English local election on 4 May
The 2023 Leeds City Council election took place on Thursday 4 May 2023 to elect members of Leeds City Council in England . It was held on the same day as other local elections across the United Kingdom .
The 2023 elections were the first to be held following the introduction of Voter ID requirements for those voting in person at polling stations across the entire country. The council announced that a total of 225 voters were turned away from the polls for a lack of ID and did not return.
As per the election cycle, one third of the council's 99 seats were contested.
The Labour Party maintained their majority control of the council, repeating the net gain of 3 seats they achieved in 2022 . The Social Democratic Party were the only party to gain a seat from Labour, winning their second council seat in Middleton Park .
As a result of Labour gaining Weetwood , the Liberal Democrats were no longer the clear third party on the council for the first time, equalling the 6 seats of the Morley Borough Independents .[ 1]
Election summary
The election result had the following consequences for the political composition of the council:
Party
2022 election
Prior to election
New council
Labour
58
56
61
Conservative
21
21
18
Liberal Democrat
7
7
6
Morley Borough Independents
6
6
6
Green
3
4[ b]
3
Garforth and Swillington Independents
3
3
3
SDP
1
1
2
Vacant
0
1[ c]
0
Total
99
99
99
Working majority
17
14
23
Councillors who did not stand for re-election
Incumbent Labour councillor, Julie Heselwood, stood successfully in the Weetwood ward. She did not stand for re-election in Bramley and Stanningley .[ 26]
Results
Notes
^ Total votes includes 772 blank and invalid votes.
^ Labour councillor, Lou Cunningham (Armley ), resigned from the party and joined the Green Party on 17 December 2022. On 17 October, Cunningham had announced she would not be seeking re-selection as the Labour candidate for the ward. Upon her defection, Cunningham confirmed her intention to stand for re-election in 2023 as the Green Party's candidate.[ 3] [ 4]
^ Labour councillor, Neil Walshaw (Headingley and Hyde Park ), resigned from his council seat on 13 January 2023. Walshaw had previously announced his intention to not stand for re-election in 2023 on 10 October 2022.[ 5] [ 6]
^ Change from highest-placed Green Party candidate (Gideon Jones) in 2022 . Ian Shaw increased his personal share of the vote by 3.5%.
^ Incumbent Labour councillor, Jools Heselwood, has been selected to stand in Weetwood ward. She will not stand for re-election in Bramley and Stanningley .[ 27]
References
^ "Local election results 2023: Labour continue to dominate in West Yorkshire" . BBC News . 5 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023 .
^ "Leeds City Council election results 2023" . Retrieved 5 May 2023 .
^ Coates, Tom (17 December 2022). "Leeds councillor Lou Cunningham resigns from Labour Party to stand as Green Party candidate for Armley" . Yorkshire Evening Post .
^ "Armley councillor Lou Cunningham to step down" . westleedsdispatch.com . West Leeds Dispatch. 17 October 2022.
^ "Councillor Neil Walshaw" . democracy.leeds.gov.uk . Leeds City Council . Retrieved 11 March 2023 .
^ Spereall, David (11 October 2022). "Leeds Labour councillor Neil Walshaw standing down after 12 years says it has been 'an honour and a privilege' " . Yorkshire Evening Post .
^ "Councillor Ann Forsaith" . democracy.leeds.gov.uk . Leeds City Council . Retrieved 11 March 2023 .
^ "Farnley & Wortley councillor Ann Forsaith to stand down at election" . westleedsdispatch.com . West Leeds Dispatch. 9 March 2023.
^ "Councillor Peter Harrand" . democracy.leeds.gov.uk . Leeds City Council . Retrieved 22 March 2023 .
^ Spereall, David (21 March 2023). "Leeds councillor Peter Harrand pays tribute to Alwoodley's community sprit as he prepares to stand down" . Yorkshire Evening Post .
^ "Councillor John Illingworth" . democracy.leeds.gov.uk . Leeds City Council . Retrieved 11 March 2023 .
^ Spereall, David (1 November 2022). "Leeds council's longest-serving Labour councillor John Illingworth is standing down – and seven others are leaving too" . Yorkshire Evening Post .
^ "Councillor Kamila Maqsood" . democracy.leeds.gov.uk . Leeds City Council . Retrieved 11 March 2023 .
^ Spereall, David (1 November 2022). "Leeds council's longest-serving Labour councillor John Illingworth is standing down – and seven others are leaving too" . Yorkshire Evening Post .
^ "Councillor Mirelle Midgley" . democracy.leeds.gov.uk . Leeds City Council . Retrieved 11 March 2023 .
^ "Delighted to have been selected as the Labour candidate for Kippax & Methley ward next May. Looking forward to campaigning and meeting residents across the community over the coming weeks and months!" . Twitter . twitter.com/mikemiIIar. 14 October 2022.
^ "Councillor Lisa Mulherin" . democracy.leeds.gov.uk . Leeds City Council . Retrieved 11 March 2023 .
^ Spereall, David (9 September 2022). "Make it easier for working parents to stand for public office, departing Leeds city councillor says" . Yorkshire Evening Post .
^ "Councillor Denise Ragan" . democracy.leeds.gov.uk . Leeds City Council . Retrieved 11 March 2023 .
^ Spereall, David (1 November 2022). "Leeds council's longest-serving Labour councillor John Illingworth is standing down – and seven others are leaving too" . Yorkshire Evening Post .
^ "Councillor Paul Truswell" . democracy.leeds.gov.uk . Leeds City Council . Retrieved 11 March 2023 .
^ Spereall, David (1 November 2022). "Leeds council's longest-serving Labour councillor John Illingworth is standing down – and seven others are leaving too" . Yorkshire Evening Post .
^ "Councillor Neil Walshaw" . democracy.leeds.gov.uk . Leeds City Council . Retrieved 11 March 2023 .
^ Spereall, David (11 October 2022). "Leeds Labour councillor Neil Walshaw standing down after 12 years says it has been 'an honour and a privilege' " . Yorkshire Evening Post .
^ "Councillor Neil Walshaw" . democracy.leeds.gov.uk . Leeds City Council . Retrieved 11 March 2023 .
^ "Candidates selected to fight in Armley, Bramley & Stanningley, Kirkstall and Pudsey wards feature returning and new faces" . westleedsdispatch.com . West Leeds Dispatch. 20 October 2022.
^ "Candidates selected to fight in Armley, Bramley & Stanningley, Kirkstall and Pudsey wards feature returning and new faces" . westleedsdispatch.com . West Leeds Dispatch. 20 October 2022.