# 2023 Cherwell District Council election

The 2023 Cherwell District Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Cherwell District Council in Oxfordshire, England. This was on the same day as other local elections in England.
The Conservatives lost control of the council to no overall control. Attempts to form a coalition of the other parties failed to produce an alternative administration. The Conservative leader of the council, Barry Wood, was removed from office at the council's annual meeting on 17 May 2023, but as the council could not agree on a replacement leader the meeting was then adjourned until 23 May 2023. No alternative leader who could command a majority had emerged by then either, and so Barry Wood was reinstated as leader, in charge of a Conservative minority administration.
Green party leader Ian Middleton said this was because the Labour Party National Executive Committee had told the local Labour Party that they could not have any Green or Independent councillors in roles in the Executive.

## Overall results

The overall results were as follows:
2023 Cherwell District Council election :
| Party | Party | This election | This election | This election | Full council | Full council | Full council | This election | This election | This election |
| Party | Party | Seats | Net | Seats % | Other | Total | Total % | Votes | Votes % | +/− |
| | Conservative | 3 | 5 | 18.8 | 17 | 20 | 41.7 | 12,735 | 34.0 | -4.8 |
| | Labour | 5 | 3 | 31.3 | 7 | 12 | 25.0 | 9,641 | 25.7 | +0.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 5 | 3 | 31.3 | 5 | 10 | 20.8 | 9,461 | 25.2 | -1.2 |
| | Green | 2 | 1 | 12.5 | 1 | 3 | 6.3 | 4,160 | 11.1 | +3.4 |
| | Independent | 1 | 2 | 6.3 | 2 | 3 | 6.3 | 1,486 | 4.0 | +1.4 |

## Ward results

The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by Cherwell District Council following the close of nominations on 4 April 2023. The results for each ward were:

### Adderbury, Bloxham and Bodicote

Adderbury, Bloxham and Bodicote :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Pattenden | 1,540 | 53.6 | −6.3 |
| | Conservative | David Bunn | 913 | 31.8 | +1.8 |
| | Labour | Helen Oldfield | 345 | 12.0 | +1.9 |
| | Independent | Paul Tucker | 73 | 2.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 627 | 21.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,871 | 37.85 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,604 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Banbury Calthorpe & Easington

Banbury Calthorpe & Easington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Lynne Parsons | 1,217 | 42.6 | −0.1 |
| | Conservative | Fiaz Ahmed | 1,055 | 36.9 | −9.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Yeomans | 244 | 8.1 | −2.5 |
| | Green | Julia Middleton | 213 | 7.4 | N/A |
| | Independent | John Brown | 131 | 4.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 162 | 5.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,860 | 32.93 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,731 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 4.85 | |

### Banbury Cross & Neithrop

Banbury Cross & Neithrop :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Becky Clarke | 1,058 | 54.6 | +3.8 |
| | Conservative | Munoz Dungo | 443 | 22.8 | −12.6 |
| | Green | Linda Catherine Ward | 159 | 8.2 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andrew Raisbeck | 141 | 7.2 | −6.6 |
| | Independent | Simon Garrett | 80 | 4.1 | N/A |
| | Independent | Tim Barrett | 58 | 3.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 615 | 31.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,939 | 26.18 | −3.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,461 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Banbury Grimsbury & Hightown

Banbury Grimsbury & Hightown :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Sean Woodcock* | 1,030 | 55.6 | −0.9 |
| | Conservative | Zeeshan Ahmed | 389 | 21.0 | −6.1 |
| | Green | Karl Kwiatkowski | 175 | 9.5 | +0.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sophie Parker-Manuel | 143 | 7.7 | −0.1 |
| | Independent | Cassi Perry | 114 | 6.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 641 | 34.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,851 | 26.27 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,110 | | |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Swing | | |

### Banbury Hardwick

Banbury Hardwick :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Besmira Brasha | 809 | 46.1 | +2.9 |
| | Conservative | Tony Ilott | 716 | 40.2 | +1.4 |
| | Green | Amanda Maguire | 231 | 13.2 | +3.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 93 | 5.9 | +1.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,756 | 23.2 | −2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,612 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 0.75 | |

### Banbury Ruscote

Banbury Ruscote :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Isabel Creed | 884 | 58.5 | +2.8 |
| | Conservative | Jayne Strangwood | 388 | 25.7 | −8.2 |
| | Green | Carol Broom | 95 | 6.3 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mark Petterson | 74 | 4.9 | −5.5 |
| | Independent | Julie Battison | 70 | 4.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 496 | 32.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,511 | 21.29 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,124 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Bicester East

Bicester East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Tom Beckett | 843 | 41.6 | +14.0 |
| | Conservative | Sam Holland | 767 | 37.9 | −10.1 |
| | Labour | Jane Clements | 416 | 20.5 | −4.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 76 | 3.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,026 | 32.08 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,377 | | |
| | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Bicester North & Caversfield

Bicester North & Caversfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Simon Lytton | 794 | 39.6 | +19.8 |
| | Conservative | Jason Slaymaker* | 676 | 33.7 | −7.2 |
| | Labour | Arjun Bais | 536 | 26.7 | −1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 118 | 5.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,006 | 31.13 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,502 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Bicester South & Ambrosden

Bicester South & Ambrosden :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nick Cotter* | 1,660 | 56.8 | +1.4 |
| | Conservative | Sammy Omotayo | 808 | 27.7 | −3.7 |
| | Labour | Robert Nixon | 453 | 15.5 | +3.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 852 | 29.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,921 | 29.57 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,948 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Swing | | |

### Bicester West

Bicester West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Harry Knight | 777 | 40.0 | −12.3 |
| | Conservative | Alex Thrupp | 472 | 24.3 | −5.1 |
| | Labour | Christopher Howells | 397 | 20.4 | +2.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Martin Chadwick | 188 | 9.7 | N/A |
| | Green | Damien Maguire | 110 | 5.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 305 | 15.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,944 | 29.93 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,559 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

### Cropredy, Sibfords & Wroxton

Cropredy, Sibfords & Wroxton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Douglas Webb* | 1,247 | 44.9 | −4.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Xenia Huntley | 856 | 30.8 | +5.6 |
| | Labour | Siân Tohill-Martin | 439 | 15.8 | −9.2 |
| | Green | Victoria Campbell | 238 | 8.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 391 | 14.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,780 | 40.19 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,967 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Deddington

Deddington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew McHugh | 1,280 | 43.8 | −2.1 |
| | Labour | Annette Murphy | 796 | 27.2 | +4.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | James Hartley | 547 | 18.7 | −2.0 |
| | Green | Linda Newbery | 300 | 10.3 | −0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 484 | 16.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,923 | 39.65 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,430 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Fringford & Heyfords

Fringford & Heyfords :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Nigel Simpson | 1,049 | 42.2 | −0.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mark Chivers | 774 | 31.1 | +10.8 |
| | Labour | Alex Williams | 373 | 15.0 | −3.9 |
| | Green | Jenny Tamblyn | 291 | 11.7 | −6.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 275 | 11.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,487 | 34.77 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,179 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Kidlington East

Kidlington East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Ian Middleton* | 1,505 | 57.0 | +10.2 |
| | Conservative | Tony Puffer | 678 | 25.7 | −12.2 |
| | Labour Co-op | Barry Richards | 276 | 10.4 | −4.9 |
| | Independent | Philip Brown | 183 | 6.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 827 | 31.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,642 | 37.86 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,036 | | |
| | Green hold | Green hold | Swing | | |

### Kidlington West

Kidlington West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lesley McLean | 1,410 | 56.2 | +3.8 |
| | Conservative | Rosie Hillard | 802 | 32.0 | −4.0 |
| | Labour | Matthew Bevington | 297 | 11.8 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 608 | 24.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,509 | 36.25 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,983 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Launton & Otmoor

Launton & Otmoor :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Julian Nedelcu | 1,120 | 45.0 | −4.5 |
| | Conservative | David Hughes | 1,052 | 42.3 | +1.5 |
| | Labour | Naomi Karslake | 315 | 12.7 | +4.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 68 | 2.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,477 | 38.7 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,490 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |