Conservative Party › 2023
Conservative Party in 2023
Polling day: 4 May 2023. 230 councils held elections.
Summary
- Contested in 230 of 230 councils; ran for 8,031 seats.
- Won 2,270 seats (28.3% of seats up) on 31.0% of the vote.
- Net change vs each council's last appearance in this dataset: +649 seats across 113 councils up, 72 councils down, 44 flat, 1 new to the window.
- Council-control change: 7 gained, 55 lost.
Where Conservative Party led, as of 2023
Councils where Conservative Party was the largest single party in the most recent composition snapshot at or before 2023. Greens ring councils gained at this election; reds ring those lost. Click any hex to drill in.
As of 2023
162 councils led
+7 gained this cycle
−55 lost this cycle
Grey hexes are councils where another party led, or where we don't have a snapshot for that year.
Council-control changes
Councils where the largest party in the running composition changed at this election. How a flip is defined →
Gained (7)
- Herefordshire from Other
- Wyre Forest from Other
- Slough from Labour Party
- Stockton-on-Tees from Labour Party
- Hart from Liberal Democrats
- Bedford from Liberal Democrats
- North Somerset from Other
Lost (55)
- Amber Valley to Labour Party
- Wealden to Liberal Democrats
- Waverley to Liberal Democrats
- Bracknell Forest to Labour Party
- Tewkesbury to Liberal Democrats
- Plymouth to Labour Party
- Rochford to Other
- Wokingham to Liberal Democrats
- Milton Keynes to Labour Party
- Darlington to Labour Party
- Hartlepool to Labour Party
- Bolton to Labour Party
- Horsham to Liberal Democrats
- Swindon to Labour Party
- Staffordshire Moorlands to Labour Party
- Derby to Labour Party
- Canterbury to Labour Party
- Lewes to Green Party
- Babergh to Green Party
- Broxtowe to Labour Party
- East Hertfordshire to Green Party
- Warwick to Green Party
- Stratford On Avon to Liberal Democrats
- Mid Sussex to Liberal Democrats
- Central Bedfordshire to Other
- Surrey Heath to Liberal Democrats
- East Suffolk to Green Party
- Mid Devon to Liberal Democrats
- North East Derbyshire to Labour Party
- West Berkshire to Liberal Democrats
- North West Leicestershire to Labour Party
- Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole to Liberal Democrats
- Erewash to Labour Party
- East Staffordshire to Labour Party
- South Ribble to Labour Party
- Dover to Labour Party
- Windsor and Maidenhead to Liberal Democrats
- South Hams to Liberal Democrats
- Thanet to Labour Party
- Dacorum to Liberal Democrats
- Chichester to Liberal Democrats
- Medway to Labour Party
- Boston to Other
- Derbyshire Dales to Liberal Democrats
- South Derbyshire to Labour Party
- South Kesteven to Other
- Folkestone & Hythe to Green Party
- Mid Suffolk to Green Party
- Rutland to Liberal Democrats
- West Lindsey to Liberal Democrats
- North Hertfordshire to Labour Party
- Swale to Labour Party
- West Oxfordshire to Liberal Democrats
- Worcester to Labour Party
- West Devon to Other
Where the seats came from
Per-council net seat change vs each council's prior appearance in our dataset (typically that council's previous all-out election or its last by-thirds slice). "Debut" rows are councils whose first cycle in our window is 2023 — usually the result of a boundary reorganisation or being a county outside our 2021 LEH coverage.
Seats gained (113 councils)
| Council | Won | Last cycle | Net | Vote share | Seat share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sevenoaks | 33 | 5 (2021) | +28 | 51.1% | 61.1% |
| Fenland | 35 | 9 (2021) | +26 | 56.9% | 81.4% |
| Dartford | 29 | 4 (2021) | +25 | 55.8% | 69.0% |
| Wyre | 30 | 7 (2021) | +23 | 52.8% | 60.0% |
| South Staffordshire | 29 | 8 (2021) | +21 | 47.0% | 69.0% |
| Test Valley | 26 | 5 (2021) | +21 | 42.7% | 60.5% |
| Breckland | 30 | 11 (2021) | +19 | 44.6% | 61.2% |
| Braintree | 26 | 7 (2021) | +19 | 39.8% | 53.1% |
| Slough | 21 | 2 (2022) | +19 | 46.3% | 50.0% |
| Wychavon | 29 | 11 (2021) | +18 | 46.6% | 67.4% |
| New Forest | 26 | 8 (2021) | +18 | 42.1% | 54.2% |
| Leicester | 17 | 0 (2019) | +17 | 34.8% | 31.5% |
| Rushcliffe | 25 | 9 (2021) | +16 | 40.7% | 56.8% |
| Staffordshire Moorlands | 22 | 6 (2021) | +16 | 34.7% | 40.0% |
| Chelmsford | 21 | 5 (2021) | +16 | 39.6% | 36.8% |
| Tonbridge & Malling | 20 | 4 (2021) | +16 | 40.2% | 45.5% |
| Lichfield | 22 | 8 (2021) | +14 | 44.6% | 47.8% |
| South Norfolk | 24 | 11 (2021) | +13 | 39.2% | 52.2% |
| South Holland | 19 | 6 (2021) | +13 | 53.5% | 51.4% |
| Fylde | 19 | 6 (2021) | +13 | 44.6% | 51.4% |
| East Hampshire | 19 | 6 (2021) | +13 | 43.5% | 44.2% |
| Blaby | 19 | 6 (2021) | +13 | 42.0% | 55.9% |
| Ashford | 19 | 6 (2021) | +13 | 35.8% | 40.4% |
| Tendring | 19 | 6 (2021) | +13 | 33.0% | 39.6% |
| Dacorum | 18 | 5 (2021) | +13 | 34.7% | 35.3% |
| Gravesham | 17 | 4 (2021) | +13 | 47.7% | 43.6% |
| Stockton-on-Tees | 26 | 14 (2019) | +12 | 43.0% | 46.4% |
| Charnwood | 23 | 11 (2021) | +12 | 38.3% | 44.2% |
| Great Yarmouth | 19 | 7 (2021) | +12 | 43.6% | 48.7% |
| North East Derbyshire | 19 | 7 (2021) | +12 | 38.3% | 35.8% |
| Thanet | 17 | 5 (2021) | +12 | 32.7% | 30.4% |
| Hertsmere | 16 | 4 (2021) | +12 | 43.0% | 41.0% |
| North Kesteven | 21 | 10 (2021) | +11 | 46.5% | 56.8% |
| Ribble Valley | 15 | 4 (2021) | +11 | 41.9% | 41.7% |
| Broadland | 21 | 11 (2021) | +10 | 38.2% | 44.7% |
| Wyre Forest | 20 | 10 (2021) | +10 | 41.7% | 60.6% |
| Mid Sussex | 18 | 8 (2021) | +10 | 32.9% | 37.5% |
| North Warwickshire | 17 | 7 (2021) | +10 | 47.9% | 48.6% |
| South Ribble | 16 | 6 (2021) | +10 | 36.6% | 32.0% |
| East Cambridgeshire | 15 | 5 (2021) | +10 | 38.4% | 53.6% |
| Derby | 15 | 5 (2022) | +10 | 26.4% | 29.4% |
| Wolverhampton | 13 | 3 (2022) | +10 | 36.9% | 21.7% |
| West Suffolk | 24 | 15 (2021) | +9 | 44.1% | 40.0% |
| Kings Lynn & West Norfolk | 21 | 12 (2021) | +9 | 40.8% | 38.9% |
| Arun | 20 | 11 (2021) | +9 | 40.6% | 37.0% |
| South Kesteven | 20 | 11 (2021) | +9 | 31.3% | 38.5% |
| Wirral | 17 | 8 (2022) | +9 | 25.0% | 25.8% |
| East Staffordshire | 15 | 6 (2021) | +9 | 43.1% | 40.5% |
| Harborough | 15 | 6 (2021) | +9 | 34.1% | 44.1% |
| Uttlesford | 11 | 2 (2021) | +9 | 30.7% | 28.2% |
| Herefordshire | 21 | 13 (2019) | +8 | 34.6% | 39.6% |
| East Devon | 17 | 9 (2021) | +8 | 35.0% | 28.3% |
| Bolton | 17 | 9 (2022) | +8 | 32.7% | 28.3% |
| East Hertfordshire | 16 | 8 (2021) | +8 | 34.4% | 32.0% |
| Swale | 12 | 4 (2021) | +8 | 30.4% | 25.5% |
| Waverley | 10 | 2 (2021) | +8 | 38.0% | 20.0% |
| Maldon | 10 | 2 (2021) | +8 | 33.9% | 33.3% |
| Erewash | 16 | 9 (2021) | +7 | 40.7% | 34.0% |
| West Lancashire | 15 | 8 (2022) | +7 | 31.4% | 33.3% |
| Dover | 14 | 7 (2021) | +7 | 37.8% | 43.8% |
| Stafford | 14 | 7 (2021) | +7 | 36.1% | 35.0% |
| West Lindsey | 13 | 6 (2021) | +7 | 36.8% | 37.1% |
| Spelthorne | 12 | 5 (2021) | +7 | 38.5% | 30.8% |
| Melton | 11 | 4 (2021) | +7 | 44.5% | 39.3% |
| Oldham | 11 | 4 (2022) | +7 | 17.4% | 18.3% |
| Guildford | 10 | 3 (2021) | +7 | 29.5% | 20.8% |
| Trafford | 10 | 3 (2022) | +7 | 28.2% | 15.9% |
| Newark & Sherwood | 14 | 8 (2021) | +6 | 41.5% | 35.9% |
| North Norfolk | 12 | 6 (2021) | +6 | 37.5% | 30.0% |
| Derbyshire Dales | 11 | 5 (2021) | +6 | 33.0% | 32.4% |
| West Devon | 10 | 4 (2021) | +6 | 38.9% | 33.3% |
| Gedling | 9 | 3 (2021) | +6 | 33.8% | 22.0% |
| Southampton | 9 | 3 (2022) | +6 | 33.1% | 17.6% |
| Oadby & Wigston | 7 | 1 (2021) | +6 | 44.4% | 26.9% |
| Broxtowe | 10 | 5 (2021) | +5 | 28.1% | 22.7% |
| Cotswold | 9 | 4 (2021) | +5 | 44.4% | 26.5% |
| Tewkesbury | 9 | 4 (2021) | +5 | 34.3% | 23.7% |
| High Peak | 9 | 4 (2021) | +5 | 32.9% | 20.9% |
| Eastbourne | 8 | 3 (2021) | +5 | 33.0% | 29.6% |
| Torbay | 19 | 15 (2019) | +4 | 44.1% | 52.8% |
| East Lindsey | 16 | 12 (2021) | +4 | 38.4% | 38.1% |
| Epping Forest | 14 | 10 (2022) | +4 | 48.3% | 77.8% |
| North West Leicestershire | 12 | 8 (2021) | +4 | 40.6% | 31.6% |
| Bromsgrove | 11 | 7 (2021) | +4 | 37.2% | 35.5% |
| Hinckley & Bosworth | 10 | 6 (2021) | +4 | 36.8% | 29.4% |
| Teignbridge | 9 | 5 (2021) | +4 | 23.1% | 19.1% |
| Malvern Hills | 7 | 3 (2021) | +4 | 28.3% | 22.6% |
| Bedford | 14 | 11 (2019) | +3 | 27.8% | 30.4% |
| Rother | 10 | 7 (2021) | +3 | 37.4% | 26.3% |
| Canterbury | 8 | 5 (2021) | +3 | 24.4% | 20.5% |
| South Hams | 7 | 4 (2021) | +3 | 31.1% | 22.6% |
| Horsham | 11 | 9 (2021) | +2 | 33.5% | 22.9% |
| South Derbyshire | 10 | 8 (2021) | +2 | 43.6% | 27.8% |
| Bassetlaw | 8 | 6 (2021) | +2 | 36.4% | 16.7% |
| North Devon | 7 | 5 (2021) | +2 | 18.6% | 17.1% |
| Ashfield | 2 | 0 (2021) | +2 | 20.0% | 5.7% |
| Stratford On Avon | 12 | 11 (2021) | +1 | 35.7% | 29.3% |
| Redcar & Cleveland | 12 | 11 (2019) | +1 | 25.9% | 20.3% |
| Solihull | 10 | 9 (2022) | +1 | 45.2% | 58.8% |
| Peterborough | 8 | 7 (2022) | +1 | 35.6% | 38.1% |
| Babergh | 7 | 6 (2021) | +1 | 24.1% | 21.9% |
| Mid Suffolk | 6 | 5 (2021) | +1 | 28.0% | 17.6% |
| Warwick | 6 | 5 (2021) | +1 | 26.1% | 13.6% |
| Torridge | 6 | 5 (2021) | +1 | 25.0% | 16.7% |
| West Oxfordshire | 5 | 4 (2022) | +1 | 36.9% | 31.3% |
| Tameside | 5 | 4 (2022) | +1 | 23.6% | 8.8% |
| Middlesbrough | 4 | 3 (2019) | +1 | 14.7% | 8.7% |
| Ipswich | 3 | 2 (2022) | +1 | 34.2% | 18.8% |
| North Tyneside | 3 | 2 (2022) | +1 | 26.9% | 14.3% |
| Salford | 3 | 2 (2022) | +1 | 23.3% | 14.3% |
| York | 3 | 2 (2019) | +1 | 14.0% | 6.4% |
| Tandridge | 2 | 1 (2022) | +1 | 24.6% | 14.3% |
| Epsom & Ewell | 2 | 1 (2021) | +1 | 20.1% | 5.7% |
Seats lost (72 councils)
| Council | Won | Last cycle | Net | Vote share | Seat share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bracknell Forest | 10 | 38 (2019) | -28 | 45.2% | 24.4% |
| Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole | 12 | 36 (2019) | -24 | 25.8% | 15.8% |
| Central Bedfordshire | 20 | 41 (2019) | -21 | 28.8% | 31.7% |
| Windsor & Maidenhead | 7 | 23 (2019) | -16 | 28.0% | 17.1% |
| West Berkshire | 11 | 24 (2019) | -13 | 35.0% | 25.6% |
| Medway | 22 | 33 (2019) | -11 | 38.4% | 37.3% |
| South Gloucestershire | 23 | 33 (2019) | -10 | 35.9% | 37.7% |
| Brighton & Hove | 6 | 14 (2019) | -8 | 17.5% | 11.1% |
| Bury | 4 | 12 (2022) | -8 | 28.4% | 23.5% |
| Bath & North East Somerset | 3 | 11 (2019) | -8 | 24.0% | 5.1% |
| Darlington | 15 | 22 (2019) | -7 | 37.0% | 30.0% |
| East Suffolk | 15 | 22 (2021) | -7 | 37.0% | 27.3% |
| Havant | 5 | 12 (2022) | -7 | 39.4% | 50.0% |
| Rochdale | 3 | 10 (2022) | -7 | 23.0% | 15.0% |
| Plymouth | 1 | 7 (2022) | -6 | 25.0% | 5.3% |
| Cheshire West & Chester | 23 | 28 (2019) | -5 | 31.7% | 32.9% |
| Telford & Wrekin | 8 | 13 (2019) | -5 | 26.8% | 14.8% |
| Thurrock | 4 | 9 (2022) | -5 | 32.4% | 25.0% |
| Tamworth | 2 | 7 (2022) | -5 | 36.6% | 20.0% |
| Swindon | 2 | 7 (2022) | -5 | 34.6% | 10.5% |
| South Oxfordshire | 1 | 6 (2021) | -5 | 30.6% | 2.8% |
| Basildon | 6 | 10 (2022) | -4 | 38.8% | 42.9% |
| Rutland | 6 | 10 (2019) | -4 | 30.8% | 24.0% |
| Rushmoor | 4 | 8 (2022) | -4 | 37.1% | 30.8% |
| Reading | 2 | 6 (2022) | -4 | 21.3% | 11.8% |
| Worcester | 0 | 4 (2022) | -4 | 25.5% | 0.0% |
| Wealden | 8 | 11 (2021) | -3 | 34.9% | 18.2% |
| Cherwell | 3 | 6 (2022) | -3 | 33.9% | 18.8% |
| Winchester | 2 | 5 (2022) | -3 | 32.2% | 12.5% |
| Hartlepool | 2 | 5 (2022) | -3 | 22.6% | 16.7% |
| St Albans | 1 | 4 (2022) | -3 | 26.9% | 5.6% |
| Wakefield | 0 | 3 (2022) | -3 | 21.7% | 0.0% |
| Sefton | 0 | 3 (2022) | -3 | 15.9% | 0.0% |
| North East Lincolnshire | 7 | 9 (2022) | -2 | 41.4% | 46.7% |
| Amber Valley | 7 | 9 (2022) | -2 | 31.2% | 16.7% |
| Harlow | 5 | 7 (2022) | -2 | 41.5% | 45.5% |
| Pendle | 5 | 7 (2022) | -2 | 40.2% | 41.7% |
| Maidstone | 5 | 7 (2022) | -2 | 32.7% | 27.8% |
| Brentwood | 4 | 6 (2022) | -2 | 37.4% | 33.3% |
| Wokingham | 4 | 6 (2022) | -2 | 36.8% | 22.2% |
| Cannock Chase | 4 | 6 (2022) | -2 | 32.1% | 23.5% |
| Bradford | 4 | 6 (2022) | -2 | 24.0% | 13.3% |
| Leeds | 4 | 6 (2022) | -2 | 22.4% | 12.1% |
| Elmbridge | 2 | 4 (2022) | -2 | 32.8% | 12.5% |
| Milton Keynes | 2 | 4 (2022) | -2 | 32.7% | 10.0% |
| Worthing | 2 | 4 (2022) | -2 | 30.8% | 16.7% |
| Castle Point | 1 | 3 (2022) | -2 | 28.5% | 7.1% |
| Lincoln | 1 | 3 (2022) | -2 | 25.8% | 9.1% |
| Vale Of White Horse | 0 | 2 (2021) | -2 | 29.4% | 0.0% |
| Lewes | 0 | 2 (2021) | -2 | 21.9% | 0.0% |
| Nottingham | 0 | 2 (2019) | -2 | 15.0% | 0.0% |
| Barnsley | 0 | 2 (2022) | -2 | 14.2% | 0.0% |
| Blackpool | 14 | 15 (2019) | -1 | 42.4% | 33.3% |
| Stoke On Trent | 14 | 15 (2019) | -1 | 39.0% | 31.8% |
| Dudley | 12 | 13 (2022) | -1 | 42.4% | 48.0% |
| Reigate & Banstead | 7 | 8 (2022) | -1 | 37.8% | 46.7% |
| Basingstoke & Deane | 6 | 7 (2022) | -1 | 29.7% | 33.3% |
| Runnymede | 5 | 6 (2022) | -1 | 36.9% | 35.7% |
| Hyndburn | 5 | 6 (2022) | -1 | 35.6% | 41.7% |
| Southend On Sea | 5 | 6 (2022) | -1 | 33.3% | 29.4% |
| Chichester | 5 | 6 (2021) | -1 | 30.9% | 13.9% |
| Mansfield | 5 | 6 (2021) | -1 | 24.3% | 13.9% |
| Crawley | 4 | 5 (2022) | -1 | 40.2% | 33.3% |
| Blackburn with Darwen | 3 | 4 (2022) | -1 | 30.3% | 17.6% |
| North Hertfordshire | 3 | 4 (2022) | -1 | 30.3% | 18.8% |
| Sunderland | 3 | 4 (2022) | -1 | 22.0% | 12.0% |
| Luton | 3 | 4 (2019) | -1 | 10.0% | 6.7% |
| Hart | 2 | 3 (2022) | -1 | 37.8% | 18.2% |
| Rossendale | 2 | 3 (2022) | -1 | 34.1% | 16.7% |
| Sandwell | 2 | 3 (2022) | -1 | 28.5% | 8.3% |
| Portsmouth | 1 | 2 (2022) | -1 | 19.4% | 7.1% |
| Halton | 0 | 1 (2022) | -1 | 16.0% | 0.0% |
Debut councils (1)
| Council | Won | Vote share | Seat share |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Riding Of Yorkshire | 29 | 35.7% | 43.3% |
No change (44)
- Cheshire East 33 seats (unchanged from 2019)
- North Lincolnshire 27 seats (unchanged from 2019)
- Walsall 13 seats (unchanged from 2022)
- North Somerset 13 seats (unchanged from 2019)
- Broxbourne 9 seats (unchanged from 2022)
- Surrey Heath 6 seats (unchanged from 2021)
- Rugby 6 seats (unchanged from 2022)
- Colchester 6 seats (unchanged from 2022)
- Mid Devon 5 seats (unchanged from 2021)
- Rochford 5 seats (unchanged from 2022)
- Kirklees 5 seats (unchanged from 2022)
- Boston 5 seats (unchanged from 2021)
- Folkestone & Hythe 5 seats (unchanged from 2021)
- Lancaster 5 seats (unchanged from 2021)
- Redditch 4 seats (unchanged from 2022)
- Welwyn Hatfield 4 seats (unchanged from 2022)
- Three Rivers 4 seats (unchanged from 2022)
- Calderdale 4 seats (unchanged from 2022)
- Coventry 4 seats (unchanged from 2022)
- Forest Of Dean 4 seats (unchanged from 2021)
- Mole Valley 3 seats (unchanged from 2022)
- Bolsover 3 seats (unchanged from 2021)
- Preston 3 seats (unchanged from 2022)
- Tunbridge Wells 2 seats (unchanged from 2022)
- Stevenage 2 seats (unchanged from 2022)
- Burnley 2 seats (unchanged from 2022)
- Wigan 2 seats (unchanged from 2022)
- Chorley 1 seats (unchanged from 2022)
- Exeter 1 seats (unchanged from 2022)
- Woking 0 seats (unchanged from 2022)
- Eastleigh 0 seats (unchanged from 2022)
- Cambridge 0 seats (unchanged from 2022)
- Watford 0 seats (unchanged from 2022)
- Stockport 0 seats (unchanged from 2022)
- Gateshead 0 seats (unchanged from 2022)
- Norwich 0 seats (unchanged from 2022)
- Newcastle Upon Tyne 0 seats (unchanged from 2022)
- Sheffield 0 seats (unchanged from 2022)
- South Tyneside 0 seats (unchanged from 2022)
- Chesterfield 0 seats (unchanged from 2021)
- Manchester 0 seats (unchanged from 2022)
- Kingston Upon Hull 0 seats (unchanged from 2022)
- Liverpool 0 seats (unchanged from 2021)
- Knowsley 0 seats (unchanged from 2022)
Net-change comparisons are versus each council's most recent appearance in our dataset (2021–2026). For all-out councils that's the previous all-out cycle (typically four years prior); for by-thirds councils it's last year's slice. Cross-cycle ward boundary changes can produce small artefacts — see methodology.