# 2023 Newcastle City Council election

The 2023 Newcastle City Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect one third of the members of Newcastle City Council in Tyne & Wear, England. This was on the same day as other local elections in England and Wales.
There were 27 of the 78 seats on the council up for election, being the usual third of the council plus a by-election in the North Jesmond ward. The result saw the Labour Party lose three seats with the Liberal Democrats and Newcastle Independents making gains. Labour retained its majority on the council.

## Background

Newcastle is a strong council for the Labour Party. Labour controlled the council from its creation in 1973 until 2004, when the Liberal Democrats won a majority on the council. Labour retook control in 2011, and have maintained a majority at every subsequent election.
Until 2022, the Labour council was led by Nick Forbes, who was also the Leader of the Labour group of the Local Government Association. The election marked the end of the first year of Nick Kemp's leadership of Newcastle City Council and as leader of the Labour group.
The seats up for election in 2023 were last contested in 2019.
This was the first election for Colin Ferguson as leader of the Liberal Democrats group, who took over from Nick Cott, and Tracey Mitchell as leader of the Newcastle Independents, who had taken over from Jason Smith.

## Election Result

Despite losing three seats, the council remained under Labour majority control. Labour made a net loss of three seats.
Five seats changed hands at this election. The Liberal Democrats gained seats in North Jesmond and West Fenham from Labour. The Newcastle Independents gained two seats from Labour, the Denton and Westerhope ward and the Lemington ward. Despite losing three seats elsewhere on the council, Labour took the seat of Callerton and Throckley from the Newcastle Independents.
Nick Kemp faced a challenge for the council leadership from fellow Labour councillor Ged Bell, who had. Bell had served as a councillor since 1996 and was a member of the council's cabinet under Nick Forbes. This challenge was withdrawn, however, leaving Kemp to return unopposed as leader of the Labour group.
2023 Newcastle City 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 % | +/− |
| | Labour | 14 | 3 | 51.9 | 34 | 48 | 61.5 | 27,688 | 41.9 | -2.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 10 | 2 | 37.0 | 13 | 23 | 29.5 | 18,417 | 27.8 | +4.4 |
| | Newcastle Ind. | 2 | 1 | 7.4 | 2 | 4 | 5.1 | 3,139 | 4.7 | -1.0 |
| | Independent | 1 | | 3.7 | 2 | 3 | 3.8 | 2,766 | 4.2 | -0.7 |
| | Conservative | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 7,651 | 11.6 | -1.9 |
| | Green | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 6,025 | 9.1 | +1.3 |
| | Freedom Alliance | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 235 | 0.4 | +0.3 |
| | SDP | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 85 | 0.1 | N/A |
| | TUSC | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 71 | 0.1 | N/A |
| | Communist | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 65 | 0.1 | ±0.0 |

## Ward results

The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by Newcastle City Council following the close of nominations on 4 April 2023.

### Arthur's Hill

Arthur's Hill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Joanne Kingsland* | 833 | 69.1 | −0.9 |
| | Green | Katie Fletcher | 208 | 17.2 | +7.3 |
| | Conservative | Fahim Habibi | 107 | 8.9 | +1.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Tahir Siddique | 58 | 4.8 | +0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 625 | 51.8 | 8.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,206 | 23.5 | 6.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,128 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 4.1 | |

### Benwell and Scotswood

Benwell and Scotswood :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Susan Anthony* | 1,636 | 65.0 | +14.5 |
| | Conservative | Jamie Kelly | 475 | 18.9 | +9.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Hans Christian Anderson | 217 | 8.6 | +3.4 |
| | Green | Lee Irving | 189 | 7.5 | +2.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,161 | 46.1 | 12.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,517 | 31.2 | 1.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,079 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 2.4 | |

### Blakelaw

Blakelaw :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Linda Hobson* | 1,069 | 59.7 | +8.7 |
| | Newcastle Ind. | Sarah Armstrong | 295 | 16.5 | New |
| | Conservative | Lucy Howie | 224 | 12.5 | +3.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Bill Shepherd | 121 | 6.8 | −5.6 |
| | Green | Jessica Whitaker | 82 | 4.6 | −1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 774 | 43.2 | 13.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,791 | 26.1 | 1.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,852 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 3.9 | |

### Byker

Byker :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Nicholas Kemp* | 885 | 49.4 | −5.3 |
| | Green | Nick Hartley | 675 | 37.7 | +28.1 |
| | Conservative | Jamie Hampton | 127 | 7.1 | +2.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mark Ridyard | 105 | 5.9 | +1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 210 | 11.7 | 26.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,792 | 27.0 | 4.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,644 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 16.7 | |

### Callerton and Throckley

Callerton and Throckley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Adam Walker | 1,080 | 41.7 | +12.4 |
| | Newcastle Ind. | John Gordon | 541 | 20.9 | −13.2 |
| | Conservative | John Dobie | 481 | 18.6 | +2.9 |
| | Green | Idwal John | 319 | 12.3 | +0.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Richard Morris | 169 | 6.5 | −2.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 539 | 20.8 | 16.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,590 | 30.6 | 2.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,470 | | |
| | Labour gain from Newcastle Ind. | Labour gain from Newcastle Ind. | Swing | 12.8 | |

### Castle

Castle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ali Avaei* | 1,369 | 43.2 | +9.1 |
| | Labour Co-op | Andrew Herridge | 1,175 | 37.1 | +7.4 |
| | Conservative | Joshua Clark | 406 | 12.8 | +0.4 |
| | Green | Andrew Thorp | 220 | 6.9 | +1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 194 | 6.1 | 1.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,170 | 29.5 | 7.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,750 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 0.9 | |

### Chapel

Chapel :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Margaret Donnelly | 2,766 | 78.8 | +5.9 |
| | Labour Co-op | Milo Jasper Barnett | 419 | 11.9 | −3.6 |
| | Conservative | Ian Forster | 203 | 5.8 | −3.7 |
| | Green | James Milne | 62 | 1.8 | New |
| | Liberal Democrats | Judith Steen | 60 | 1.7 | −0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,347 | 66.9 | 15.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,510 | 46.8 | 1.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,499 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | 4.8 | |

### Dene and South Gosforth

Dene and South Gosforth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Henry Gallagher* | 1,659 | 48.2 | +3.4 |
| | Labour | Christopher Bartlett | 1,221 | 35.5 | +7.5 |
| | Green | Robert Taylor | 298 | 8.7 | −4.9 |
| | Conservative | Gerry Langley | 262 | 7.6 | 0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 438 | 12.7 | 4.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,440 | 46.9 | 3.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,333 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 2.1 | |

### Denton and Westerhope

Denton and Westerhope :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Newcastle Ind. | Adam Mitchell | 1,226 | 45.4 | +13.3 |
| | Labour | Bill Purvis | 1,093 | 40.5 | +4.1 |
| | Conservative | Alexis Fernandes | 187 | 6.9 | +0.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Libby Dicken | 109 | 4.0 | +1.0 |
| | Green | Cécile Renaud-Glorieux | 83 | 3.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 133 | 4.9 | 0.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,698 | 31.7 | 1.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,504 | | |
| | Newcastle Ind. gain from Labour | Newcastle Ind. gain from Labour | Swing | 4.6 | |

### Elswick

Elswick :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Habib Rahman* | 1,383 | 71.8 | −0.2 |
| | Green | Peter Thomson | 271 | 14.1 | +2.8 |
| | Conservative | Saamiya Malik | 181 | 9.4 | 0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Hamed Aghajani | 90 | 4.7 | −2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,112 | 57.8 | 3.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,925 | 25.2 | 7.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,635 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 1.5 | |

### Fawdon and West Gosforth

Fawdon and West Gosforth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Lovatt* | 1,673 | 58.5 | +0.2 |
| | Labour Co-op | Ava Rowell | 688 | 24.1 | +1.7 |
| | Conservative | Stephen Axford | 295 | 10.3 | +0.7 |
| | Green | Roger Whittaker | 204 | 7.1 | −2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 985 | 34.4 | 1.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,860 | 38.9 | 0.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,351 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 0.8 | |

### Gosforth

Gosforth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Tom Woodwark* | 1,565 | 39.0 | −1.6 |
| | Conservative | Doc Anand | 1,334 | 33.3 | +7.0 |
| | Labour | Nick Arnold | 875 | 21.8 | +1.9 |
| | Green | Anna Foster | 237 | 5.9 | −7.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 231 | 5.8 | 8.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,011 | 52.8 | 1.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,596 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 4.3 | |

### Heaton

Heaton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Mehrban Sadiq | 1,384 | 49.0 | +2.7 |
| | Green | Andrew Gray | 625 | 22.1 | −5.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Tom Appleby | 595 | 21.1 | +3.4 |
| | Conservative | Shah Ali | 156 | 5.5 | −2.8 |
| | Communist | Steve Handford | 65 | 2.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 759 | 26.9 | 8.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,825 | 39.4 | 1.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,171 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 4.2 | |

### Kenton

Kenton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Paula Maines | 1,337 | 55.1 | +6.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Austin | 562 | 23.2 | −1.1 |
| | Conservative | Zak Mudie | 270 | 11.1 | −5.7 |
| | Green | Adam Jackson | 185 | 7.6 | New |
| | TUSC | Nicholas Fray | 71 | 2.9 | −7.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 775 | 32.0 | 7.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,425 | 33.2 | 1.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,313 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 3.9 | |

### Kingston Park South and Newbiggin Hall

Kingston Park South and Newbiggin Hall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jacqui Robinson* | 1,377 | 66.8 | +10.6 |
| | Conservative | James Mark | 321 | 15.6 | −13.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Aidan King | 249 | 12.1 | −2.4 |
| | Green | Tristan Gilet | 113 | 5.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,056 | 51.3 | 24.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,060 | 29.6 | 1.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,957 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 12.2 | |

### Lemington

Lemington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Newcastle Ind. | Nix Joanne | 1,077 | 45.9 | +8.7 |
| | Labour Co-op | Stephen Barry-Stanners | 918 | 39.1 | −2.5 |
| | Conservative | Joel Bland | 195 | 8.3 | −2.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Petrie | 80 | 3.4 | −1.9 |
| | Green | Hilda Frost | 76 | 3.2 | −2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 159 | 6.8 | 2.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,346 | 33.0 | 1.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,111 | | |
| | Newcastle Ind. gain from Labour | Newcastle Ind. gain from Labour | Swing | 5.6 | |

### Manor Park

Manor Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Deborah Burns | 1,573 | 53.6 | −3.4 |
| | Labour | Carly Walker-Dawson | 859 | 29.3 | −3.7 |
| | Conservative | Beth Spurr | 260 | 8.9 | −1.2 |
| | Green | Michael Rabley | 242 | 8.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 714 | 24.3 | 0.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,934 | 41.2 | 0.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,117 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 0.2 | |

### Monument

Monument :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Teresa Cairns* | 751 | 63.2 | +17.3 |
| | Green | James Vesty | 205 | 17.0 | −8.7 |
| | Conservative | Aaron Whelan-Harvey | 133 | 11.2 | −1.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Partington | 102 | 8.6 | −7.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 546 | 45.8 | 24.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,191 | 23.7 | 5.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,029 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 13.0 | |

### North Jesmond

North Jesmond (2 seats due to by-election) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gerry Keating* | 1,322 | 65.1 | +23.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Philip Browne | 1,276 | 62.8 | +21.5 |
| | Labour Co-op | Oskar Avery | 567 | 27.9 | −15.3 |
| | Labour Co-op | Michael Bell | 512 | 25.2 | −18.1 |
| | Green | Shehla Naqvi | 179 | 8.8 | +1.4 |
| | Green | Tim Dowson | 135 | 6.6 | −0.8 |
| | Conservative | Stephen Dawes | 79 | 3.9 | −2.8 |
| | Conservative | Genna Brown | 73 | 3.6 | −3.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 755 | 37.2 | 15.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 764 | 37.6 | 35.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,032 | 47.6 | 2.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,032 | 47.6 | 12.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,433 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 20.0 | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing | 19.8 | |

### Ouseburn

Ouseburn :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gareth Kane* | 931 | 49.7 | ±0.0 |
| | Labour | Asad Syed | 705 | 37.7 | +0.1 |
| | Green | Phill James | 187 | 10.0 | +0.5 |
| | Conservative | Marie Summersby | 49 | 2.6 | −0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 226 | 12.1 | Even |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,872 | 37.6 | 6.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,976 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 0.1 | |

### Parklands

Parklands :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christine Morrissey* | 2,143 | 54.2 | +13.1 |
| | Labour | Matthew Hill | 895 | 22.6 | +5.7 |
| | Conservative | Andrew Burnett | 536 | 13.6 | −6.2 |
| | Green | Audrey MacNaughton | 378 | 9.6 | +0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,248 | 31.6 | 11.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,952 | 44.8 | 3.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,824 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 3.7 | |

### South Jesmond

South Jesmond :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Lesley Storey* | 828 | 45.5 | +8.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Fiona Punchard | 476 | 26.2 | +6.6 |
| | Green | Alistair Ford | 250 | 13.8 | −12.9 |
| | Conservative | Elias al Dahan | 179 | 9.8 | −5.7 |
| | SDP | Martin Evison | 85 | 4.7 | +3.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 352 | 19.4 | 9.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,818 | 36.5 | 3.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,975 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 1.0 | |

### Walker

Walker :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Margaret Wood* | 1,224 | 70.3 | +16.9 |
| | Conservative | Alex Walker | 229 | 13.2 | +5.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen Psallidas | 100 | 5.7 | −1.3 |
| | Green | Tom Whatson | 95 | 5.5 | New |
| | Freedom Alliance | Steve Fish | 92 | 5.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 995 | 57.2 | 35.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,740 | 24.7 | 4.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,039 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 5.6 | |

### Walkergate

Walkergate :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Paul Frew* | 1,571 | 59.6 | +15.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Deborah Gallagher | 433 | 16.4 | +1.4 |
| | Conservative | Stephen Oxborough | 331 | 12.5 | +3.0 |
| | Green | Doug Paterson | 160 | 6.1 | −0.2 |
| | Freedom Alliance | Julie Fish | 143 | 5.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,138 | 43.1 | 23.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,638 | 31.8 | 1.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,293 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 7.1 | |

### West Fenham

West Fenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | P.J. Morrissey | 1,200 | 45.3 | +39.6 |
| | Labour Co-op | Sylvia Copley* | 883 | 33.3 | −10.8 |
| | Conservative | Raja Khan | 329 | 12.4 | +2.4 |
| | Green | Tay Pitman | 237 | 8.9 | −2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 317 | 12.0 | 11.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,649 | 36.6 | 4.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,229 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing | 25.2 | |

### Wingrove

Wingrove :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Rebecca Shatwell* | 1,520 | 67.3 | +11.4 |
| | Green | John Pearson | 318 | 14.1 | +0.9 |
| | Conservative | Jarred Riley | 229 | 10.6 | +0.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Colin Steen | 180 | 8.0 | −3.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,202 | 53.3 | 10.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,257 | 31.4 | 5.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,198 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 5.3 | |