# 2023 Maldon District Council election

The 2023 Maldon District Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Maldon District Council in Essex, England. This was on the same day as other local elections.

## Summary

The result at the 2019 election was 17 Conservative and 14 Independent councillors. Following resignations and splits amongst both the Conservatives and the Independent Group, and two by-elections, the political make up at January 2022 was 10 Conservative, 3 non-aligned Conservatives, 11 Independent Group, 6 non-aligned Independents, and one vacant seat. Penny Channer, a Conservative, was appointed leader of the council at a meeting on 18 January 2022, effectively leading a Conservative minority administration. She chose not to stand for re-election.
Prior to the 2023 election the council was under no overall control. The Conservatives ran the council, with the Maldon District Independent Group in opposition. The Liberal Democrats elected a first councillor in a by-election in 2022, and stood a record number of candidates in these elections.
After the election the council remained under no overall control. After some weeks of post-election discussions between the councillors, Richard Siddall, leader of the Maldon District Independent Group, was appointed leader of the council on 8 June 2023.

### Election result

The overall results were:
2023 Maldon District Council election :
| Party | Candidates | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Conservative | 24 | 10 | 2 | 9 | 7 | 32.3 | 33.9 | 8,705 | –11.9 |
| Maldon District Independent Group | 13 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 22.6 | 20.4 | 5,239 | N/A |
| Independent | 14 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 7 | 22.6 | 15.5 | 3,973 | –32.6 |
| Liberal Democrats | 18 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 19.4 | 21.6 | 5,535 | N/A |
| Labour | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3.2 | 7.0 | 1,784 | +1.6 |
| Green | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 1.6 | 423 | N/A |

## Ward results

The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by Maldon District Council following the close of nominations on 5 April 2023.
Seat gains/losses are compared to the 2019 election and do not take into account by-elections or defections. The results for each ward were:

### Althorne

Althorne (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Maldon Independents | Tony Fittock | 675 | 63.6 | N/A |
| | Maldon Independents | Mark Bassenger* | 512 | 48.3 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Clint Bardwell | 390 | 36.8 | –9.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Wynn | 115 | 10.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,061 | 31.4 | +2.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,382 | | |
| | Maldon Independents gain from Conservative | Maldon Independents gain from Conservative | Maldon Independents gain from Conservative | Maldon Independents gain from Conservative | Maldon Independents gain from Conservative |
| | Maldon Independents gain from Independent | Maldon Independents gain from Independent | Maldon Independents gain from Independent | Maldon Independents gain from Independent | Maldon Independents gain from Independent |

### Burnham-on-Crouch North

Burnham-on-Crouch North (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Wendy Stamp* | 927 | 76.4 | –6.9 |
| | Labour | Una Siddall-Norman | 391 | 32.2 | +17.2 |
| | Conservative | Anne Hull* | 362 | 29.8 | –2.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Blake Matthews | 170 | 14.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,214 | 31.1 | –4.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,902 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative |

### Burnham-on-Crouch South

Burnham-on-Crouch South (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Vanessa Bell* | 531 | 50.5 | –14.7 |
| | Conservative | Doug Brown | 358 | 34.0 | +10.2 |
| | Independent | Jennie Donnelly | 296 | 28.1 | N/A |
| | Labour | Jackie Brown | 168 | 16.0 | +4.5 |
| | Maldon Independents | Stephen Stratton | 105 | 10.0 | N/A |
| | Green | Claire White | 97 | 9.2 | N/A |
| | Green | James Taylor | 83 | 7.9 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Eileen Rowlands | 67 | 6.4 | N/A |
| | Independent | Joscelyn McInnes | 42 | 4.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,052 | 32.6 | –2.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,223 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent |

### Great Totham

Great Totham (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Maldon Independents | Richard Siddall* | 670 | 53.3 | N/A |
| | Maldon Independents | Jade Hughes | 591 | 47.1 | N/A |
| | Conservative | John Keyes* | 427 | 34.0 | –21.0 |
| | Conservative | Nicholas Snelling | 345 | 27.5 | –28.3 |
| | Green | Isobel Doubleday | 243 | 19.3 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Deirdre Haslam | 75 | 6.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,256 | 42.0 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,994 | | |
| | Maldon Independents gain from Conservative | Maldon Independents gain from Conservative | Maldon Independents gain from Conservative | Maldon Independents gain from Conservative | Maldon Independents gain from Conservative |
| | Maldon Independents gain from Conservative | Maldon Independents gain from Conservative | Maldon Independents gain from Conservative | Maldon Independents gain from Conservative | Maldon Independents gain from Conservative |

### Heybridge East

Heybridge East (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nick Spenceley | 504 | 51.3 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nikki Swindle | 441 | 44.9 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Anne Beale* | 316 | 32.2 | –17.0 |
| | Maldon Independents | Colin Edmond | 299 | 30.4 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Bruce Heubner* | 259 | 26.4 | –27.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 982 | 30.6 | +3.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,206 | | |
| | 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 |

### Heybridge West

Heybridge West (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paula Spenceley* | 539 | 67.0 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Simon Burwood | 475 | 59.1 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Hayley Board | 195 | 24.3 | –15.2 |
| | Maldon Independents | Michael Edwards* | 174 | 21.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 804 | 23.5 | +0.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,429 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent |

### Maldon East

Maldon East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Andrew Lay | 153 | 37.9 | N/A |
| | Independent | Christopher Swain* | 130 | 32.2 | –18.5 |
| | Conservative | Robert Roe | 121 | 30.0 | +6.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 23 | 5.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 411 | 22.8 | –1.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,803 | | |
| | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Swing | N/A | |

### Maldon North

Maldon North (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kevin Jennings | 736 | 63.0 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Nigel Miller | 401 | 34.3 | +3.6 |
| | Maldon Independents | Carlie Mayes* | 375 | 32.1 | N/A |
| | Labour | Robert Shrimpton | 248 | 21.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,168 | 34.9 | +0.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,347 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent |

### Maldon South

Maldon South (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Kevin Lagan* | 528 | 52.6 | –12.5 |
| | Maldon Independents | Jeanette Stilts* | 424 | 42.2 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Martin Harvey | 361 | 36.0 | +4.4 |
| | Conservative | Paul Hole | 264 | 26.3 | +0.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Main | 202 | 20.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,004 | 33.3 | +0.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,014 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
| | Maldon Independents gain from Independent | Maldon Independents gain from Independent | Maldon Independents gain from Independent | Maldon Independents gain from Independent | Maldon Independents gain from Independent |

### Maldon West

Maldon West (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Driver | 552 | 43.3 | N/A |
| | Maldon Independents | Flo Shaughnessy* | 550 | 43.1 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Jones | 432 | 33.9 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Jhual Hafiz | 277 | 21.7 | +3.0 |
| | Maldon Independents | Lisa Cullumbine | 271 | 21.2 | N/A |
| | Labour | John Joyce | 124 | 9.7 | N/A |
| | Independent | Tom Kelly | 89 | 7.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,276 | 34.2 | –5.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,734 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent |
| | Maldon Independents gain from Independent | Maldon Independents gain from Independent | Maldon Independents gain from Independent | Maldon Independents gain from Independent | Maldon Independents gain from Independent |

### Mayland

Mayland (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Linda Haywood | 617 | 61.9 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Wendy Laybourn | 390 | 39.1 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Linda Pailing | 278 | 27.9 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | James Eley | 225 | 22.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 997 | 29.3 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,407 | | |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Purleigh

Purleigh (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Sue White* | 558 | 61.1 | –1.4 |
| | Conservative | Lisa Wiffen | 481 | 52.7 | –14.0 |
| | Labour | Pamela Calabro | 185 | 20.3 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lynne Harrington | 180 | 19.7 | N/A |
| | Maldon Independents | Ashley Jones | 125 | 13.7 | N/A |
| | Independent | Neil Page | 86 | 9.4 | N/A |
| | Independent | Bridget Eyre | 41 | 4.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 913 | 31.0 | –3.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,950 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Southminster

Southminster (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Adrian Fluker | 533 | 58.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Ron Pratt | 339 | 37.3 | +6.7 |
| | Labour | Timothy Aves | 182 | 20.0 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ben Bhattacharya | 130 | 14.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 802 | 22.6 | –3.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,547 | | |
| | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Tillingham

Tillingham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Matthew Neall | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | N/A | | |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative |

### Tollesbury

Tollesbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Maldon Independents | Emma Stephens* | 468 | 75.1 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Deborah Keating | 116 | 18.6 | –53.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ross Woolfenden | 39 | 6.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 352 | 56.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 625 | 38.6 | +1.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,621 | | |
| | Maldon Independents gain from Conservative | Maldon Independents gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A | |

### Tolleshunt D'Arcy

Tolleshunt D'Arcy (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Clive Morley* | 607 | 58.8 | –9.2 |
| | Conservative | Maddie Thompson* | 581 | 56.2 | –15.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Beal | 408 | 39.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,033 | 30.3 | –1.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,406 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Wickham Bishops and Woodham

Wickham Bishops and Woodham (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mark Durham* | 644 | 58.2 | +1.2 |
| | Conservative | Simon Morgan | 635 | 57.4 | –7.8 |
| | Labour | Jane Williams | 260 | 23.5 | +9.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anne Church | 245 | 22.1 | N/A |
| | Labour | David Baker | 226 | 20.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,107 | 37.7 | –3.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,933 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

## Changes 2023–2027

* Sue White, elected as a Conservative, left the party in June 2023 to sit as an independent.
* Jeanette Stilts, elected for the Maldon District Independent Group, subsequently sat instead in the 'District Support Group' of independent councillors.