# 2023 Blackpool Council election

The 2023 Blackpool Council election was held on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Blackpool Council in Lancashire, England. All 42 councillors were up for election. This was at the same time as other local elections across England.
Prior to the election the council was under no overall control, being led by a Labour minority administration. Labour won a majority of the seats on the council at this election.

## Background

Elections were held for Blackpool Council on 4 May 2023 along with councils across England as part of the 2023 local elections. The members were elected in all-out elections, with all 42 councillors up for election across 21 wards every four years.
At the previous election in 2019, 23 Labour councillors and 15 Conservative councillors were elected, alongside 4 independent councillors. Due to a number of changes of allegiance, Labour lost its majority in April 2021. The council then remained under no overall control until the 2023 election with Labour running a minority administration.
In June 2020 former Council Leader Simon Blackburn was suspended by the Labour Party after allegations of inappropriate behaviour. The investigation was dropped a year later after he left the party. Lynn Williams, as Deputy Leader at the time, subsequently became the first female Leader of Blackpool Council. Councillor Blackburn remained an independent Councillor for Brunswick Ward but confirmed he was not seeking re-election in 2023.
In May 2021 Martin Mitchell, Labour Councillor, was removed from his position as Chairman of the Tourism, Economy and Communities Scrutiny Committee after refusing to back the party's proposals to redevelop Stanley Park Golf Course.
6 May 2021 also saw two by-elections following the deaths of two members, Lily Henderson and former Council Leader Peter Callow. Highfield Ward saw the election of Conservative Bradley Mitchell, while in Norbreck Ward Conservative Julie Sloman was also elected.
In April 2022 Martin Mitchell resigned from the Labour Party and remained an independent Councillor for Layton Ward as part of the 'Blackpool Independents' group alongside Debbie and Gary Coleman. He stood for re-election in 2023 as an independent candidate but was defeated.
Following the death of Conservative Councillor John Wing in August 2022, a by-election was held in Greenlands Ward in November which saw the election of Peter Wright for the Labour Party. Wright won the election by a small margin of 32 votes, against the Conservative candidate Jane Warne.
In November 2022 Councillor Derek Robertson was deselected by the Blackpool South Conservative Association as a candidate for the local elections. He had been councillor for Waterloo Ward since 2014 and resigned from the Conservative Party. He served the remainder of his term as an independent. He stood for re-election as a candidate for Reform UK, but was defeated.
In February 2023 Councillor Tony Williams, along with other Tory councillors, signed a letter of no confidence in the Blackpool South MP Scott Benton and was then suspended from the Conservative Party. He subsequently resigned as Leader of the Council's Conservative Group. He served the remainder of his term as an independent councillor. He stood for re-election as an independent in Norbreck Ward but was defeated.
Notice of candidates nominated was given on 5 April.
Labour and the Conservatives fielded 42 candidates across all wards. There were a total of 10 independent candidates, the highest in recent decades, followed by Reform UK with 5 candidates, the Green Party also with 5 candidates and lastly the Liberal Democrats with 4 candidates, their lowest number of candidates in Blackpool in recent times.

## Incumbents not seeking re-election

Conservative
* Christian Cox - Squires Gate
* Don Clapham - Bispham (Retiring)
Labour
* David Collect - Tyldesley Ward
* Amy Cross - Ingthorpe Ward
* Adrian Hutton - Clifton Ward
* Maria Kirkland - Park Ward
* Allan Matthews - Tyldesley Ward
* Peter Wright - Greenlands Ward
* David O'Hara - Standing in Norbreck Ward, formerly Waterloo Cllr
Non-Aligned Independent
* Simon Blackburn - Brunswick Ward (Not seeking re-election)
* David Owen - Victoria Ward
* Tony Williams - Standing in Norbreck Ward, formerly Anchorsholme Cllr
Blackpool Independents
* Debbie Coleman - Marton Ward (Not seeking re-election)
* Gary Coleman - Brunswick Ward (Not seeking re-election)

## Summary
### Election result

The results of the election were announced on 5 May. Net gains and losses are presented against the most recent standings prior to this election.
2023 Blackpool Council election :
| Party | Candidates | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 42 | 28 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 66.7 | 48.0 | 25,665 | +4.1 |
| Conservative | 42 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 33.3 | 42.8 | 22,895 | -1.6 |
| Independent | 10 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 5.4 | 2,880 | -1.5 |
| Green | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.5 | 796 | -1.1 |
| Reform UK | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.2 | 647 | N/a |
| Liberal Democrats | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.1 | 601 | -1.0 |

### Council composition

After the previous election, the composition of the council was:
| 23 | 4 | 15 |
| Labour | Independent | Conservative |
Immediately ahead of this election, the composition of the council was:
| 20 | 9 | 13 |
| Labour | Independent | Conservative |
Following this election, the composition of the council was:
| 28 | 14 |
| Labour | Conservative |

### Aftermath

Following the 2023 election, the composition of the council was 28 Labour, 14 Conservative. However on 17 May Councillor Jim Hobson, who was re-elected to represent Bloomfield ward at the 4 May local elections, was administratively suspended. The Labour Party officially declined to provide the reasons behind the measure pending an internal investigation. In late June 2023 Jim Hobson's suspension was lifted. He was reinstated into the Labour group and re-appointed to his previous role as cabinet member for children’s services.
The next election is due in 2027.

## Ward results

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

### Anchorsholme

Anchorsholme (2 Seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Paul Galley* | 1,106 | 65.3 | −0.6 |
| | Conservative | Anita Cooper | 963 | 56.9 | −6.3 |
| | Labour | Jacqueline Boughton | 584 | 34.5 | +7.2 |
| | Labour | Theresa Clark | 568 | 33.5 | +14.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,704 | 33.99 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Bispham

Bispham (2 Seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Paul Wilshaw* | 671 | 50.6 | +5.2 |
| | Conservative | Tony Warne | 666 | 50.2 | −0.4 |
| | Labour | Jim Elmes | 621 | 46.8 | +16.6 |
| | Labour | Julia Walshaw | 616 | 46.4 | +17.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,349 | 30.93 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Bloomfield

Bloomfield (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Mel Fenlon | 374 | 45.2 | −20.5 |
| | Labour | Jim Hobson* | 371 | 44.8 | −16.6 |
| | Independent | Mark Butcher | 261 | 31.5 | N/A |
| | Independent | Graham Cain* | 237 | 28.6 | −37.1 |
| | Conservative | Cody Milnes | 195 | 23.6 | −6.0 |
| | Conservative | Malaya Nayak | 129 | 15.6 | −10.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 829 | 18.21 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Brunswick

Brunswick (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Matthew Charles Thomas | 761 | 67.2 | +28.4 |
| | Labour | Laura Marshall | 717 | 63.3 | +27.4 |
| | Conservative | Paul Clark | 368 | 32.5 | +14.9 |
| | Conservative | John Thomson | 343 | 30.3 | +14.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,146 | 23.41 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |

### Claremont

Claremont (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ivan Taylor* | 538 | 58.7 | +0.5 |
| | Labour | Lynn Williams* | 504 | 55.0 | +1.0 |
| | Conservative | Harry Gordon | 222 | 24.2 | +0.1 |
| | Conservative | Lawrence Sloman | 179 | 19.5 | −0.3 |
| | Independent | Garry Richardson | 144 | 15.7 | −0.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sue Close | 124 | 13.5 | −0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 922 | 19.19 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Clifton

Clifton (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Paula Burdess* | 713 | 61.6 | +8.6 |
| | Labour | Alistair Humphreys | 694 | 59.9 | +7.8 |
| | Conservative | Robert Wilson | 424 | 36.6 | −2.6 |
| | Conservative | Oliver Potts | 346 | 29.9 | −8.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,175 | 24.09 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Greenlands

Greenlands (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Julie Jones | 785 | 46.6 | +0.6 |
| | Labour | Dave Flanagan | 771 | 45.7 | +1.4 |
| | Conservative | Jane Warne | 701 | 41.6 | −5.5 |
| | Conservative | Rick Scott* | 680 | 40.3 | −9.3 |
| | Green | Benjamin Thomas | 167 | 9.9 | N/A |
| | Reform UK | Lance Fogg | 107 | 6.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,689 | 31.66 | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Hawes Side

Hawes Side (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Kim Critchley* | 672 | 55.7 | +10.5 |
| | Labour | Neal Brookes* | 657 | 54.5 | +9.4 |
| | Conservative | Karen Higgitt | 485 | 40.2 | +3.2 |
| | Conservative | Frank Downing | 478 | 39.6 | +4.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,216 | 23.89 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Highfield

Highfield (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Peter Hunter* | 880 | 49.2 | −1.1 |
| | Conservative | Bradley Mitchell* | 831 | 46.5 | −1.7 |
| | Conservative | Jack Robinson | 763 | 42.6 | −2.6 |
| | Labour | Sharon Hoyle | 734 | 41.0 | +1.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Bill Greene | 172 | 9.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,801 | 33.69 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Ingthorpe

Ingthorpe (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jon Bamborough | 743 | 55.7 | +1.6 |
| | Labour | Jo Farrell* | 697 | 52.2 | +2.5 |
| | Conservative | Alexander Higgs | 575 | 43.1 | +0.2 |
| | Conservative | James Murphy | 538 | 40.3 | +1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,339 | 26.60 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Layton

Layton (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Kath Benson* | 733 | 51.9 | −2.6 |
| | Labour | John Boughton | 678 | 48.0 | +1.4 |
| | Conservative | Chris Bates | 381 | 27.0 | −6.9 |
| | Independent | Martin Mitchell* | 378 | 26.8 | −19.8 |
| | Conservative | Roy Haskett | 353 | 24.5 | −9.3 |
| | Independent | Lee Taylor-Jack | 187 | 13.0 | +0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,442 | 28.72 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Marton

Marton (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Sarah Smith | 814 | 51.7 | +16.5 |
| | Labour | Shaun Brookes | 799 | 50.7 | +17.7 |
| | Conservative | Andrew Stansfield* | 630 | 40.0 | +2.0 |
| | Conservative | Glenn Priestley | 595 | 37.8 | +6.9 |
| | Reform UK | Kerry Anderson-Riley | 150 | 9.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1580 | 31.31 | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |

### Norbreck

Norbreck (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Emma Ellison | 714 | 41.7 | +9.2 |
| | Conservative | Julie Sloman* | 652 | 38.1 | +7.2 |
| | Independent | Maxine Callow* | 562 | 32.8 | −6.4 |
| | Independent | Tony Williams | 501 | 29.2 | −8.7 |
| | Labour | Robert Harrison | 440 | 25.7 | +5.7 |
| | Labour | David O'Hara | 418 | 24.4 | +5.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,714 | 34.29 | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |

### Park

Park (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Gillian Campbell* | 616 | 61.5 | +5.8 |
| | Labour | Adrian Hoyle | 551 | 55.0 | +2.6 |
| | Conservative | Frazer Rogers | 365 | 36.4 | +2.6 |
| | Conservative | Paul Carter | 358 | 35.7 | −3.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,016 | 20.81 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Squires Gate

Squires Gate (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Carl Mitchell | 854 | 54.0 | −2.8 |
| | Conservative | Gerard Walsh* | 782 | 49.4 | +2.9 |
| | Labour | Melanie Kelly | 527 | 33.3 | +0.2 |
| | Labour | Danny Rossie | 454 | 28.7 | −2.1 |
| | Green | Julie Daniels | 178 | 11.3 | −4.1 |
| | Reform UK | Kim Knight | 136 | 8.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,583 | 31.32 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Stanley

Stanley (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Graham Baker* | 796 | 64.1 | +3.0 |
| | Conservative | Jason Roberts* | 772 | 62.2 | +3.9 |
| | Labour | Laura White | 418 | 33.7 | +6.9 |
| | Labour | Daniel Lovatt-Staines | 412 | 33.2 | +9.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,246 | 29.52 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Talbot

Talbot (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Mark Smith* | 595 | 56.3 | +11.0 |
| | Labour | Jane Hugo* | 572 | 54.2 | +9.5 |
| | Conservative | Will Banks | 321 | 30.4 | −8.6 |
| | Conservative | Ian White | 312 | 29.5 | −7.4 |
| | Independent | Danny Gee | 182 | 17.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,061 | 22.74 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Tyldesley

Tyldesley (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Lisette Roe | 640 | 49.3 | +0.8 |
| | Labour | Portia Webb | 599 | 46.1 | −1.9 |
| | Conservative | Andrew Binns | 473 | 36.4 | +3.7 |
| | Conservative | John Ormston | 421 | 32.4 | +3.0 |
| | Green | Georgina Eastwood | 148 | 11.4 | −9.0 |
| | Reform UK | Paul Nield | 88 | 6.8 | N/A |
| | Independent | William Gee | 83 | 6.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,305 | 26.12 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Victoria

Victoria (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Pam Brookes | 490 | 51.9 | −2.4 |
| | Labour | Fred Jackson* | 468 | 49.6 | −11.3 |
| | Conservative | Neil Harvey | 337 | 35.7 | +1.4 |
| | Conservative | Jacqui Frost | 329 | 34.9 | +3.4 |
| | Green | Tracy Booker | 133 | 14.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 952 | 20.85 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Warbreck

Warbreck (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Danny Scott* | 600 | 44.9 | −8.6 |
| | Conservative | Michelle Scott* | 589 | 44.1 | −7.9 |
| | Labour | Matthew Haynes | 574 | 42.9 | +12.2 |
| | Labour | Tommy Kirkwood | 525 | 39.3 | +10.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kevan Benfold | 158 | 11.8 | −6.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Hindley | 147 | 11.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,343 | 26.54 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Waterloo

Waterloo (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Simon Cartmell | 564 | 39.2 | +5.6 |
| | Conservative | Diane Marie Mitchell | 509 | 35.3 | −1.9 |
| | Labour | Luke Bodenham | 493 | 34.2 | +1.7 |
| | Conservative | Chris Higgitt | 458 | 31.8 | −1.5 |
| | Independent | Jim O'Neill | 345 | 24.0 | N/A |
| | Green | Tina Rothery | 170 | 11.8 | −1.7 |
| | Reform UK | Derek Robertson* | 166 | 11.5 | −25.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,444 | 28.01 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

## Changes 2023-2027
### By-elections
#### Marton

Marton: 3 October 2024 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Reform UK | Jim O'Neill | 462 | 38.8 | +29.4 |
| | Labour | Sam Benson | 334 | 28.0 | –23.1 |
| | Conservative | Neil Harvey | 254 | 21.3 | –18.2 |
| | Independent | Andrew Stansfield | 84 | 7.0 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Bill Greene | 33 | 2.8 | N/A |
| | Green | Ben Thomas | 25 | 2.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 128 | 10.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,195 | 23.1 | –8.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,169 | | |
| | Reform UK gain from Labour | Reform UK gain from Labour | Swing | 26.3 | |

#### Bispham

Bispham: 7 November 2024 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Joel McKevitt | 436 | 31.5 | –16.6 |
| | Reform UK | William Banks | 424 | 30.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Lynda Watson | 314 | 22.7 | –29.2 |
| | Independent | Rick Scott | 148 | 10.7 | N/A |
| | Green | Ben Thomas | 36 | 2.6 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kevan Benfold | 24 | 1.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12 | 0.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,384 | 31.4 | +0.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,408 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative |