# 2023 South Derbyshire District Council election

The 2023 South Derbyshire District Council election took place on 4 May 2023, to elect all 36 members of South Derbyshire District Council in Derbyshire, England. This was on the same day as other local elections across England. Labour took a majority of the seats on the council, which had previously been under no overall control.

## Summary
### Overview

Prior to the election the council was under no overall control; Labour and the Conservatives each had 16 seats each on the council, and there were also four independent councillors. At the 2019 election the Conservatives had taken a majority of the seats, but subsequent defections had led to them losing their majority. Since January 2021 the council had been led by a Labour minority administration, with the leader of the council being Kevin Richards. He chose not to stand for re-election.
Labour won a majority of the seats on the council at the election. The result in Hilton ward was declared void after Conservative candidate Gillian Lemmon died during the election count. The three seats for that ward were therefore left vacant pending a by-election. The Hilton election was subsequently held on 15 June 2023 and saw the Liberal Democrats gain two of the three seats there, giving them their first representation on the council. Conservative group leader Peter Smith was one of the candidates defeated in Hilton ward.
Robert Pearson was appointed the new leader of the council at the annual council meeting on 18 May 2023.

### Election result

Following the results, Labour took the council from no overall control.
2023 South Derbyshire District Council election :
| Party | Candidates | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 35 | 23 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 63.9 | 48.5 | 24,986 | +9.7 |
| Conservative | 36 | 10 | 0 | 12 | 12 | 27.8 | 43.7 | 22,487 | –9.7 |
| Liberal Democrats | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5.6 | 4.5 | 2,294 | N/A |
| Independent | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2.8 | 2.7 | 1,401 | N/A |
| Green | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 0.6 | 302 | N/A |

## Ward results

The candidates by ward:

### Aston

Aston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Neil Kenneth Atkin | 1,156 | 50.0 | −2.7 |
| | Conservative | Peter Watson | 1,124 | 48.7 | −1.9 |
| | Conservative | Daniel Corbin | 1,086 | 47.0 | +3.5 |
| | Labour | Ed Green | 1,080 | 46.8 | +11.7 |
| | Labour | Paul Barry Bickerton | 995 | 43.1 | +11.9 |
| | Labour | Rodney Paul Sturges | 876 | 37.9 | +11.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,310 | 31.4 | |
| | 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 |

### Church Gresley

Church Gresley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Alan Steven Haynes | 830 | 57.8 | +19.4 |
| | Labour | Ben Stuart | 799 | 55.6 | +20.0 |
| | Labour | Gordon Edgar Rhind | 776 | 54.0 | +14.5 |
| | Conservative | Roger Redfern | 545 | 38.0 | +0.9 |
| | Conservative | Jacqueline Andrea Marie Geddes | 454 | 31.6 | −5.2 |
| | Conservative | Jim Hewlett | 435 | 30.3 | −6.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,436 | 22.9 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | 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 |

### Etwall

Etwall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David Colin Muller | 1,141 | 61.0 | −5.9 |
| | Conservative | Andrew William Kirke | 1,122 | 60.0 | −16.2 |
| | Labour | Robert Anthony Beginn | 669 | 35.8 | +13.5 |
| | Labour | Damian Belshaw | 664 | 35.5 | +16.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,871 | 33.3 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Hatton

Hatton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Julie Therese Jackson | 271 | 50.1 | +19.0 |
| | Conservative | Oliver Samuel Wilford Clark | 270 | 49.9 | −1.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 541 | 25.5 | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Hilton

Poll delayed to 15th June due to the death of candidate Gillian Lemmon.
Hilton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jayne Elizabeth Davies | 636 | 39.6 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Sundip Meghani | 633 | 39.4 | −16.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Grahame Warwick Andrew | 628 | 39.1 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Peter Smith | 580 | 36.1 | −14.6 |
| | Conservative | Rosa Fawcett | 577 | 36.0 | −8.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Tilo Albert Fritz Paul Scheel | 562 | 35.0 | N/A |
| | Labour | Martin Peter Atherton | 365 | 22.7 | −5.7 |
| | Labour | Angela Mary Peacock | 361 | 22.5 | −2.1 |
| | Labour | David Henry Peacock | 337 | 21.0 | −4.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,605 | 21.3 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,548 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative |

### Linton

Linton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Dan Pegg-Legg | 722 | 54.0 | |
| | Labour | Alistair Brian Tilley | 630 | 47.1 | |
| | Conservative | Melanie Bridgen | 585 | 43.8 | |
| | Conservative | Stuart Thomas Swann | 527 | 39.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,337 | 28.3 | |
| | 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 |

### Melbourne

Melbourne :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Martin Fitzpatrick | 741 | 41.6 | −11.7 |
| | Labour | Jane Dunster Carroll | 708 | 39.8 | −4.1 |
| | Conservative | David William Smith | 663 | 37.2 | −24.8 |
| | Labour | Andrew Victor Clifton | 450 | 25.3 | −2.6 |
| | Independent | Andy Dawson | 342 | 19.2 | N/A |
| | Green | Jonathan Wood | 302 | 17.0 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jonathan Austin Panes | 131 | 7.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,780 | 41.9 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative |

### Midway

Midway :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Alan Mercer Jones | 795 | 55.1 | |
| | Labour | Robert William Pearson | 789 | 54.6 | |
| | Labour | Louise Ann Mulgrew | 782 | 54.2 | |
| | Conservative | Barry Peter Thomas Appleby | 590 | 40.9 | |
| | Conservative | Margaret Florence Appleby | 586 | 40.6 | |
| | Conservative | Sheila Hicklin | 560 | 38.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,444 | 23.6 | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Newhall and Stanton

Newhall and Stanton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Sean Andrew Bambrick | 908 | 67.7 | +20.3 |
| | Labour | Kalila Fiona Storey | 807 | 60.1 | +17.6 |
| | Labour | Sarah Anne Harrison | 806 | 60.1 | +18.4 |
| | Conservative | Harriet Charlotte Victoria Manning | 409 | 30.5 | −9.0 |
| | Conservative | Robert Adrian Argyle | 406 | 30.3 | −6.5 |
| | Conservative | Christopher Michael Pratt | 377 | 28.1 | −6.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,342 | 21.4 | |
| | 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 |

### Repton

Repton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Kerry Marie Haines | 1,060 | 61.8 | −7.7 |
| | Conservative | James Anthony Lowe | 855 | 49.9 | −21.7 |
| | Labour | Zoe Gillbe | 521 | 30.4 | +6.2 |
| | Labour | Margaret Bernadette Mythen | 424 | 24.7 | +3.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen James Hardwick | 337 | 19.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,714 | 39.5 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Seales

Seales :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Amy Wheelton | 1,059 | 71.7 | +22.9 |
| | Labour | Gareth Leslie Jones | 545 | 36.9 | +7.7 |
| | Conservative | Holly Danielle Hawley | 460 | 31.1 | −17.7 |
| | Conservative | Umesh Anilkumar Kotecha | 207 | 14.0 | −34.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,477 | 34.3 | |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative |

### Stenson

Stenson :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Lakhvinder Pal Singh | 898 | 69.9 | |
| | Labour | David Geoffrey Shepherd | 892 | 69.5 | |
| | Conservative | Jill Elizabeth Fitzpatrick | 291 | 22.7 | |
| | Conservative | Matthew John Gotheridge | 266 | 20.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,284 | 32.0 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Swadlincote

Swadlincote :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Vonnie Heath | 783 | 59.7 | +22.2 |
| | Labour | Neil Anthony Tilley | 773 | 59.0 | +18.8 |
| | Labour | Mick Mulgrew | 732 | 55.8 | +21.0 |
| | Conservative | Kara Paulette Davies | 535 | 40.8 | +6.6 |
| | Conservative | Rachel May Mould | 503 | 38.4 | +6.2 |
| | Conservative | Michael Stanley Johnson | 460 | 35.1 | +5.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,311 | 21.3 | |
| | 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 |

### Willington and Findern

Willington and Findern :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ian Mark Hudson | 936 | 51.3 | +20.1 |
| | Conservative | Martyn Ford | 917 | 50.3 | −4.9 |
| | Labour | Ellie Cole | 822 | 45.1 | +14.9 |
| | Conservative | Liam Dane Booth-Isherwood | 747 | 41.0 | −5.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,824 | 32.2 | |
| | 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 |

### Woodville

Woodville :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Steve Taylor | 786 | 56.3 | +14.6 |
| | Labour | Malc Gee | 729 | 52.2 | +12.1 |
| | Labour | Angela Archer | 725 | 51.9 | +15.1 |
| | Conservative | Eric Parker | 568 | 40.7 | +4.9 |
| | Conservative | Kim Angela Coe | 544 | 39.0 | +0.2 |
| | Conservative | Sebastian David Coe | 507 | 36.3 | +1.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,396 | 20.6 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | 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 |

## Changes 2023–2027

Melbourne by-election, 2 May 2024 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Matthew John Gotheridge | 928 | 45.4 | |
| | Labour | Jacqueline Ann Lane (Jackie Lane) | 681 | 33.3 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Thomas John James (John James) | 219 | 10.7 | |
| | Green | Jonathan Wood | 135 | 6.6 | |
| | Reform UK | Liam Dane Booth-Isherwood | 82 | 4.0 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 334 | 12.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,053 | 47.7 | +5.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
The Melbourne by-election was triggered by the resignation of Conservative councillor Martin Fitzpatrick.
Hatton by-election, 4 July 2024 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Julie Elizabeth Patten | 527 | 43.4 | |
| | Labour | Jacqueline Ann Lane (Jackie Lane) | 415 | 34.2 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Tilo Albert Fritz Paul Scheel (Dr Tilo Scheel) | 271 | 22.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1213 | 50.6 | 25.1 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
The Hatton by-election was triggered by the resignation of Labour councillor Julie Jackson.