# 2023 Salford City Council election

The 2023 Salford City Council elections were held on 4 May 2023 alongside other local elections across the United Kingdom. One third of seats (20) on Salford City Council were up for election, with an additional seat being contested in a by-election in Pendlebury & Clifton.
Labour retained its majority on the council.

## Background
### History

The Local Government Act 1972 created a two-tier system of metropolitan counties and districts covering Greater Manchester, Merseyside, South Yorkshire, Tyne and Wear, the West Midlands, and West Yorkshire starting in 1974. Salford was a district of the Greater Manchester metropolitan county. The Local Government Act 1985 abolished the metropolitan counties, with metropolitan districts taking on most of their powers as metropolitan boroughs. The Greater Manchester Combined Authority was created in 2011 and began electing the mayor of Greater Manchester from 2017, which was given strategic powers covering a region coterminous with the former Greater Manchester metropolitan county.
Since its formation, Salford City Council has continuously been under Labour control. In the most recent council election in 2022, Labour won 15 seats, with the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats winning two seats each and an independent politician winning one.
As the Local Government Boundary Commission for England produced new boundaries for Manchester ahead of the 2021 election, meaning that the 2021 elections were all-out, with all councillors being elected before returning to electing by thirds, candidates up for re-election in 2023 are those who came second in each ward in 2021.

## Electoral process

The council elects its councillors in thirds, with a third being up for election every year for three years, with no election in the fourth year. The election took place by first-past-the-post voting, with wards generally being represented by three councillors, with one elected in each election year to serve a four-year term.
All registered electors (British, Irish, Commonwealth and European Union citizens) living in Salford aged 18 or over were entitled to vote in the election. People who lived at two addresses in different councils, such as university students with different term-time and holiday addresses, were entitled to be registered for and vote in elections in both local authorities. Voting in-person at polling stations took place from 07:00 to 22:00 on election day, and voters will be able to apply for postal votes or proxy votes in advance of the election.

## Summary
### Election result

2023 Salford City 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 % | +/− |
| | Labour | 18 | | 85.7 | 31 | 49 | 81.7 | 26,746 | 57.3 | 3.6 |
| | Conservative | 3 | | 14.3 | 5 | 8 | 13.3 | 10,979 | 23.5 | 2.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 0 | | 0.0 | 2 | 2 | 3.3 | 3,830 | 8.2 | 4.5 |
| | Independent | 0 | | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | 1.7 | 411 | 0.9 | 3.4 |
| | Green | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 4,023 | 8.6 | 2.1 |
| | Britain First | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 405 | 0.9 | 0.2 |
| | Women's Equality | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 109 | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| | TUSC | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 93 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| | Reform UK | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 68 | 0.1 | N/A |
| | SDP | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 40 | 0.1 | N/A |

## Ward results

Asterisks denote incumbent councillors seeking re-election.

### Barton & Winton

Barton and Winton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Anthony Lancaster* | 1,561 | 68.1 | −3.7 |
| | Conservative | Bernard Goldfine | 320 | 14.0 | −5.8 |
| | Green | Daniel Towers | 262 | 11.4 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Antony Duke | 135 | 5.9 | −1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,241 | 54.2 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 13 | 0.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,291 | 21.5 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,666 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Blackfriars & Trinity

Blackfriars and Trinity :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Emma Louise Cammell | 1,025 | 60.0 | −5.4 |
| | Green | David Jones | 455 | 26.7 | +7.1 |
| | Conservative | Charlie Ng | 150 | 8.8 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Scott James Turner-Preece | 62 | 2.6 | −10.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 570 | 33.4 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 15 | 0.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,707 | 19.5 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,772 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Boothstown & Ellenbrook

Boothstown and Ellenbrook :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Darren Ward* | 1,874 | 55.8 | +7.4 |
| | Labour | Su Matthews | 1,065 | 31.8 | +0.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ian Leslie Chisnall | 222 | 6.6 | −3.9 |
| | Green | Diana Joy Battersby | 180 | 5.4 | −3.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 809 | 24.0 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 12 | 0.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,353 | | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,691 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Broughton

Broughton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Jim King* | 1,333 | 70.0 | +6.0 |
| | Conservative | Patience Assam | 273 | 14.3 | +3.0 |
| | Green | David Joseph Henry | 194 | 10.2 | +1.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ben Web | 83 | 4.4 | −4.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,060 | 55.7 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 20 | 1.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,903 | 19.6 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,714 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Cadishead & Lower Irlam

Cadishead and Lower Irlam :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Hannah Jane Robinson-Smith* | 1,562 | 73.4 | +13.7 |
| | Conservative | Jackie Mountaine | 424 | 19.9 | −0.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ninad Vivek Oak | 120 | 5.6 | −12.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,138 | 53.5 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 22 | 1.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,128 | 22.6 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,399 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Claremont

Claremont :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Michael Thomas Pevitt* | 1,606 | 61.5 | +3.9 |
| | Conservative | Myrella Saunders | 397 | 15.2 | +1.1 |
| | Green | Christopher Seed | 316 | 12.1 | +2.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ian Alexander McKinlay | 279 | 10.7 | +4.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,209 | 46.3 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 12 | 0.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,610 | 26.8 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,748 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Eccles

Eccles :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Mike McCusker* | 2,022 | 65.5 | +5.6 |
| | Conservative | Karim Benze | 482 | 15.6 | −6.7 |
| | Green | Nicola Smith | 373 | 12.1 | +4.0 |
| | TUSC | Sally Griffiths | 93 | 3.0 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Richard Bridges | 92 | 3.0 | −3.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,540 | 49.9 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 23 | 0.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,085 | 28.1 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,983 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Higher Irlam & Peel Green

Higher Irlam and Peel Green :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John David Walsh | 1,280 | 65.3 | +2.1 |
| | Conservative | Paul Worcester | 357 | 18.2 | −0.1 |
| | Green | Jack Smith | 193 | 9.8 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Spencer Martin Fairbrother | 116 | 5.9 | −11.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 923 | 47.1 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 14 | 0.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,960 | 20.3 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,670 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Kersal & Broughton Park

Kersal & Broughton Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Ari Leitner* | 1,629 | 58.2 | +28.2 |
| | Labour | Philip Wilson-Marks | 756 | 27.0 | +0.6 |
| | Independent | Yirmiyahu Harari | 157 | 5.6 | N/A |
| | Green | James Thomas Bullen | 137 | 4.9 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jamie Twells | 102 | 3.6 | −1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 873 | 31.2 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 16 | 0.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,797 | 29.5 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,491 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Little Hulton

Little Hulton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Robert Andrew Sharpe* | 1,048 | 68.0 | +4.3 |
| | Conservative | Dorothy Chapman | 304 | 19.7 | −3.9 |
| | Green | Stuart Oxbrow | 100 | 6.5 | −0.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stuart Michael Robbins | 79 | 5.1 | −0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 744 | 48.3 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 11 | 0.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,542 | 16.8 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,164 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Ordsall

Ordsall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Benjamin Grogan | 931 | 48.1 | +7.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Darren Heilbron | 695 | 35.9 | −9.8 |
| | Green | Jane Ransley | 195 | 10.1 | −2.6 |
| | Conservative | Emma Wade-Gledhill | 105 | 5.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 236 | 12.2 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 11 | 0.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,937 | 22.5 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,618 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Pendlebury & Clifton

Pendlebury & Clifton (2 seats due to by-election) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Barry Warner* | 1,234 | 59.0 | −2.9 |
| | Labour | Chioma Mgbeokwere | 1,071 | 51.2 | −10.7 |
| | Conservative | Adam Carney | 499 | 23.9 | −2.1 |
| | Conservative | Chris Cunliffe | 334 | 16.0 | −10.0 |
| | Green | Kathleen Frances Allen | 245 | 11.7 | N/A |
| | Green | Tamara Reilly | 180 | 8.6 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kenneth William Thompson | 161 | 7.7 | −3.5 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 3 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,094 | 23.2 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,039 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Pendleton & Charlestown

Pendleton & Charlestown :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Wilson Nkurunziza* | 1,134 | 65.0 | −1.4 |
| | Conservative | Martin Christopher Goodman | 248 | 14.2 | −1.1 |
| | Green | Adam John Smithson | 210 | 12.0 | +1.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Benjamin James Thomas | 131 | 7.5 | +0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 886 | 50.8 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 22 | 1.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,745 | 18.6 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,388 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Quays

Quays :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jake Rowland* | 741 | 45.0 | +14.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jonathan Moore | 613 | 37.2 | −22.9 |
| | Green | Andrew Nadin | 150 | 9.1 | +0.8 |
| | Conservative | Dan Swift | 135 | 8.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 128 | 7.8 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 9 | 0.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,648 | 22.1 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,456 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Swinton & Wardley

Swinton & Wardley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Bill Hinds* | 1,621 | 63.6 | +2.4 |
| | Conservative | Sarah Wanjiku | 361 | 14.2 | −2.0 |
| | Independent | Joe O'Neill | 254 | 10.0 | N/A |
| | Green | Liam James Cantona Waite | 180 | 7.1 | +1.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gareth Joseph Watkins | 120 | 4.7 | +0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,260 | 49.4 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 13 | 0.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,549 | 27.2 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,383 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Swinton Park

Swinton Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jim Cammell* | 1,590 | 63.2 | +5.9 |
| | Conservative | Miranda Friedman | 459 | 18.3 | −0.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Howard McLellan | 236 | 9.4 | +1.5 |
| | Green | Lisa Swarbrick | 216 | 8.6 | +1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,131 | 44.9 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 14 | 0.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,515 | 26.7 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,418 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Walkden North

Walkden North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Sammie Bellamy* | 1,244 | 55.5 | +4.0 |
| | Britain First | Ashlea Simon | 405 | 18.1 | −3.5 |
| | Conservative | Derek Barry Meades | 238 | 10.6 | −0.8 |
| | Green | Frederick Roy Battersby | 162 | 7.2 | −1.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Susan Vanessa Lewis | 113 | 5.0 | −1.1 |
| | Reform UK | Craig Birtwistle | 68 | 3.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 839 | 37.4 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 10 | 0.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,240 | 23.6 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,490 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Walkden South

Walkden South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Hilaria Asumu | 1,318 | 52.1 | +5.3 |
| | Conservative | Janet Hainey | 754 | 29.8 | +5.2 |
| | Green | Anna Elizabeth Mackinlay Totterdill | 257 | 10.2 | −7.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Rowan Cerys Blessing | 178 | 7.0 | −2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 564 | 22.3 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 25 | 1.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,532 | 28.1 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,001 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Weaste & Seedley

Weaste & Seedley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Charlotte Youd | 1,438 | 65.8 | +2.1 |
| | Conservative | Alan Lederberger | 244 | 11.2 | N/A |
| | Green | Andrea Romero O'Brien | 170 | 7.8 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Grant | 169 | 7.7 | −13.6 |
| | Women's Equality | Donna-Maree Louise Humphery | 109 | 5.0 | −8.0 |
| | SDP | Stephen James Lewthwaite | 40 | 1.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,194 | 54.6 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 14 | 0.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,184 | 20.1 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,842 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Worsley & Westwood Park

Worsley & Westwood Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robin John Garrido* | 1,392 | 48.2 | +0.2 |
| | Labour | Michelle Mullen | 1,166 | 40.4 | −2.6 |
| | Green | Christopher Bertenshaw | 193 | 6.7 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | James Karl Blessing | 124 | 4.3 | −4.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 226 | 7.8 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 12 | 0.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,887 | 32.4 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,922 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

## Changes since this election
### Quays by-election

A by-election was held on 11 January 2024 following the resignation of Alex Warren after he took up a politically-restricted role.
Changes below are with the 2023 elections, not the 2022 election when the incumbent councillor was elected.
Quays by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Heilbron | 540 | 54.8 | +17.6 |
| | Labour | Elizabeth McCoy | 321 | 32.6 | −12.4 |
| | Green | Andrea O'Brien | 124 | 12.6 | +3.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 219 | 22.2 | |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 985 | | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 8 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 993 | 12.3 | −9.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | +15.0 | |