 11.4 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Judy Gregg | 162 | 11.0 | −9.2 |
| | Independent | Ferenc Kari | 116 | 7.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,472 | 33.9 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Michael Bowen had been elected as a Conservative in 2019 but left the party in May 2022 to sit as an independent. Seat shown as independent loss to allow comparison with 2019 results.

### Churnet

Churnet :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Aberley* | 505 | 62.3 | +13.3 |
| | Conservative | Elsie Fallows* | 475 | 58.6 | +6.0 |
| | Labour | Hugh Gerald Thomas Black | 257 | 31.7 | +13.0 |
| | Reform UK | Warwick Alexander McKenzie | 135 | 16.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 811 | 30.8 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Dane

Dane :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Callum George Beswick | 295 | 63.3 | −4.8 |
| | Green | Alison Rosemary McCrea | 171 | 36.7 | +4.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 474 | 35.5 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Forsbrook

Forsbrook :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Tony Holmes* | 589 | 49.8 | −10.3 |
| | Conservative | Marc Durose | 497 | 42.0 | −7.1 |
| | Conservative | Ian Herdman* | 495 | 41.9 | −13.5 |
| | Labour | Paul Thomas Powner | 437 | 37.0 | −10.4 |
| | Independent | Abigail Wilkinson | 402 | 34.0 | N/A |
| | Green | Helen Stead | 372 | 31.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,182 | 28.0 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Hamps Valley

Hamps Valley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edwin Wain* | 332 | 64.6 | −20.1 |
| | Green | Wendy Bohme | 182 | 35.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 514 | 35.9 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Horton

Horton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jo Cox | 324 | 54.3 | +29.5 |
| | Green | Dominic Cooney | 273 | 45.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 597 | 40.1 | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |

### Ipstones

Ipstones :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Linda Ann Malyon* | Uncontested | 100.0 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

### Leek East

Leek East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Darren Price* | 766 | 57.7 | +22.0 |
| | Labour | Crecy Janina Christian Boone | 681 | 51.3 | +21.0 |
| | Labour | Gareth Richard Taylor | 591 | 44.5 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Paul Chauveau | 476 | 35.9 | +12.2 |
| | Conservative | Andy Machin | 442 | 33.3 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Brian Johnson* | 436 | 32.9 | −1.8 |
| | Green | Mike Jones | 278 | 20.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,327 | 32.8 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Brian Johnson had been elected as an independent in 2019 but joined the Conservatives in May 2022. Seat shown as independent loss to allow comparison with 2019 results.

### Leek North

Leek North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Charlotte Atkins* | 742 | 73.2 | +11.0 |
| | Labour | Lyn Swindlehurst* | 673 | 66.4 | +19.8 |
| | Labour | Mark David Johnson | 633 | 62.4 | +18.5 |
| | Conservative | Charlotte Lockett | 297 | 29.3 | −1.4 |
| | Independent | Ferenc Kari | 116 | 11.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,014 | 24.5 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Leek South

Leek South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Matt Swindlehurst | 880 | 66.4 | +20.0 |
| | Labour | Mike Gledhill* | 801 | 60.4 | +5.5 |
| | Labour | Keith Hoptroff* | 794 | 59.9 | +19.1 |
| | Green | Daniella Vickerstaff | 375 | 28.3 | +3.4 |
| | Conservative | Neil David Cox | 357 | 26.9 | −4.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,326 | 29.9 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Leek West

Leek West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Bill Cawley* | 802 | 62.4 | +9.4 |
| | Labour | Philip Barks | 688 | 53.5 | +11.9 |
| | Conservative | Ben Emery* | 572 | 44.5 | +0.6 |
| | Labour | Charlie Bromilow | 564 | 43.9 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Neal Robert Podmore | 490 | 38.1 | +1.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,286 | 35.2 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Manifold

Manifold :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Jonathan Paul Kempster | 306 | 52.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Stephen Wales | 275 | 47.3 | −17.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 581 | 39.6 | |
| | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Werrington

Werrington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David Shaw* | 404 | 56.3 | −6.8 |
| | Conservative | Ross Ward* | 370 | 51.6 | −6.4 |
| | Independent | Nigel Michael Meakin | 262 | 36.5 | N/A |
| | Green | Andrew Sharrock | 246 | 34.3 | −4.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 717 | 27.3 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |