# 2023 South Holland District Council election

The 2023 South Holland District Council election took place on 4 May 2023, to elect all 37 members of South Holland District Council in Lincolnshire, England. This was on the same day as other local elections across England.

## Overview

Prior to the election the council was under Conservative majority control. At the previous election in 2019 every elected candidate had been either a Conservative or an independent councillor. In 2021 a group of the independent councillors formed a registered political party, the "South Holland Independents". By the time of the 2023 election seven of the independent councillors had joined the South Holland Independents. They sat on the council as a group with four of the other seven independent councillors as the "South Holland Independents and Independents" group. The other three independent councillors (all of whom had been elected as Conservatives) did not belong to any group.
Following the results, the Conservatives retained overall control, but with a reduced majority. Their leader, Gary Porter, who had been leader of the council since 2003, lost his seat. Nick Worth was appointed the new leader of the council at the subsequent annual council meeting on 17 May 2023. The South Holland Independents won 15 seats and the other three seats were won by other independent councillors. The South Holland Independents and independents formed a single group of 18 councillors after the election called the "Independent Group".

## Results

2023 South Holland District Council election :
| Party | Candidates | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes |
| Conservative | 35 | 19 | 2 | 9 | 5 | 51.4 | 9,928 |
| SH Independents | 19 | 15 | 15 | 0 | 15 | 40.5 | 6,865 |
| Independent | 7 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 10 | 8.1 | 3,224 |
| Green | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0 | 1,221 |
| Labour | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0 | 401 |
| Reform UK | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0 | 212 |

## Ward results

The results for each ward were as follows, with an asterisk (*) indicating sitting councillors standing for re-election.

### Crowland and Deeping St Nicholas

Crowland and Deeping St Nicholas :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Robert Astill* (Jim Astill) | 770 | 58.2 | +17.5 |
| | Independent | Bryan Alcock* | 757 | 57.2 | +7.2 |
| | Conservative | Angela Harrison (Angie Harrison) | 577 | 43.6 | +4.1 |
| | Green | Amy Rebecca Cook-Nykyforczuk | 489 | 37.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,326 | 24.55 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,402 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Donington, Quadring and Gosberton

Donington, Quadring and Gosberton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | SH Independents | Jane Lesley King* | 856 | 55.7 | −4.2 |
| | Conservative | Henry John William Bingham* | 737 | 48.0 | −2.3 |
| | Conservative | Margaret Ann Geaney | 631 | 41.1 | +9.6 |
| | SH Independents | Simon Charles Walsh* | 597 | 38.9 | −6.8 |
| | Conservative | Colin Neville Johnson | 542 | 35.3 | +5.1 |
| | Reform UK | Matthew James Swainson | 212 | 13.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,550 | 26.48 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,854 | | |
| | SH Independents gain from Independent | SH Independents gain from Independent | SH Independents gain from Independent | SH Independents gain from Independent | SH Independents gain from Independent |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent |
Jane King had been elected as an independent in 2019; seat shown here as South Holland Independents gain from independent to allow comparison with 2019 results. Henry Bingham had been elected as an independent in 2019 but joined the Conservatives in 2021; seat shown here as Conservative gain from independent. Margaret Geaney has previously been a councillor for the Bletchley West Ward (Milton Keynes) between 2015 and 2019.

### Fleet

Fleet :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | SH Independents | Paul Stephen Barnes | 373 | 65.6 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Edward George McNally | 196 | 34.4 | −1.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 573 | 29.75 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,926 | | |
| | SH Independents gain from Conservative | SH Independents gain from Conservative | SH Independents gain from Conservative | SH Independents gain from Conservative | SH Independents gain from Conservative |

### Gedney

Gedney :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Joanne Louise Reynolds* (Jo Reynolds) | 289 | 60.7 | +60.7 |
| | SH Independents | Matthew James Stancer | 187 | 39.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 479 | 26.35 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,818 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Holbeach Hurn

Holbeach Hurn :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Nicholas Worth* (Nick Worth) | 331 | 73.7 | +73.7 |
| | Green | Wendy Jane Blackman | 118 | 26.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 453 | 25.18 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,799 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Holbeach Town

Holbeach Town :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Tracey Ann Carter* | 959 | 60.3 | +1.9 |
| | SH Independents | Sophie Elizabeth Hutchinson | 734 | 46.1 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Nanette Jacqueline Chapman | 557 | 35.0 | −23.4 |
| | SH Independents | Paul Cayton Foyster | 523 | 32.9 | −6.0 |
| | Independent | Graham Thomas Desmond Rudkin* | 496 | 31.2 | −13.8 |
| | Conservative | Malcolm Godfrey Chandler | 484 | 30.4 | −1.8 |
| | Independent | Francis Biggadike* | 332 | 20.9 | −37.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,597 | 25.21 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,336 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | SH Independents gain from Independent | SH Independents gain from Independent | SH Independents gain from Independent | SH Independents gain from Independent | SH Independents gain from Independent |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Francis Biggadike had been elected in 2019 as a Conservative but left the party early in 2023 after not being selected as the party's candidate for this election.

### Long Sutton

Long Sutton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Andrew Charles Tennant* | 982 | 58.2 | +5.9 |
| | Conservative | Jack Tyrrell* | 967 | 57.3 | +9.7 |
| | Independent | David John Wilkinson* | 782 | 46.4 | +1.1 |
| | Conservative | David Ivan Thompson | 624 | 37.0 | −7.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,691 | 27.88 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,066 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Moulton, Weston and Cowbit

Moulton, Weston and Cowbit :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Anthony Casson* | 1,006 | 57.7 | −7.5 |
| | SH Independents | Thomas Edmund Sneath | 976 | 56.0 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Andrew Robert Woolf* | 958 | 54.9 | −3.3 |
| | Conservative | Rodney Grocock* | 659 | 37.8 | −6.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,759 | 29.95 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,874 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | SH Independents gain from Conservative | SH Independents gain from Conservative | SH Independents gain from Conservative | SH Independents gain from Conservative | SH Independents gain from Conservative |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Pinchbeck and Surfleet

Pinchbeck and Surfleet :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Elizabeth Jane Sneath* | 904 | 56.7 | −1.0 |
| | Conservative | James Edward Avery* | 886 | 55.6 | +1.6 |
| | Conservative | Sally Ann Slade* | 780 | 49.0 | −3.4 |
| | Independent | Terence Moore (Terry Moore) | 699 | 43.9 | −7.8 |
| | Green | Simon Richard Jenkins | 431 | 27.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,599 | 27.13 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,894 | | |
| | 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 |

### Spalding Castle

Spalding Castle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Gary John Taylor* | 335 | 64.7 | +18.0 |
| | Green | Martin Christopher Blake | 183 | 35.3 | −2.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 521 | 28.47 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,830 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Spalding Monks House

Spalding Monks House :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | SH Independents | Suresh Chauhan (Sam Chauhan) | 604 | 59.4 | N/A |
| | SH Independents | Ingrid Helen Sheard | 524 | 51.5 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Stephen Peter Timewell* | 468 | 46.0 | +17.0 |
| | Conservative | Valerie Gemmell (Val Gemmell) | 275 | 27.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,022 | 24.32 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,203 | | |
| | SH Independents gain from Conservative | SH Independents gain from Conservative | SH Independents gain from Conservative | SH Independents gain from Conservative | SH Independents gain from Conservative |
| | SH Independents gain from Conservative | SH Independents gain from Conservative | SH Independents gain from Conservative | SH Independents gain from Conservative | SH Independents gain from Conservative |
Shown as two gains for South Holland Independents from independents to allow comparison with 2019 results. Stephen Timewell had won his seat for the Conservatives in a by-election in 2022. The other seat was held by Anthony Cronin, who was elected as an independent in 2019 but who subsequently joined the South Holland Independents. He did not stand for re-election.

### Spalding St John's

Spalding St John's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | SH Independents | Manzur Hasan* | 732 | 71.6 | +26.0 |
| | SH Independents | James Anthony Le Sage | 611 | 59.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Edward Oliver Sneath | 242 | 23.7 | −16.4 |
| | Conservative | Ann Elizabeth Savage | 224 | 21.9 | −11.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,024 | 23.75 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,312 | | |
| | SH Independents gain from Independent | SH Independents gain from Independent | SH Independents gain from Independent | SH Independents gain from Independent | SH Independents gain from Independent |
| | SH Independents gain from Conservative | SH Independents gain from Conservative | SH Independents gain from Conservative | SH Independents gain from Conservative | SH Independents gain from Conservative |
Manzur Hasan had been elected in 2019 as an independent councillor but had subsequently joined the South Holland Independents. The other seat had been held by Jack McLean prior to the election, who had been elected in 2019 as a Conservative but left the party in October 2020 and sat as a non-aligned independent for the remainder of his term. He did not stand for re-election.

### Spalding St Mary's

Spalding St Mary's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | SH Independents | Mark Edward Le Sage | 559 | 57.4 | N/A |
| | SH Independents | David Roy Ashby (Dave Ashby) | 472 | 48.5 | N/A |
| | Conservative | William Luke John Hayes | 432 | 44.4 | −4.8 |
| | Conservative | Gary Andrew Porter* | 368 | 37.8 | −12.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 978 | 26.82 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,647 | | |
| | SH Independents gain from Conservative | SH Independents gain from Conservative | SH Independents gain from Conservative | SH Independents gain from Conservative | SH Independents gain from Conservative |
| | SH Independents gain from Conservative | SH Independents gain from Conservative | SH Independents gain from Conservative | SH Independents gain from Conservative | SH Independents gain from Conservative |

### Spalding St Paul's

Spalding St Paul's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | SH Independents | Robert Antony Gibson* (Rob Gibson) | 458 | 65.4 | +10.3 |
| | SH Independents | Bailey Paul John Boulding | 385 | 55.0 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Glynis Pearl Scalese* | 269 | 38.4 | −10.8 |
| | Conservative | Christopher James Sutton | 197 | 28.1 | −15.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 707 | 19.42 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,641 | | |
| | SH Independents gain from Independent | SH Independents gain from Independent | SH Independents gain from Independent | SH Independents gain from Independent | SH Independents gain from Independent |
| | SH Independents gain from Conservative | SH Independents gain from Conservative | SH Independents gain from Conservative | SH Independents gain from Conservative | SH Independents gain from Conservative |
Rob Gibson had been elected in 2019 as an independent but had subsequently been one of the founder members of the South Holland Independents, of which he was the leader.

### Spalding Wygate

Spalding Wygate :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Janet Brenda Whitbourn (Jan Whitbourn) | 473 | 45.5 | +1.8 |
| | SH Independents | Aaron Jacob Spencer | 423 | 40.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Roger Gambba-Jones* | 411 | 39.6 | −2.8 |
| | Labour | Aidan James Forman | 401 | 38.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,040 | 21.83 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,763 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | SH Independents gain from Conservative | SH Independents gain from Conservative | SH Independents gain from Conservative | SH Independents gain from Conservative | SH Independents gain from Conservative |

### Sutton Bridge

Sutton Bridge :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | SH Independents | Michael David Booth* | 540 | 58.7 | −9.2 |
| | SH Independents | Christopher James Thomas Harrison Brewis* | 493 | 53.6 | −14.3 |
| | Conservative | Peter Ephraim Coupland** | 381 | 41.4 | +13.7 |
| | Conservative | Laurence Philip Marchant | 348 | 37.8 | +20.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 948 | 27.7 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,423 | | |
| | SH Independents gain from Independent | SH Independents gain from Independent | SH Independents gain from Independent | SH Independents gain from Independent | SH Independents gain from Independent |
| | SH Independents gain from Independent | SH Independents gain from Independent | SH Independents gain from Independent | SH Independents gain from Independent | SH Independents gain from Independent |
Peter Coupland had been the councillor for Fleet ward immediately before the election. Michael Booth and Christopher Brewis had both been elected in 2019 as independents but subsequently joined the South Holland Independents.

### The Saints

The Saints :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Laura Jean Eldridge | 524 | 76.8 | +76.8 |
| | Independent | Michael David Seymour* | 158 | 23.2 | +23.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 686 | 32.36 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,120 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Michael Seymour had been elected as a Conservative in 2019 but left the party early in 2023 after not being selected as the party's candidate for this election.

### Whaplode and Holbeach St John's

Whaplode and Holbeach St John's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Allan Charles Beal* | 615 | 60.5 | +60.5 |
| | Conservative | Paul Alexander Redgate* | 555 | 54.6 | +54.6 |
| | SH Independents | Harry Joshua Griffen | 423 | 41.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,024 | 28.58 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,583 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

## Changes 2023–2027
### Spalding St Paul's

Spalding St Paul's by election, 9 November 2023 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Glynis Pearl Scalese | 155 | 24.9 | −13.5 |
| | SH Independents | Vanessa Browning | 155 | 24.9 | −30.1 |
| | Independent | Stephen Peter Timewell | 132 | 21.2 | N/A |
| | Labour | Aidan James Forman | 108 | 17.3 | N/A |
| | Independent | Julian Ashley Wheeler | 73 | 11.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 623 | 17.53 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,582 | | |
| | Conservative gain from SH Independents | Conservative gain from SH Independents | Conservative gain from SH Independents | Conservative gain from SH Independents | Conservative gain from SH Independents |
This by-election was triggered by the resignation of South Holland Independents councillor Bailey Boulding. The result of the by-election was a tie which was resolved by drawing lots.