# 2023 Canterbury City Council election

The 2023 Canterbury City Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Canterbury City Council in Kent, England. This was on the same day as other local elections in England.
The Conservatives held a majority on the council from 2005 until April 2023, less than a month before the election, when four Conservatives left the party to form the "Independent Serve to Lead Group".
The election saw the council remain under no overall control, but the Conservatives went from being the largest party to being the third largest party behind Labour and the Liberal Democrats. The leader of the council, Conservative councillor Ben Fitter-Harding, lost his seat. After the election a Labour and Liberal Democrat coalition formed to take control of the council, with Labour group leader Alan Baldock being appointed leader of the council at the subsequent annual council meeting on 17 May 2023.

## Summary
### Election result

| 18 | 9 | 8 | 4 |
| Labour | Lib Dems | Conservative | Green |
2023 Canterbury City Council election :
| Party | Candidates | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 39 | 18 | 10 | 2 | 8 | 46.1 | 36.6 | 29,825 | +7.2 |
| Liberal Democrats | 34 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 23.1 | 22.0 | 17,935 | +2.3 |
| Conservative | 39 | 8 | 0 | 15 | 15 | 20.5 | 24.4 | 19,867 | -11.0 |
| Green | 25 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 10.3 | 13.9 | 11,350 | +1.4 |
| Independent | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 2.8 | 2,259 | +0.5 |
| Reform UK | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 0.3 | 296 | N/A |

## Ward results

The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by Canterbury City Council following the close of nominations on 5 April 2023. The results for each ward were as follows:
Asterisks (*) denote incumbent councillors seeking re-election.

### Barton

Barton (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Connie Nolan* | 1,476 | 53.5 | +18.2 |
| | Labour | Pat Edwards* | 1,405 | 50.9 | +15.5 |
| | Labour | Paul Prentice | 1,257 | 45.6 | +15.8 |
| | Conservative | Martin Antony Arch | 718 | 26.0 | +3.0 |
| | Conservative | Scott Collins | 605 | 21.9 | –0.2 |
| | Conservative | Mary Cawston Streater | 555 | 20.1 | –1.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Graham Duplock | 397 | 14.4 | –15.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | George Fenwick Metcalfe | 374 | 13.6 | –14.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Julia Dorothea Zoettl | 345 | 12.5 | –12.3 |
| | Green | Delia Hazrati | 320 | 11.6 | –10.1 |
| | Green | Mary Claire Smith | 297 | 10.8 | N/A |
| | Green | Nathan James Tough | 227 | 8.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,759 | 36.5 | +1.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,555 | | |
| | 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 |

### Beltinge

Beltinge (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Ian Stockley* | 944 | 47.3 | –2.9 |
| | Conservative | Jeanette Stockley* | 940 | 47.1 | –2.2 |
| | Labour | Teresa Pearce | 454 | 22.8 | +6.0 |
| | Labour | Christine Wheeldon | 425 | 21.3 | +5.3 |
| | Green | Nicholas Gadsby | 417 | 20.9 | –1.9 |
| | Green | Roger Everatt | 253 | 12.7 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ann Anderson | 200 | 10.0 | –10.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Smith | 156 | 7.8 | –2.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,994 | 34.0 | +2.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,913 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Blean Forest

Blean Forest (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alex Ricketts* | 1,214 | 60.5 | +28.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Steph Jupe | 1,035 | 51.6 | +22.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Daniel Smith* | 944 | 47.1 | +17.8 |
| | Labour | Nicola May | 444 | 22.1 | –1.4 |
| | Green | Alexander Hilton | 398 | 19.8 | –2.2 |
| | Labour | Howard Needham | 383 | 19.1 | –3.1 |
| | Labour | Sam Newman | 367 | 18.3 | –2.4 |
| | Conservative | James Somerville-Meikle | 329 | 16.4 | –13.7 |
| | Conservative | Gary Ovenden | 299 | 14.9 | –12.7 |
| | Conservative | Timothy Streater | 281 | 14.0 | –8.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,006 | 35.0 | ±0.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,155 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats 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 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold |

### Chartham and Stone Street

Chartham and Stone Street (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Alister Brady | 1,169 | 47.9 | +20.3 |
| | Labour Co-op | Mike Bland | 1,153 | 47.3 | +20.4 |
| | Conservative | Laura Hobbs | 593 | 24.3 | –13.0 |
| | Conservative | Elliot Curryer | 567 | 23.2 | –12.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Yvonne Hawkins | 485 | 19.9 | +2.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | James Galloway | 407 | 16.7 | +5.2 |
| | Green | Greg Lawrence | 338 | 13.9 | –7.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,440 | 43.0 | ±0.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,667 | | |
| | Labour Co-op gain from Conservative | Labour Co-op gain from Conservative | Labour Co-op gain from Conservative | Labour Co-op gain from Conservative | Labour Co-op gain from Conservative |
| | Labour Co-op gain from Conservative | Labour Co-op gain from Conservative | Labour Co-op gain from Conservative | Labour Co-op gain from Conservative | Labour Co-op gain from Conservative |

### Chestfield

Chestfield (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Old | 1,381 | 54.7 | +37.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | James Flanagan | 1,358 | 53.8 | +36.6 |
| | Conservative | Steve Bailey | 649 | 25.7 | –29.2 |
| | Conservative | Benjamin Fitter-Harding | 489 | 19.4 | –34.9 |
| | Labour | Philippa Langton | 349 | 13.8 | –2.6 |
| | Labour | Sammy Roberts | 256 | 10.1 | –2.9 |
| | Reform UK | Adrian Kibble | 122 | 4.8 | N/A |
| | Independent | Joseph Egerton | 106 | 4.2 | N/A |
| | Reform UK | Leslie Lilley | 101 | 4.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,523 | 45.0 | +10.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,664 | | |
| | 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 |
| | 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 |

### Gorrell

Gorrell (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Clare Turnbull* | 2,045 | 57.5 | +18.8 |
| | Labour | Chris Cornell* | 1,643 | 46.2 | +3.9 |
| | Green | Steven Wheeler | 1,492 | 41.9 | +15.2 |
| | Labour | Valerie Kenny* | 1,392 | 39.1 | +0.1 |
| | Labour | Dan Allen | 1,293 | 36.4 | –5.9 |
| | Green | Tom Sharp | 1,215 | 34.2 | +15.2 |
| | Conservative | Georgia Bills | 434 | 12.2 | –14.3 |
| | Conservative | Janet Newcombe | 426 | 12.0 | –9.1 |
| | Conservative | Penelope Wilson | 405 | 11.4 | –9.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,557 | 43.0 | +2.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,357 | | |
| | Green gain from Labour | Green gain from Labour | Green gain from Labour | Green gain from Labour | Green gain from Labour |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Green gain from Labour | Green gain from Labour | Green gain from Labour | Green gain from Labour | Green gain from Labour |

### Greenhill

Greenhill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Dan Watkins* | 421 | 46.7 | +0.5 |
| | Labour | Andy Davidson | 350 | 38.8 | +13.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Valerie Ainscough | 130 | 14.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 71 | 7.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 909 | 27.0 | ±0.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,346 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 6.7 | |

### Herne & Broomfield

Herne & Broomfield (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Jones | 812 | 43.6 | –6.2 |
| | Conservative | Joe Howes* | 722 | 38.8 | –16.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Derek Maslin | 446 | 24.0 | +0.6 |
| | Labour | Chris Gibson | 421 | 22.6 | +5.2 |
| | Labour | Karen Douglas | 419 | 22.5 | +8.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Brain McHenry | 291 | 15.6 | +3.1 |
| | Independent | Anne Dekker* | 197 | 10.6 | N/A |
| | Green | Alex Stevens | 169 | 9.1 | –6.4 |
| | Green | Tom Williams | 117 | 6.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,862 | 28.0 | +1.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,751 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Heron

Heron (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Tom Mellish | 1,079 | 37.3 | +12.0 |
| | Conservative | Liz Harvey | 1,037 | 35.8 | –8.3 |
| | Conservative | David Thomas* | 1,030 | 35.6 | –4.2 |
| | Labour | Emma Wright | 1,023 | 35.3 | +13.1 |
| | Labour | Fred Pearce | 1,019 | 35.2 | +13.9 |
| | Conservative | Jane Thomas | 978 | 33.8 | –2.9 |
| | Green | Michael Vince | 656 | 22.7 | –1.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Margaret Flaherty | 600 | 20.7 | +8.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Martin Ashton | 329 | 11.4 | –0.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Latchmi Old | 229 | 7.9 | –3.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,896 | 30.0 | +1.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,655 | | |
| | 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 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Little Stour & Adisham

Little Stour & Adisham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lee Castle | 1,161 | 72.0 | +45.5 |
| | Conservative | Hilary Scott | 310 | 19.2 | –22.3 |
| | Labour | Paul O'Neil | 142 | 8.8 | –8.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 851 | 52.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,625 | 50.0 | +6.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,274 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | 33.9 | |

### Nailbourne

Nailbourne :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Sole* | 1,341 | 84.0 | +34.1 |
| | Conservative | Cerise Harriss | 170 | 10.6 | –25.1 |
| | Labour | Mike Holman | 86 | 5.4 | –1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,171 | 73.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,607 | 51.0 | –2.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,130 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | 29.6 | |

### Northgate

Northgate (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Alan Baldock* | 682 | 64.1 | +9.8 |
| | Labour Co-op | Jean Butcher* | 682 | 64.1 | +14.4 |
| | Green | Martin Baker | 177 | 16.6 | +0.6 |
| | Conservative | Eamon O'Reilly | 161 | 15.1 | –7.6 |
| | Conservative | Louie Ralph | 156 | 14.7 | –6.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mark Leggatt | 97 | 9.1 | –3.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Liz Pope | 93 | 8.7 | –0.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,064 | 28.0 | ±0.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,787 | | |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold |

### Reculver

Reculver :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Rachel Carnac* | 534 | 49.1 | –8.2 |
| | Labour | Barbara Ayling | 321 | 29.5 | +6.6 |
| | Green | Stephen Peckham | 135 | 12.4 | +3.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Bowley | 97 | 8.9 | –2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 213 | 19.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,092 | 34.0 | +1.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,237 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 7.4 | |

### Seasalter

Seasalter (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Naomi Smith | 927 | 36.6 | +12.6 |
| | Labour | Charlotte Cornell | 826 | 32.6 | +8.9 |
| | Independent | Ashley Clark* | 825 | 32.5 | N/A |
| | Independent | Colin Spooner* | 789 | 31.1 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Stephen Spencer | 675 | 26.6 | –27.6 |
| | Conservative | Graham Wells | 657 | 25.9 | –26.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Margaret Mackechnie | 114 | 4.5 | –5.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Dowling | 113 | 4.5 | –4.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,535 | 41.0 | +3.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,156 | | |
| | 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 |

### St Stephens

St Stephens (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Mel Dawkins | 1,167 | 59.8 | +28.3 |
| | Labour Co-op | Elizabeth Carr-Ellis | 1,057 | 54.2 | +20.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Palmer | 366 | 18.8 | –2.4 |
| | Green | Gillian Everatt | 314 | 16.1 | –2.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Janet Capper | 288 | 14.8 | –6.3 |
| | Conservative | Louie McNamara | 273 | 14.0 | –21.0 |
| | Conservative | Owen Sweetman | 266 | 13.6 | –17.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,951 | 39.0 | –1.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,975 | | |
| | Labour Co-op gain from Conservative | Labour Co-op gain from Conservative | Labour Co-op gain from Conservative | Labour Co-op gain from Conservative | Labour Co-op gain from Conservative |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold |

### Sturry

Sturry (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Harry McKenzie | 783 | 37.5 | +12.2 |
| | Labour | Keji Moses | 658 | 31.5 | +10.8 |
| | Conservative | Louise Harvey-Quirke* | 656 | 31.4 | –6.2 |
| | Conservative | Georgina Glover* | 623 | 29.8 | –5.4 |
| | Green | Peter Campbell | 418 | 20.0 | –2.1 |
| | Green | Nicole David | 270 | 12.9 | –7.7 |
| | Independent | Ken Dekker | 173 | 8.3 | N/A |
| | Independent | Heather Taylor | 169 | 8.1 | –14.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Eleodor Berceanu | 136 | 6.5 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Helen Sole | 132 | 6.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,090 | 33.0 | ±0.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,271 | | |
| | 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 |

### Swalecliffe

Swalecliffe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Keith Bothwell | 769 | 55.3 | +39.4 |
| | Conservative | Mark Dance* | 370 | 26.6 | –19.7 |
| | Labour | Alex Wescomb | 178 | 12.8 | –18.0 |
| | Reform UK | Edna Wallace | 73 | 5.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,397 | 44.0 | +7.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,206 | | |
| | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Swing | 29.6 | |

### Tankerton

Tankerton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Simon Warley | 713 | 48.8 | +17.2 |
| | Conservative | Neil Baker* | 560 | 38.4 | +4.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nick Parry | 187 | 12.8 | –21.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 153 | 10.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,469 | 51.0 | +5.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,857 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 6.6 | |

### West Bay

West Bay :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Andrew Harvey | 599 | 56.0 | +39.9 |
| | Conservative | Grace Paget | 339 | 31.7 | –16.8 |
| | Labour | Brendan Little | 131 | 12.3 | –11.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 260 | 24.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,076 | 34.0 | +5.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,170 | | |
| | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Swing | 28.4 | |

### Westgate

Westgate (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Pip Hazelton* | 975 | 44.7 | +10.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Dixey* | 936 | 44.7 | +4.4 |
| | Labour | Rosanna Jackson | 802 | 38.3 | +3.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Richard Parkinson | 636 | 30.3 | –1.5 |
| | Green | Benjamin Grillet | 321 | 15.3 | +5.3 |
| | Conservative | Rosemary Doyle | 196 | 9.4 | –0.9 |
| | Conservative | John Hippisley | 163 | 7.8 | –1.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,096 | 38.0 | –3.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,565 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold |

### Wincheap

Wincheap (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Dane Buckman | 1,027 | 41.7 | +11.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Roben Franklin | 971 | 39.4 | –8.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Amina Inua | 946 | 38.4 | ±0.0 |
| | Labour Co-op | Paul Todd | 891 | 36.1 | +9.1 |
| | Green | Julie Ellis | 403 | 16.3 | –1.3 |
| | Conservative | Phil Collins | 276 | 11.2 | –2.9 |
| | Conservative | Ronald McWilliams | 248 | 10.1 | –3.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,465 | 39.0 | –3.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,266 | | |
| | Labour Co-op gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour Co-op gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour Co-op gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour Co-op gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour Co-op gain from Liberal Democrats |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold |