The 2022 Colchester Borough Council election took place on 5 May 2022. Eighteen members of the council (one-third of the whole) were elected: one from 16 of the 17 wards, and two councillors from New Town & Christ Church ward, following the death of incumbent councillor Nick Cope (Liberal Democrats), elected in 2019 and due to serve until 2023.
At the election, the Conservative–Independent coalition lost control of the council, with the Conservatives losing seats to the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party. Paul Dundas, the leader of the council, lost his seat in Stanway to challenger Tracy Arnold.
Labour gained one seat from the Liberal Democrats and won the vacated Independent seat in Highwoods, giving them their largest share of representation on the council since the 1990s.
Background
Following the results of the previous election, the ruling "Progressive Alliance" coalition (comprising the Liberal Democrats, Labour and Independents) lost control of the council after the Independents decided to form an administration with the Conservatives, giving them a majority of one seat over the opposition parties.
Summary
Election results
Incumbents
Ward Incumbent councillorParty Re-standing Berechurch Martyn Warnes Labour Co-op Yes Castle Simon Crow Conservative Yes Greenstead Tina Bourne Labour No Highwoods Phil Oxford Independent No Lexden & Braiswick Martin Leatherdale Conservative Yes Marks Tey & Layer Jackie Maclean Conservative Yes Mersea & Pyefleet Robert Davidson Conservative Yes Mile End David King Liberal Democrats Yes New Town & Christ Church Lorcan Whitehead Labour No Old Heath & The Hythe Lee Scordis Labour Yes Prettygate Roger Buston Conservative Yes Rural North Peter Chillingworth Conservative No Shrub End Pauline Hazell Conservative No St. Anne's & St. John's Chris Hayter Conservative No Stanway Paul Dundas Conservative Yes Tiptree Derek Loveland Conservative No Wivenhoe Andrea Luxford-Vaughn Liberal Democrats Yes
Aftermath
On 17 May 2022, it was announced that a three-party administration between the Liberal Democrats, Labour and the Green Party would be formed to run the council throughout the 2022–2023 term. This gave the new administration a majority of 12 seats over the now-opposition Conservatives.
David King (Liberal Democrats, Mile End) was elected Leader of the council, with Adam Fox (Labour Co-op, Old Heath & The Hythe) elected as the Deputy Leader.
Cabinet composition
Following coalition negotiations, a cabinet was formed that consisted of four Liberal Democrats, three Labour, and one Green Party member.
Portfolio CouncillorParty Strategy David King Liberal Democrats Local Economy & Transformation Adam Fox Labour Co-op Culture & Heritage Pam Cox Labour Neighbourhood Services & Waste Martin Goss Liberal Democrats Environment & Sustainability Steph Nissen Green Resources Mark Cory Liberal Democrats Planning & Infrastructure Andrea Luxford-Vaughn Liberal Democrats Housing & Communities Julie Young Labour Co-op
Ward results
The Statement of Persons Nominated was released on 5 April 2022, listing the candidates standing in each ward. The results of the borough council election were announced on 6 May 2022.
Incumbents are listed with an asterisk *
Berechurch
Castle
Greenstead
No Reform UK (2.7%) candidate as previous.
Highwoods
No Independent (35.0%), Green (6.4%) or Reform UK (2.9%) candidates as previous.
Lexden & Braiswick
Marks Tey & Layer
No Independent (4.7%) candidate as previous.
Mersea & Pyefleet
No Green (16.1%) candidate as previous.
Mile End
New Town & Christ Church
Old Heath & The Hythe
Prettygate
Rural North
No Reform UK (2.5%) candidate as previous.
Shrub End
No Green (6.1%) or Reform UK (2.8%) candidates as previous.
St. Anne's & St. John's
No Green (6.8%) candidate as previous.
Stanway
No Green (4.4%) candidate as previous.
Tiptree
Wivenhoe
Post-election changes
On 30 May 2022, Martin Leatherdale (Lexden & Braiswick) left the Conservative group to sit as an independent. He resigned as a councillor several days later, triggering a by-election. On 28 September 2022, Mark Goacher (Castle) left the Green group to sit as an independent. On 20 October 2022, Independent councillors Beverley Oxford and Gerard Oxford (both Highwoods) resigned, triggering a double by-election. On 24 November 2022, Colchester was granted city status, and Colchester Borough Council became Colchester City Council. On 15 December 2022, Green group leader Steph Nissen (Castle) left the Green Party and joined Labour. On the same day, Mark Goacher rejoined the Green group and subsequently became its leader. On 2 March 2023, Labour group leader Adam Fox (Old Heath & The Hythe) announced that he would stand down as a councillor at the May 2023 election. On 8 March 2023, Chris Pearson (Berechurch) was elected Labour group leader.
By-elections
Lexden & Braiswick
The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Martin Leatherdale, who had left the Conservative group to sit as an independent days earlier; Leatherdale, who manages Colchester's Lion Walk Shopping Centre, said he wished to concentrate on town-centre development projects that were "not always aligned with the political dynamics of a large group of people."
The Green Party, which received 11.1% in the ward in May 2022, did not contest the by-election.
Highwoods
The double by-election was triggered by the resignation of independent councillor Gerard Oxford, a wheelchair user and former Mayor of Colchester, over the council's continued failure to relocate meetings to accessible venues; his wife and fellow Highwoods councillor Beverley Oxford resigned in solidarity, ending a combined 43 years of service between them.
References