# 2024 Rochford District Council election

The 2024 Rochford District Council election took place on 2 May 2024 to elect members of Rochford District Council in Essex, England. This was on the same day as other local elections.

## Summary

The council was under no overall control prior to the election. The Conservatives were the largest individual party, but the council was being run by a coalition of the Liberal Democrats, Rochford Residents, Green Party and independents, led by John Mason of the Rochford Residents.
Following the election, the council remained under no overall control, but the Liberal Democrats overtook the Conservatives to become the largest party. A new coalition of the Liberal Democrats, Green Party and independents formed after the election. The Liberal Democrat group leader, James Newport, was appointed leader of the council at the subsequent annual council meeting on 21 May 2024.

### Election result

2024 Rochford 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 | 4 | 2 | 30.8 | 7 | 11 | 28.2 | 3,459 | 18.1 | –6.9 |
| | Conservative | 3 | 2 | 23.1 | 7 | 10 | 25.6 | 5,858 | 30.7 | –1.2 |
| | Independent | 4 | 1 | 30.8 | 5 | 9 | 23.1 | 3,635 | 19.1 | +11.0 |
| | Rochford Resident | 2 | 1 | 15.4 | 6 | 8 | 20.5 | 2,258 | 11.8 | –2.0 |
| | Green | 0 | | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | 2.6 | 781 | 4.1 | –0.3 |
| | Labour | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 3,049 | 16.0 | +1.6 |
| | Heritage | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 38 | 0.2 | N/A |

## Ward results

The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by Rochford District Council following the close of nominations on 4 April 2024.

### Downhall & Rawreth

Downhall & Rawreth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jim Cripps* | 891 | 59.6 | –8.4 |
| | Conservative | Marie Langley | 385 | 25.7 | +6.5 |
| | Labour | James Hedges | 220 | 14.7 | +6.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 506 | 33.9 | –14.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,496 | 26.3 | –1.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 7.5 | |

### Foulness & The Wakerings

Foulness & The Wakerings :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Gary Myers* | 547 | 37.5 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Rosalind Efde | 533 | 36.5 | –18.9 |
| | Labour | Lorraine Ridley | 325 | 22.3 | –9.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Steve Tellis | 54 | 3.7 | –9.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14 | 1.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,459 | 25.1 | +1.9 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Hawkwell East

Hawkwell East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Mike Webb | 337 | 25.8 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Toni Carter | 322 | 24.6 | –6.1 |
| | Rochford Resident | Joe Capon | 298 | 22.8 | –13.3 |
| | Labour | Keith Montgomery | 181 | 13.8 | –1.2 |
| | Green | Rachel White | 131 | 10.0 | –5.0 |
| | Heritage | Bella-Elena Armstrong | 38 | 2.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15 | 1.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,307 | 27.7 | –2.6 |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative |

### Hawkwell West

Hawkwell West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Rochford Resident | Ian Wilson | 848 | 57.0 | +2.7 |
| | Conservative | David Osborne | 401 | 27.0 | ±0.0 |
| | Labour | Teddy Ryan | 238 | 16.0 | +5.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 447 | 30.0 | +2.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,487 | 29.9 | –2.3 |
| | Rochford Resident hold | Rochford Resident hold | Swing | 1.4 | |

### Hockley

Hockley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Rochford Resident | Phil Capon | 680 | 40.1 | –19.9 |
| | Conservative | Eileen Gadsdon* | 484 | 28.6 | +3.7 |
| | Green | Chris Taylor | 315 | 18.6 | N/A |
| | Labour | Ian Rooke | 216 | 12.7 | –2.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 196 | 11.5 | –23.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,695 | 33.5 | +2.9 |
| | Rochford Resident gain from Conservative | Rochford Resident gain from Conservative | Swing | 11.8 | |

### Hockley & Ashingdon

Hockley & Ashingdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Roger Constable* | 463 | 37.2 | +8.3 |
| | Rochford Resident | Tracy Capon | 432 | 34.7 | +6.8 |
| | Labour | Hollie Ridley | 240 | 19.3 | +7.7 |
| | Green | John Waldron | 110 | 8.8 | +1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 31 | 2.5 | +1.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,245 | 24.3 | –7.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 0.8 | |

### Hullbridge

Hullbridge :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Michael Hoy* | 1,091 | 69.2 | +10.5 |
| | Conservative | Kelly Moody | 299 | 19.0 | –9.0 |
| | Labour | David Lench | 186 | 11.8 | –1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 792 | 50.2 | +19.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,576 | 27.5 | –1.9 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | 9.8 | |

### Lodge

Lodge :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Milne* | 857 | 57.3 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Robin Dray | 639 | 42.7 | +0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 218 | 14.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,496 | 29.4 | –2.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold |

### Roche North & Rural

Roche North & Rural :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Phil Shaw | 424 | 30.5 | –0.6 |
| | Labour | Conner Agius | 395 | 28.4 | +1.0 |
| | Independent | Denise Crosbie | 383 | 27.5 | N/A |
| | Green | John Gallivan | 116 | 8.3 | –11.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jennifer Johnson | 74 | 5.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 29 | 2.1 | –1.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,392 | 27.6 | +2.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 0.8 | |

### Roche South

Roche South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Angelina Marriott | 473 | 40.5 | –0.4 |
| | Labour | Shona Hyde-Williams | 471 | 40.3 | +11.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Debbie Taylor | 116 | 9.9 | –6.8 |
| | Green | Samantha Spiteri | 109 | 9.3 | –4.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2 | 0.2 | –11.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,169 | 24.6 | –0.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 5.9 | |

### Sweyne Park & Grange

Sweyne Park & Grange :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Lisa Newport* | 820 | 59.1 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Scott Peters | 351 | 25.3 | –1.8 |
| | Labour | Victoria Williams | 217 | 15.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 469 | 33.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,388 | 28.0 | –1.2 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Trinity

Trinity :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Matt O'Leary | 900 | 52.5 | –5.6 |
| | Conservative | Simon Smith | 634 | 37.0 | +1.7 |
| | Labour | Steve Cooper | 179 | 10.4 | +3.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 266 | 15.5 | –7.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,713 | 31.8 | –4.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | 3.7 | |

### Wheatley

Wheatley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mike Sutton | 567 | 34.3 | –19.8 |
| | Independent | Jamie Burton | 457 | 27.6 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Chinu Kishore | 450 | 27.2 | –1.5 |
| | Labour | Billy Ridley | 181 | 10.9 | +0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 110 | 6.7 | –18.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,655 | 32.9 | –1.7 |
| | 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 |