# 2023 Darlington Borough Council election

The 2023 Darlington Borough Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect all 50 members of Darlington Borough Council in County Durham, England. This was at the same time as other local elections across England.
The council was under no overall control prior to the election, being led by a Conservative minority administration. The council remained under no overall control after the election, but Labour overtook the Conservatives to become the largest party. A Labour and Liberal Democrat coalition formed after the election, with Labour group leader Steven Harker being appointed leader of the council at the subsequent annual council meeting on 25 May 2023.

## Results

Following the results, the council remained with no overall control, but Labour became the largest party.
2023 Darlington Borough Council election :
| Party | Candidates | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 50 | 24 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 48.0 | 34.9 | 24,798 | +1.7 |
| Conservative | 49 | 15 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 30.0 | 37.1 | 26,324 | –4.4 |
| Green | 50 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 14.0 | 18.7 | 13,271 | +5.5 |
| Liberal Democrats | 16 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.0 | 4.7 | 3,347 | +0.5 |
| Independent | 11 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2.0 | 4.6 | 3,273 | –2.0 |

## Ward results

The candidates for each ward were named on 13 April 2023.

### Bank Top and Lascelles

Bank Top and Lascelles (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Helen Crumble* | 593 | 52.9 | +16.3 |
| | Labour | David Ray | 579 | 51.6 | +15.2 |
| | Labour | Andrew Anderson | 577 | 51.4 | +19.4 |
| | Conservative | Jo Barker | 354 | 31.6 | +8.4 |
| | Conservative | Emily Chamberlain | 322 | 28.7 | +5.8 |
| | Conservative | Pat Tobin | 312 | 27.8 | N/A |
| | Independent | Darrien Wright* | 157 | 14.0 | –38.3 |
| | Green | Helen Whittington | 95 | 8.5 | –13.8 |
| | Green | Geoff Hill | 84 | 7.5 | N/A |
| | Green | Ian MacMurray | 74 | 6.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,122 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Brinkburn and Faverdale

Brinkburn and Faverdale (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Rebecca Baker | 987 | 47.0 | +14.9 |
| | Labour | David Beckett | 949 | 45.2 | +14.8 |
| | Conservative | Scott Durham* | 891 | 42.4 | –4.0 |
| | Labour | Sarah Holt | 880 | 41.9 | +12.0 |
| | Conservative | Sally Clarke | 877 | 41.7 | –2.7 |
| | Conservative | Andrew Raw | 843 | 40.1 | +0.4 |
| | Green | Sarah Siddle | 166 | 7.9 | –14.4 |
| | Green | Ty Hankinson | 139 | 6.6 | N/A |
| | Green | Nick Wilson | 129 | 6.1 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Bennett | 86 | 4.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,101 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Cockerton

Cockerton (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jan Cossins* | 738 | 51.8 | +7.2 |
| | Labour | Jim Garner | 652 | 45.7 | +2.9 |
| | Labour | Neil Johnson | 634 | 44.5 | +5.6 |
| | Conservative | Vicky Bartch | 486 | 34.1 | –2.6 |
| | Conservative | Sam Bell | 485 | 34.0 | +3.8 |
| | Conservative | Jonathan Hodgson | 473 | 33.2 | +3.0 |
| | Green | Vicky Atkinson | 184 | 12.9 | –8.2 |
| | Green | Susie Broughton | 143 | 10.0 | N/A |
| | Green | Tamara Ullyart | 128 | 9.0 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Malcolm Dunstone | 71 | 5.0 | –6.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,426 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### College

College (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Matthew Snedker* | 1,255 | 64.9 | +10.9 |
| | Green | Bryony Holroyd* | 1,245 | 64.3 | +19.2 |
| | Conservative | Mark Hardy | 479 | 24.8 | –16.2 |
| | Conservative | Andy Maughan | 442 | 22.8 | –10.1 |
| | Labour | Elizabeth Watson | 152 | 7.9 | –2.9 |
| | Labour | Lian Hutchings | 143 | 7.4 | –2.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Charlie Curry | 32 | 1.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,935 | | |
| | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold |
| | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold | Green hold |

### Eastbourne

Eastbourne (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Kevin Nicholson* | 629 | 42.4 | –28.8 |
| | Conservative | Jonathan Dulston* | 622 | 42.0 | +5.2 |
| | Labour | Joe Dillon | 529 | 35.7 | +13.6 |
| | Labour | Chris Taylor | 476 | 32.1 | +11.3 |
| | Labour | Jan Taylor | 466 | 31.4 | +12.1 |
| | Independent | Maureen Martin | 368 | 24.8 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Alison Raynolds | 276 | 18.6 | N/A |
| | Independent | Steven Tait* | 268 | 18.1 | –44.3 |
| | Green | Sue Morley | 100 | 6.7 | –16.2 |
| | Green | Stuart Bramley | 90 | 6.1 | N/A |
| | Green | Richard Wise | 69 | 4.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,482 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent |

### Harrowgate Hill

Harrowgate Hill (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Roz Henderson | 846 | 44.4 | +21.9 |
| | Green | Anna-Maria Toms | 765 | 40.1 | N/A |
| | Green | Richard Lawley | 720 | 37.8 | N/A |
| | Labour | Martin Landers | 586 | 30.7 | –6.9 |
| | Labour | Joe Passman | 563 | 29.5 | –7.2 |
| | Labour | Sophie Landers | 561 | 29.4 | –4.2 |
| | Conservative | Jon Clarke* | 489 | 25.6 | –14.8 |
| | Conservative | Samantha Bedingfield-Weller | 475 | 24.9 | –14.8 |
| | Conservative | Mikey Vasey | 421 | 22.1 | –14.6 |
| | Independent | Ian Ferguson | 70 | 3.7 | –16.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,907 | | |
| | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative |
| | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative |
| | Green gain from Labour | Green gain from Labour | Green gain from Labour | Green gain from Labour | Green gain from Labour |

### Haughton and Springfield

Haughton and Springfield (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Chris McEwan* | 904 | 54.8 | +8.7 |
| | Labour | Nick Wallis* | 846 | 51.3 | +10.7 |
| | Labour | Dawn Storr | 811 | 49.2 | +4.3 |
| | Conservative | Paul Culley | 627 | 38.0 | –1.0 |
| | Conservative | Robert Mills | 587 | 35.6 | +2.5 |
| | Conservative | Joe Dunn | 548 | 33.2 | +0.3 |
| | Green | Andrew Bramfitt | 151 | 9.2 | –13.2 |
| | Green | Bill Stuart | 130 | 7.9 | N/A |
| | Green | Alex Swainston | 124 | 7.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,649 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Heighington and Coniscliffe

Heighton and Coniscliffe (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Gerald Lee* | 869 | 55.9 | –14.2 |
| | Conservative | Paul Crudass* | 665 | 42.8 | –15.7 |
| | Independent | Holly White | 425 | 27.3 | N/A |
| | Labour | Paul Harman | 275 | 17.7 | +4.0 |
| | Labour | Tony Roberts | 273 | 17.6 | +4.0 |
| | Green | Michael Cooke | 178 | 11.4 | –10.1 |
| | Green | Michael Fearneyhough | 122 | 7.8 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Bill Oliver | 67 | 4.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,555 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Hummersknott

Hummersknott (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Thomas Robinson | 1,009 | 53.2 | +32.2 |
| | Green | Kate Mammolotti | 985 | 51.9 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Bill Galbraith | 798 | 42.1 | –13.0 |
| | Conservative | Jack Sowerby* | 732 | 38.6 | –13.3 |
| | Labour | Clare McAdam | 93 | 4.9 | –9.6 |
| | Labour | Rebecca Taylor | 85 | 4.5 | –6.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,897 | | |
| | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative |
| | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative |

### Hurworth

Hurworth (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Lorraine Tostevin* | 716 | 54.4 | +3.3 |
| | Conservative | Paul Walters | 644 | 49.0 | +4.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Joe Kelley | 325 | 24.7 | –9.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nigel Boddy | 278 | 21.1 | N/A |
| | Labour | Hannah Guy | 190 | 14.4 | +3.2 |
| | Green | Peter Commane | 169 | 12.9 | –18.1 |
| | Labour | Elizabeth Muggleton | 157 | 11.9 | +1.7 |
| | Green | Chris Fishwick | 75 | 5.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,315 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Mowden

Mowden (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Pauline Culley* | 871 | 56.9 | –5.8 |
| | Conservative | Alan Marshall* | 842 | 55.0 | –5.0 |
| | Labour | Bob Carson | 441 | 28.8 | +8.5 |
| | Labour | Tom Paver | 426 | 27.8 | +8.0 |
| | Green | Vanessa Hilton | 187 | 12.2 | –8.9 |
| | Green | Paul Hilton | 159 | 10.4 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Laura Wilson | 60 | 3.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,532 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### North Road

North Road (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anne-Marie Curry* | 465 | 41.1 | –5.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Hilary Allen* | 438 | 38.7 | –3.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | James Coe | 394 | 34.8 | +0.5 |
| | Labour | Jan Bowles | 353 | 31.2 | +1.9 |
| | Labour | Jonnie Vasey | 323 | 28.5 | +2.8 |
| | Labour | Syed Haque | 293 | 25.9 | +2.2 |
| | Conservative | Nigel Kendrew | 226 | 20.0 | +8.6 |
| | Conservative | Rachael Booth | 197 | 17.4 | +6.7 |
| | Conservative | Pratish Thakkar | 179 | 15.8 | +5.7 |
| | Green | Jon Barley | 111 | 9.8 | –4.3 |
| | Green | Kathy Barley | 104 | 9.2 | N/A |
| | Green | Faith Lawley | 100 | 8.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,132 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold |

### Northgate

Northgate (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Sonia Kane | 380 | 50.6 | –1.8 |
| | Labour | Syeda Ali | 373 | 49.7 | +0.4 |
| | Conservative | Yvonne Richardson | 207 | 27.6 | +5.4 |
| | Conservative | Eldhose Saju | 188 | 25.0 | +7.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Collinge | 80 | 10.7 | N/A |
| | Green | Louise Maddison | 72 | 9.6 | –8.4 |
| | Green | Neil Kang-Scarth | 50 | 6.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 751 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Park East

Park East (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Libby McCollom* | 704 | 52.7 | +8.8 |
| | Labour | Michael Nicholson* | 680 | 50.9 | +13.3 |
| | Labour | Matthew Roche | 663 | 49.6 | +4.7 |
| | Conservative | Martin Bell | 413 | 30.9 | +10.7 |
| | Conservative | Chris Lowery | 385 | 28.8 | +9.0 |
| | Conservative | Sarah Rose | 342 | 25.6 | +7.6 |
| | Green | Ann Hunter | 172 | 12.9 | –9.0 |
| | Green | Jane Mitchell | 137 | 10.2 | N/A |
| | Green | Kulvanth Kaur | 133 | 9.9 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Scott Wood | 92 | 6.9 | –8.9 |
| | Independent | Janne Gandy | 70 | 5.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,337 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Park West

Park West (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Heather Scott* | 789 | 42.5 | –4.2 |
| | Conservative | Bob Donoghue* | 757 | 40.8 | –2.9 |
| | Labour | Mel McEvoy | 399 | 21.5 | +2.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sarah Sams | 399 | 21.5 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Simon Thorley | 364 | 19.6 | N/A |
| | Green | Martin Wood | 324 | 17.5 | –17.8 |
| | Labour | John Sloss | 319 | 17.2 | –1.3 |
| | Green | William Rowell | 226 | 12.2 | –18.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,856 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Pierremont

Pierremont (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Steve Harker* | 872 | 56.4 | +6.4 |
| | Labour | Mary Layton* | 809 | 52.3 | +7.7 |
| | Labour | James McGill | 756 | 48.9 | +2.1 |
| | Conservative | Roger Clark | 488 | 31.5 | –0.7 |
| | Conservative | Mags Donoghue | 461 | 29.8 | –1.5 |
| | Conservative | Catherine Hart | 374 | 24.2 | –2.4 |
| | Green | Cat McConnachie | 194 | 12.5 | –11.0 |
| | Green | Megan Hemsley | 162 | 10.5 | N/A |
| | Green | Amy Mycock | 150 | 9.7 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gary Potter | 97 | 6.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,547 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Red Hall and Lingfield

Red Hall and Lingfield (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Mandy Porter | 551 | 52.6 | +4.3 |
| | Labour | Amanda Riley | 534 | 51.0 | +5.7 |
| | Conservative | KJ Hawkins | 408 | 38.9 | +5.6 |
| | Conservative | David Willis | 400 | 38.2 | +6.9 |
| | Green | Joanne Ashwood | 64 | 6.1 | –17.0 |
| | Green | Mary Gravenor | 61 | 5.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,048 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
One of the two Red Hall and Lingfield seats had been vacant prior to the election, following the death in March 2023 of Labour councillor Hilary Lucas.

### Sadberge and Middleton St George

Sadberge and Middleton St George (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Deborah Liang* | 909 | 48.5 | –13.3 |
| | Conservative | Yvonne Renton | 750 | 40.0 | –31.9 |
| | Conservative | Colin Pease | 744 | 39.7 | –31.7 |
| | Independent | Maria Darling | 645 | 34.4 | N/A |
| | Independent | David Darling | 596 | 31.8 | N/A |
| | Labour | Sandy Thorne-Wallis | 363 | 19.4 | –3.4 |
| | Labour | Lee Vasey | 283 | 15.1 | –0.6 |
| | Labour | Paul Webster | 259 | 13.8 | –1.2 |
| | Green | Suzy Lucas | 227 | 12.1 | –10.5 |
| | Green | Paul Foster | 224 | 12.0 | N/A |
| | Green | Fred Greenhow | 182 | 9.7 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Marlowe | 99 | 5.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,874 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Stephenson

Stephenson (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ian Haszeldine* | 483 | 50.6 | +14.6 |
| | Labour | Mohammad Mahmud | 432 | 45.2 | +10.0 |
| | Conservative | Mike Renton* | 403 | 42.2 | –11.1 |
| | Conservative | Michael Walker | 331 | 34.7 | N/A |
| | Green | Lucy Chapman | 79 | 8.3 | –19.3 |
| | Green | Pete Greenwood | 48 | 5.0 | N/A |
| | Independent | Monty Brack | 23 | 2.4 | N/A |
| | Independent | Frazer Spence | 22 | 2.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 955 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative |

### Whinfield

Whinfield (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jamie Bartch* | 615 | 44.6 | –10.4 |
| | Conservative | Andy Keir* | 612 | 44.4 | –10.5 |
| | Green | Mike McTimoney | 474 | 34.4 | +19.5 |
| | Green | Terri Hankinson | 456 | 33.1 | N/A |
| | Labour | Amanda McEwan | 266 | 19.3 | –11.6 |
| | Labour | Josh Spears | 234 | 17.0 | –11.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,379 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

## Changes 2023–2027

* Yvonne Renton, elected as a Conservative, left the party in October 2023 to sit as an independent.
* Colin Pease, elected as a Conservative, left the party in May 2024 to sit as an independent.