# 2023 Fenland District Council election

The 2023 Fenland District Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Fenland District Council in Cambridgeshire, England. This was on the same day as other local elections across England. The Conservatives increased their majority on the council, against the national trend for local elections held on that day, giving the Conservative Party their largest numerical majority of any lower tier principal authority in the country.

## Overview

Prior to the election the council had been under Conservative majority control since 1999, and the leader of the council was Chris Boden, who had been in post since 2019. The independent councillors, Liberal Democrats and the Green councillor formed a single political group called the "Fenland Independent Alliance", led by independent councillor Mike Cornwell.
New ward boundaries took effect for this election, increasing the number of seats on the council from 39 to 43.
The Conservatives won 35 of the seats on the council, increasing their majority on the Council from 13 to 27. The Green Party lost their only seat on the council, and the opposition group leader, Mike Cornwell, lost his seat by a single vote.

## Overall results

The overall results were:
2023 Fenland District Council election :
| Party | Candidates | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Conservative | 43 | 35 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 81.4 | 56.9 | 25,075 | +6.8 |
| Independent | 19 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 14.0 | 17.8 | 7,827 | –2.6 |
| Liberal Democrats | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | | 4.7 | 5.0 | 2,202 | –5.5 |
| Labour | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 14.4 | 6,325 | +7.9 |
| Green | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 4.4 | 1,942 | –8.4 |
| Alliance for Democracy and Freedom (UK) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 1.0 | 424 | N/A |
| Breakthrough Party | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 0.3 | 154 | N/A |
| Reform UK | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 0.3 | 115 | N/A |

## Ward results

The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by Fenland District Council following the close of nominations on 5 April 2023. The results by each ward were as follows, with an asterisk(*) indicating a sitting councillor standing for re-election.

### Chatteris North & Manea

Chatteris North & Manea (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charlie Marks* | 825 | 56.2 | |
| | Conservative | Alan Gowler | 701 | 47.8 | |
| | Conservative | James Carney | 692 | 47.2 | |
| | Green | Emma Pollard | 527 | 35.9 | |
| | Labour | Janet O'Keefe | 425 | 29.0 | |
| | Green | Liz Wright | 396 | 27.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,467 | 25.48 | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Chatteris South

Chatteris South (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Ian Benney* | 578 | 48.0 | |
| | Conservative | Peter Murphy* | 517 | 42.9 | |
| | Conservative | Anne Hay* | 509 | 42.2 | |
| | Independent | Daniel Divine* | 383 | 31.8 | |
| | Labour | Amanda Hirson | 307 | 25.5 | |
| | Independent | Aurelia Stempien-Wyrwal | 296 | 24.6 | |
| | Green | Steven Chappell | 286 | 23.7 | |
| | Breakthrough Party | Matt Jeal | 154 | 12.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,205 | 25.92 | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Doddington & Wimblington

Doddington & Wimblington (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Maureen Davis* | 732 | 60.5 |
| | Conservative | David Connor* | 708 | 58.6 |
| | Labour | Katie Clark | 256 | 21.2 |
| | Labour | Philip Snowdon | 246 | 20.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Liam O'Rourke | 218 | 18.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,209 | 30.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### Elm & Christchurch

Elm & Christchurch (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Matthew Summers | 447 | 45.7 |
| | Independent | Dal Roy | 402 | 41.1 |
| | Conservative | Petya Kneksis | 396 | 40.5 |
| | Conservative | Boryana Pehlivanova | 317 | 32.4 |
| | Labour | Marian Phillips | 211 | 21.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 978 | 25.11 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | |

### Leverington & Wisbech Rural

Leverington & Wisbech Rural (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Samantha Clark* | 926 | 59.9 | |
| | Conservative | Chris Seaton* | 889 | 57.5 | |
| | Conservative | Brenda Barber | 818 | 52.9 | |
| | Labour | Benedict Allen | 406 | 26.3 | |
| | ADF | Hermien Dyer | 215 | 13.9 | |
| | ADF | Mark Dyer | 209 | 13.5 | |
| | Independent | Charles Cutler | 167 | 10.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,546 | 30.07 | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### March East

March East (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | John Clark* | 604 | 41.4 |
| | Conservative | Mark Purser* | 555 | 38.0 |
| | Conservative | Stuart Harris | 509 | 34.9 |
| | Conservative | Levent Ali | 477 | 32.7 |
| | Independent | Jennifer Lawler | 455 | 31.2 |
| | Labour | Martin Field | 445 | 30.5 |
| | Labour | Angela Mayes | 419 | 28.7 |
| | Labour | Katharine Bultitude | 410 | 28.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,459 | 28.28 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | |
John Clark was elected in 2019 as a Conservative, but had left the party to sit as an independent in February 2023.

### March North

March North (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Steve Count* | 563 | 33.5 |
| | Conservative | Kim French* | 558 | 33.2 |
| | Independent | Paul Hicks | 553 | 32.9 |
| | Independent | Mike Cornwell* | 552 | 32.9 |
| | Labour | Hannah Orbell | 471 | 28.1 |
| | Conservative | Ashley Smith | 447 | 26.6 |
| | Labour | Martyn Balmont | 392 | 23.3 |
| | Labour | George Broughton | 372 | 22.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen Court | 319 | 19.0 |
| | Reform UK | David Maryan | 115 | 6.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,679 | 28.29 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | |

### March South

March South (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jan French* | 416 | 51.7 | |
| | Conservative | Gary Christy | 409 | 50.8 | |
| | Labour | Clare Hale | 263 | 32.7 | |
| | Labour | Robert Williams | 207 | 25.7 | |
| | Green | Simon Wilkes* | 174 | 21.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 805 | 26.76 | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### March West & Benwick

March West & Benwick (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew Woollard | 549 | 59.0 | |
| | Conservative | Tim Taylor | 533 | 57.3 | |
| | Labour | Stewart Hearn | 359 | 38.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 930 | 25.11 | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Parson Drove & Wisbech St Mary

Parson Drove & Wisbech St Mary (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gavin Booth* | 706 | 50.8 | |
| | Conservative | Michael Humphrey* | 688 | 49.5 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Diane Cutler | 617 | 44.4 | |
| | Conservative | Anthony Georgiou | 552 | 39.7 | |
| | Conservative | Clayton Payne | 495 | 35.6 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Rasa McGill | 342 | 24.6 | |
| | Labour | Sebastian O'Keefe | 194 | 14.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,390 | 26.77 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Whittlesey East & Villages

Whittlesey East & Villages (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Chris Boden* | 698 | 53.9 | |
| | Conservative | Alex Miscandlon* | 631 | 48.8 | |
| | Conservative | Haq Nawaz | 579 | 44.7 | |
| | Independent | Bob Wicks* | 520 | 40.2 | |
| | Green | David Habbin | 312 | 24.1 | |
| | Labour | Stephen Clay | 302 | 23.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,294 | 25.92 | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Whittlesey Lattersey

Whittlesey Lattersey :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Jason Mockett* | 190 | 61.3 |
| | Labour | Ian Moyes | 120 | 38.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 312 | 24.51 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### Whittlesey North West

Whittlesey North West (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Dee Laws* | 689 | 69.9 | |
| | Conservative | Elisabeth Sennitt Clough | 597 | 60.5 | |
| | Labour | Peter Gilman | 266 | 27.0 | |
| | Green | John Male | 247 | 25.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 986 | 25.95 | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Whittlesey South

Whittlesey South (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Kay Mayor* | 537 | 51.1 | |
| | Independent | Roy Gerstner | 472 | 45.0 | |
| | Conservative | Maria Boccia | 432 | 41.1 | |
| | Independent | Peter Bibb | 337 | 32.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,050 | 28.90 | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |

### Wisbech North

Wisbech North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Lucie Foice-Beard | 198 | 60.2 | |
| | Independent | Alan Wheeldon | 96 | 29.2 | |
| | Independent | Marina Jennings | 35 | 10.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 336 | 17.01 | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Wisbech Riverside

Wisbech Riverside (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Nick Meekins* | 447 | 61.8 | |
| | Conservative | Dave Oliver | 400 | 55.3 | |
| | Labour | Kathryn Hearn | 255 | 35.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 19.85 | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
Nick Meekins had stood unsuccessfully for UKIP in 2015 and had been elected in 2019 as an independent, but had rejoined the Conservatives in 2021.

### Wisbech South

Wisbech South (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Samantha Hoy* | 859 | 62.8 | |
| | Conservative | Steve Tierney* | 823 | 60.2 | |
| | Conservative | Susan Wallwork* | 793 | 58.0 | |
| | Independent | Ruth Freeman | 496 | 36.3 | |
| | Independent | Peter Freeman | 491 | 35.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,368 | 24.70 | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Wisbech Walsoken & Waterlees

Wisbech Walsoken & Waterlees (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Sidney Imafidon | 656 | 49.5 | |
| | Conservative | Billy Rackley* | 638 | 48.2 | |
| | Independent | David Patrick* | 557 | 42.0 | |
| | Conservative | Sylwia Salvidge | 549 | 41.4 | |
| | Independent | Garry Monger | 523 | 39.5 | |
| | Independent | Simon Crowson | 441 | 33.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,325 | 25.24 | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |

## Changes 2023-2027
### By-elections
#### Whittlesey South

Whittlesey South by-election: 4 July 2024 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Gurninder Gill | 988 | 47.0 | –16.4 |
| | Independent | Martin Curtis | 841 | 40.0 | N/A |
| | Workers Party | Clayton Payne | 274 | 13.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 147 | 7.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,103 | 58.2 | +29.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |