# 2023 Arun District Council election

The 2023 Arun District Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Arun District Council in West Sussex, England. This was on the same day as other local elections in England.
The council was under no overall control prior to the election, being led by a Conservative minority administration. Following the election the council remained under no overall control, but a Liberal Democrat, Labour, Green and Independent alliance formed to take over the leadership of the council. The Liberal Democrats appointed Matt Stanley as their new group leader after the election, and as the Liberal Democrats are the largest group in the alliance, he was appointed leader of the council at the subsequent annual council meeting on 31 May 2023.

## Pre-Election Composition

The result at the last election and the current composition of the council is given below:
| Affiliation | Affiliation | Members | Members | Members |
| Affiliation | Affiliation | Elected | Current | Change |
| | Conservative | 21 | 23 | 2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 22 | 17 | 5 |
| | Independent | 8 | 10 | 2 |
| | Green | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| | Labour | 1 | 1 | |
| Total | Total | 54 | 54 | |

## Overall results

The results were:
2023 Arun District Council election :
| Party | Candidates | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Conservative | 49 | 20 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 37.0 | 40.6 | 34,319 | –1.7 |
| Liberal Democrats | 30 | 14 | 1 | 9 | 8 | 25.9 | 21.1 | 17,846 | –9.9 |
| Labour | 29 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14.8 | 14.9 | 12,604 | +3.3 |
| Green | 18 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 11.1 | 14.5 | 12,270 | +11.5 |
| Independent | 14 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 11.1 | 8.3 | 7,035 | –1.0 |
| Heritage | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 0.4 | 313 | N/A |
| TUSC | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 0.1 | 56 | N/A |

## Ward results

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

### Aldwick East

Aldwick East (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Ash Patel | 768 | 42.5 | +4.4 |
| | Conservative | Trevor William Bence | 729 | 40.4 | −0.1 |
| | Independent | Fiona Huntley | 643 | 35.6 | N/A |
| | Independent | Ian Manion | 539 | 29.8 | N/A |
| | Green | Justin Adam Bell | 332 | 18.4 | N/A |
| | Labour | Ray Palmer | 327 | 18.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,806 | 39.92 | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |

### Aldwick West

Aldwick West (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Guy Purser | 657 | 38.2 | +8.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Claire Needs * | 636 | 37.0 | +4.9 |
| | Conservative | Diana Thas | 601 | 34.9 | +6.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Ralph | 582 | 33.8 | −5.2 |
| | Labour | Lynne Armstrong | 274 | 15.9 | +9.4 |
| | Green | Tony Douglas Coates | 255 | 14.8 | ±0.0 |
| | Heritage | David Kurten | 148 | 8.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,721 | 33.63 | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Angmering and Findon

Angmering and Findon (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Paul Bicknell * | 1,349 | 50.3 | −6.1 |
| | Conservative | Andy Cooper * | 1,147 | 42.7 | −4.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Amelia Worne | 1,103 | 41.1 | +10.6 |
| | Green | Helen Ruth Justice | 1,036 | 38.6 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Kevin Edmundston | 1,035 | 38.6 | −8.3 |
| | Labour | Paul Anthony Summers | 990 | 36.9 | +15.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,684 | 32.11 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Arundel and Walberton

Arundel and Walberton (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Stephen McAuliffe * | 1,471 | 56.9 | +18.0 |
| | Green | Carol Jane Birch | 1,363 | 52.7 | N/A |
| | Green | Melanie Jill Penycate | 1,198 | 46.3 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Gary Markwell | 833 | 32.2 | −15.7 |
| | Conservative | Stephen Reynolds | 787 | 30.4 | −10.2 |
| | Conservative | Mario Trabucco | 733 | 28.3 | −9.2 |
| | Labour | Michael Ward | 714 | 27.6 | +9.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,586 | 37.23 | |
| | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
| | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
| | Green hold | Green hold | Swing | | |
Steve McAuliffe was previously elected at a by-election, retaining one of the Green seats.

### Barnham

Barnham (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Paul Brian Ayling | 1,316 | 59.4 | +15.3 |
| | Green | Sue Jennifer Ellen Wallsgrove * | 1,252 | 56.5 | N/A |
| | Green | Anita June Lawrence | 1,030 | 46.5 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Stephen Haymes | 712 | 32.1 | −18.0 |
| | Conservative | Susan Bence | 677 | 30.6 | −9.8 |
| | Conservative | Graham Lewis Jones | 620 | 28.0 | −7.4 |
| | Labour | William John Ashton | 425 | 19.2 | −2.3 |
| | TUSC | Susan Welch | 56 | 2.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,216 | 29.31 | |
| | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
| | Green hold | Green hold | Swing | | |
| | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Sue Wallsgrove was previously elected at a by-election, gaining one of the Conservative seats.

### Beach

Beach (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Billy Blanchard-Cooper | 782 | 55.4 | −10.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Bob Woodman | 697 | 49.4 | −8.6 |
| | Conservative | Mick Warren | 433 | 30.7 | +7.2 |
| | Conservative | Travis Hayler | 392 | 27.8 | +4.4 |
| | Labour | Stephen Bernard McConnell | 230 | 16.3 | +6.9 |
| | Labour | Michael Terence Murphy | 203 | 14.4 | +4.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,411 | 37.01 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Bersted

Bersted (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Keir Greenway | 852 | 47.4 | +20.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gill Yeates * | 841 | 46.8 | +4.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Martin Lury * | 826 | 46.0 | +6.2 |
| | Conservative | David Raymond Paige | 610 | 34.0 | +9.9 |
| | Labour | Nigel Smith | 540 | 30.1 | +17.2 |
| | Conservative | Rob Outen | 513 | 18.3 | −2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,796 | 23.97 | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Brookfield

Brookfield (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | James Michael Meade Walsh | 618 | 48.1 | −8.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jill Irene Fortnam Long | 586 | 45.6 | −9.1 |
| | Conservative | Mikey Blackwood | 409 | 31.9 | +2.6 |
| | Conservative | David Edward Chace * | 404 | 31.5 | +2.3 |
| | Labour | Neil Alistair Campbell | 265 | 20.6 | +10.5 |
| | Heritage | Jane Neal | 61 | 4.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,284 | 27.13 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
David Chace was previously elected at a by-election, gaining one of the Liberal Democrat seats.

### Courtwick with Toddington

Courtwick with Toddington (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Mike Northeast * | 766 | 47.5 | +7.4 |
| | Labour | Maralyn May | 695 | 43.1 | +8.6 |
| | Labour | Freddie William Tandy | 637 | 39.5 | +5.0 |
| | Conservative | Tony Woodward | 582 | 36.1 | −4.9 |
| | Conservative | Vicky Rhodes * | 530 | 32.8 | −4.5 |
| | Conservative | Rod Vincent | 523 | 32.4 | −2.4 |
| | Green | Deborah O'Reilly | 356 | 22.1 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Saša Krajnc | 242 | 15.0 | −9.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,614 | 20.44 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### East Preston

East Preston (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Philippa Bower | 1,329 | 54.4 | −10.3 |
| | Conservative | Paul Kelly * | 1,294 | 52.9 | −8.2 |
| | Conservative | Ricky Bower * | 1,281 | 52.4 | −12.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Michael Richards | 768 | 31.4 | +4.3 |
| | Green | Liz Hammond | 740 | 30.3 | N/A |
| | Labour | Alex Haslam | 560 | 22.9 | +2.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Richard Tilbrook | 510 | 20.9 | −6.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,444 | 34.91 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Felpham East

Felpham East (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Tom Harty | 575 | 43.4 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Joan Constance English | 530 | 40.0 | −18.9 |
| | Conservative | Paul Anthony English * | 527 | 39.7 | −21.4 |
| | Independent | Rick Parker | 506 | 38.2 | N/A |
| | Labour | Stuart Varndall | 284 | 21.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,326 | 27.99 | |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Felpham West

Felpham West (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Gill Madeley * | 651 | 42.5 | −15.4 |
| | Conservative | Elaine Stainton * | 593 | 38.7 | −15.0 |
| | Independent | Martin Harvey | 486 | 31.7 | N/A |
| | Green | Linda Lancaster | 382 | 25.0 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Roslyn Anne Kissell | 326 | 21.3 | −6.7 |
| | Labour | Ray Mills | 301 | 19.7 | +8.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,531 | 31.47 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Ferring

Ferring (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Roger Elkins * | 1,018 | 61.4 | −7.3 |
| | Conservative | Mark Turner | 949 | 57.3 | −11.4 |
| | Labour | Dorothy Portia Macedo | 403 | 24.3 | +7.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Barbara Helen Roberts | 316 | 19.1 | +5.3 |
| | Green | Kerstin Sonnemann | 272 | 16.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,657 | 39.67 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Hotham

Hotham (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jeanette Warr * | 402 | 42.6 | +11.3 |
| | Independent | Steve Goodheart * | 389 | 41.3 | +3.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Bob Waterhouse | 304 | 32.2 | +1.4 |
| | Conservative | David Nicholas Britton | 299 | 31.7 | +12.6 |
| | Labour | David Meagher | 208 | 22.1 | +7.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 943 | 22.21 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

### Marine

Marine (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Jim Brooks * | 669 | 59.6 | −1.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Matt Stanley * | 468 | 41.7 | +3.1 |
| | Labour | Heather Robbins | 354 | 31.5 | +12.4 |
| | Conservative | Philip Richard James Sanders | 295 | 26.3 | +3.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,123 | 23.34 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Middleton-on-Sea

Middleton-on-Sea (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jacky Pendleton * | 729 | 49.3 | +5.9 |
| | Independent | Shirley Yvonne Haywood * | 639 | 43.2 | +0.2 |
| | Conservative | David Darling | 556 | 37.6 | −1.7 |
| | Green | Liam Warren | 336 | 22.7 | N/A |
| | Labour | Jeff Daws | 266 | 18.0 | +12.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,478 | 35.40 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

### Orchard

Orchard (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Francis Oppler * | 477 | 47.2 | +2.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kenton Batley | 375 | 37.1 | +3.1 |
| | Independent | Phil Woodall | 236 | 23.3 | −4.0 |
| | Labour | Jan Cosgrove | 231 | 22.8 | +2.2 |
| | Conservative | Billy Edward Kelly | 207 | 20.5 | −0.7 |
| | Independent | Kinga Elzbieta Arciszewska | 169 | 16.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,011 | 21.51 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Pagham

Pagham (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | David Huntley * | 1,037 | 65.8 | +3.2 |
| | Independent | June Hamilton * | 825 | 52.3 | −2.4 |
| | Conservative | Harry Triggs | 462 | 29.3 | +8.6 |
| | Labour | Pauline Nash | 298 | 18.9 | +12.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,577 | 30.30 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

### Pevensey

Pevensey (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Roger Nash | 292 | 30.3 | +12.5 |
| | Labour | Simon McDougall | 277 | 28.7 | +9.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Wells | 247 | 25.6 | −13.3 |
| | Conservative | Pat Dillon | 235 | 24.4 | −1.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Barrett | 207 | 21.5 | −9.7 |
| | Independent | Sandra Elizabeth Daniells * | 163 | 16.9 | −22.6 |
| | Independent | Adam William Wojtek Cunard | 159 | 16.5 | N/A |
| | Green | John Paul Erskine | 76 | 7.9 | −23.3 |
| | Green | Paul Wyatt | 72 | 7.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 965 | 24.04 | |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
| | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |

### River

River (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | George Keith O'Neill | 674 | 34.8 | +11.5 |
| | Labour | Alan Terence Butcher | 665 | 34.3 | +12.2 |
| | Labour | Mary Christine Wiltshire | 665 | 34.3 | +14.3 |
| | Conservative | Michelle Molloy | 559 | 28.9 | +6.5 |
| | Conservative | Nigel Smith | 505 | 26.1 | +7.3 |
| | Conservative | Gary Russell Hart | 504 | 26.0 | +9.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ian Buckland * | 499 | 25.8 | −17.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ady Clark | 425 | 21.9 | −19.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Keith Croft | 350 | 18.1 | −19.1 |
| | Green | Lilias Rider Haggard Cheyne | 331 | 17.1 | N/A |
| | Heritage | Gabi Gates | 104 | 5.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,937 | 27.35 | |
| | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
| | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
| | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |

### Rustington East

Rustington East (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Alison Cooper * | 1,086 | 62.7 | +1.5 |
| | Conservative | Shaun Gunner * | 973 | 56.2 | +2.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anchorette Lucy Parvin-Blackstone | 557 | 32.2 | +1.0 |
| | Labour | Sean Lee | 494 | 28.5 | +17.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,731 | 39.01 | +3.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Rustington West

Rustington West (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Lesley-Anne Lloyd | 1,101 | 45.9 | +7.7 |
| | Conservative | Peggy Partridge | 1,033 | 43.1 | +7.2 |
| | Conservative | Lynne Edwards | 1,018 | 42.4 | +6.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Pauline Anne Gregory * | 934 | 38.9 | −13.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jamie Bennett * | 811 | 33.8 | −15.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nick Jays | 757 | 31.6 | −14.1 |
| | Green | Faye Faithful | 452 | 18.8 | N/A |
| | Labour | Bernadette Millam | 390 | 16.3 | +5.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,399 | 35.05 | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |

### Yapton

Yapton (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Amanda Worne * | 1,160 | 69.8 | +15.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Henry Jones * | 1,039 | 62.6 | +25.3 |
| | Conservative | Oli Byron-Davies | 395 | 23.8 | −2.1 |
| | Conservative | Paul Dendle | 364 | 21.9 | −3.2 |
| | Labour | Doris Audrey Richards | 176 | 10.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,661 | 30.73 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |