# 2023 St Albans City and District Council election

The 2023 St Albans City and District Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of St Albans City and District Council in Hertfordshire, England. This was on the same day as other local elections across England.
Eighteen members of the council were up for election.
The Liberal Democrats obtained 15 seats, the Green party obtained 2 seats (including winning one from the Liberal Democrats in Clarence ward), and the Conservatives obtained 1 seat (in Harpenden South).
The Liberal Democrats remained in control of the council after the election, with 49 out of 56 seats being held by them.
On 5 May 2023, one day after the election, it was announced that there would be a by-election for a district councillor in St. Peters ward on 13 June 2023 due to a vacancy.
The next elections are due to take place in May 2024.

## Summary
### Election result

2023 St Albans City and 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 % | +/− |
| | Liberal Democrats | 15 | 1 | 83.3 | 34 | 49 | 87.5 | 20,859 | 50.4 | +2.5 |
| | Conservative | 1 | | 5.6 | 3 | 4 | 7.1 | 11,127 | 26.8 | +2.8 |
| | Green | 2 | 1 | 11.1 | 0 | 2 | 3.6 | 5,287 | 12.8 | –2.4 |
| | Independent | 0 | | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | 1.8 | 0 | 0.0 | –2.5 |
| | Labour | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 4,075 | 9.8 | –0.6 |
| | Reform UK | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 49 | 0.1 | N/A |
| | Communist | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 30 | 0.1 | ±0.0 |

## Ward results

The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by St Albans City and District Council following the close of nominations on 5 April 2023.
The Liberal Democrats, Conservatives, Labour, and the Green Party had candidates in all 18 wards. The results for each ward were as follows:

### Batchwood

Batchwood :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jenni Murray* | 1,184 | 56.4 | +3.4 |
| | Labour | Emma Turnbull | 344 | 16.4 | –1.2 |
| | Conservative | Alexandra Clark | 309 | 14.7 | –1.6 |
| | Green | Danielle Durant-Taylor | 214 | 10.2 | –2.8 |
| | Reform UK | David Thurston | 49 | 2.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 840 | 40.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,100 | 37.6 | –6.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,584 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 2.3 | |

### Bernards Heath

Bernards Heath :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Chris Brattle | 1,419 | 60.7 | +8.2 |
| | Conservative | Ambrose Killen | 406 | 17.3 | +1.2 |
| | Green | Rosalind Paul | 276 | 11.8 | –10.1 |
| | Labour | Jane Cloke | 238 | 10.2 | +0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,013 | 43.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,339 | 40.4 | –6.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,796 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 3.5 | |

### Clarence

Clarence :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Matt Fisher | 1,503 | 50.9 | +18.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Oluwasheun Onamusi | 1,055 | 35.8 | –11.1 |
| | Conservative | Don Deepthi | 198 | 6.7 | –3.2 |
| | Labour | George Sanderson | 194 | 6.6 | –4.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 448 | 15.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,950 | 48.5 | –2.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,089 | | |
| | Green gain from Liberal Democrats | Green gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | 14.7 | |

### Cunningham

Cunningham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Keith Cotton | 1,281 | 59.6 | +0.2 |
| | Conservative | Lyn Bolton | 408 | 19.0 | +3.1 |
| | Labour | John Paton | 293 | 13.6 | +1.0 |
| | Green | Caroline Hall | 168 | 7.8 | –4.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 873 | 40.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,150 | 38.0 | –3.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,660 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 1.5 | |

### Harpenden East

Harpenden East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Dason Canning* | 1,221 | 58.0 | +7.4 |
| | Conservative | Nigel Turnbull | 570 | 27.1 | –3.2 |
| | Labour | Neil Mulcock | 172 | 8.2 | +0.4 |
| | Green | Ian Troughton | 142 | 6.7 | –4.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 651 | 30.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,105 | 37.3 | –6.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,637 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 5.3 | |

### Harpenden North & Rural

Harpenden North & Rural :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ayesha Rohale* | 1,217 | 53.1 | –2.5 |
| | Conservative | Alexia D'Rosario | 736 | 32.1 | +2.4 |
| | Green | Candida Whittome | 171 | 7.5 | –0.9 |
| | Labour | Ben Dearman | 167 | 7.3 | +1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 481 | 21.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,291 | 39.3 | –5.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,832 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 2.5 | |

### Harpenden South

Harpenden South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Teresa Heritage | 1,220 | 52.0 | +10.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Denise de Mattos Bowser | 885 | 37.7 | +0.1 |
| | Labour | David Crew | 134 | 5.7 | –4.2 |
| | Green | Anne McQuade | 106 | 4.6 | –6.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 335 | 14.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,345 | 42.2 | +1.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,558 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 5.0 | |

### Harpenden West

Harpenden West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Fiona Gaskell* | 1,256 | 45.4 | +2.0 |
| | Conservative | Matt Cowley | 1,189 | 42.9 | +9.6 |
| | Green | Kyle Riley | 205 | 7.4 | –10.0 |
| | Labour | Victoria Thompson | 119 | 4.3 | –1.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 67 | 2.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,769 | 45.9 | –3.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,036 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 3.8 | |

### Hill End

Hill End :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Graeme Shaw | 1,468 | 66.5 | +10.0 |
| | Conservative | Sudha Bharadia | 295 | 13.3 | +0.6 |
| | Green | Marianne Jordan | 250 | 11.3 | +0.8 |
| | Labour | Steve Clark | 197 | 8.9 | ±0.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,173 | 53.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,210 | 39.7 | –6.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,569 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 4.7 | |

### London Colney

London Colney :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Guy Gampell* | 646 | 35.6 | +2.2 |
| | Labour | Sam Vosper | 619 | 34.1 | +6.2 |
| | Conservative | Dave Winstone | 470 | 25.9 | –4.3 |
| | Green | Allie Park-Crowne | 76 | 4.1 | –3.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 27 | 1.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,811 | 30.7 | –1.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,897 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 2.0 | |

### Marshalswick East & Jersey Farm

Marshalswick East & Jersey Farm :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Raj Visram* | 1,156 | 49.9 | –0.7 |
| | Conservative | Frances Leonard | 788 | 34.0 | +2.3 |
| | Green | James Lomas | 195 | 8.4 | –1.3 |
| | Labour | Nick Pullinger | 178 | 7.7 | –0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 368 | 15.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,317 | 39.9 | –7.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,809 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 1.5 | |

### Park Street

Park Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nuala Webb* | 1,234 | 54.8 | +7.6 |
| | Conservative | James Cook | 705 | 31.3 | –3.2 |
| | Labour | Laurence Chester | 172 | 7.6 | –1.4 |
| | Green | Mark Park-Crowne | 140 | 6.3 | –3.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 529 | 23.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,251 | 35.2 | –5.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,396 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 5.5 | |

### Redbourn

Redbourn :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andy Thurston | 859 | 49.8 | +18.0 |
| | Conservative | Victoria Mead | 615 | 35.6 | +12.7 |
| | Labour | Symon Vegro | 156 | 9.0 | +2.8 |
| | Green | Stephen Clough | 95 | 5.6 | –2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 244 | 14.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,725 | 40.2 | –1.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,292 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 2.7 | |

### Sandridge & Wheathampstead

Sandridge & Wheathampstead :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sharon Hollingsworth* | 1,213 | 48.8 | +7.7 |
| | Conservative | Gill Clark | 960 | 38.6 | +1.1 |
| | Green | Oliver Hitch | 166 | 6.7 | –6.4 |
| | Labour | James Morrell | 148 | 6.0 | –2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 253 | 10.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,487 | 41.2 | –4.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,039 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 3.3 | |

### Sopwell

Sopwell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Harriet Sherlock | 1,144 | 55.5 | +0.7 |
| | Labour | Iain Grant | 414 | 20.1 | –0.8 |
| | Conservative | Richard Curthoys | 278 | 13.5 | +1.4 |
| | Green | Tricia Gibbons | 194 | 9.4 | –2.8 |
| | Communist | Mark Ewington | 30 | 1.5 | –1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 730 | 35.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,060 | 37.7 | –5.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,458 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 0.8 | |

### St Peters

St Peters :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Simon Grover* | 1,045 | 46.1 | +9.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Partridge | 760 | 33.4 | –5.9 |
| | Conservative | Graham Leonard | 251 | 11.0 | +1.0 |
| | Labour | David Byatt | 217 | 9.5 | –4.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 285 | 12.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,273 | 36.9 | –2.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,164 | | |
| | Green hold | Green hold | Swing | 7.7 | |

### St Stephen

St Stephen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen Cavinder | 1,243 | 47.7 | +3.5 |
| | Conservative | Aaron Jacob | 1,079 | 41.4 | +6.3 |
| | Labour | Janet Blackwell | 156 | 6.0 | –2.7 |
| | Green | Matthew Thomas | 129 | 4.9 | –3.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 164 | 6.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,607 | 39.4 | –4.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,610 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 1.4 | |

### Verulam

Verulam :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Julian Degg | 1,618 | 61.4 | +4.4 |
| | Conservative | Susan Devi | 650 | 24.6 | +0.5 |
| | Green | Gabriel Roberts | 212 | 8.0 | –3.4 |
| | Labour | Geoff Meade | 157 | 6.0 | –1.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 968 | 36.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,637 | 46.1 | –5.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,722 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 2.0 | |

## By-elections
### St Peters

A by-election was held in the St Peters ward on 13 June 2023, after the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Danny Clare.
St Peters: 13 June 2023 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Juliet Voisey | 628 | 44.7 | –1.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David John Patridge | 537 | 38.2 | +4.8 |
| | Conservative | Ambrose Killen | 156 | 11.1 | +0.1 |
| | Labour | David James Byatt | 84 | 6.0 | –3.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 91 | 6.5 | –6.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,412 | 22.8 | –14.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,196 | | |
| | Green gain from Liberal Democrats | Green gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | 3.1 | |

### Marshalswick East & Jersey Farm

A second by-election was held in Marshalswick East & Jersey Farm ward on 17 August 2023 following the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Elissa Da Costa-Waldman.
Marshalswick East & Jersey Farm: 17 August 2023 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Raihaanah Ahmed | 774 | 46.0 | –3.9 |
| | Conservative | Frances Leonard | 661 | 39.3 | +5.3 |
| | Green | James Lomas | 102 | 6.1 | –2.3 |
| | Labour | Nick Pullinger | 82 | 4.9 | –2.8 |
| | Independent | Samuel Posner | 62 | 3.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 113 | 6.7 | −9.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,685 | 28.8 | −11.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,853 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Sandridge and Wheathampstead

A third by-election was held on 7 December 2023 due to a vacancy in the Sandridge and Wheathampstead ward.
Sandridge and Wheathampstead: 7 December 2023 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Simon Johns | 793 | 55.6 | +6.8 |
| | Conservative | Claudio Duran | 480 | 33.7 | −4.9 |
| | Green | Oliver Hitch | 78 | 5.5 | −1.2 |
| | Labour | James Morrell | 68 | 4.8 | −1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 313 | 21.9 | +11.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,426 | 23.4 | −18.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,093 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 13.2% | |