The 2023 Wealden District Council election was held on 4 May 2023 to elect all 45 members of Wealden District Council. This was on the same day as other local elections across England.
At the first meeting of the Council on 24 May 2023, the first ever non-Conservative administration was elected in the Council's 50-year history. The Liberal Democrat Leader James Partridge was elected as Leader of the Council and the Greens' Leader Rachel Millward was elected as Deputy Leader of the Council, with leadership to rotate annually. The new leadership appointed 4 Liberal Democrats and 3 Greens to the Cabinet.
Results summary
The Conservatives lost the council to no overall control for the first time in 25 years. The election also returned the first Labour councillors in the council's history, with two elected in Uckfield.
Ward results
Wealden District Council results.
Sitting councillors are marked with an asterisk (*).
Arlington
Buxted
Chiddingly, East Hoathly & Waldron
Crowborough Central
Crowborough Jarvis Brook
Crowborough North
Crowborough South East
Crowborough South West
Crowborough St Johns
Danehill & Fletching
Forest Row
Framfield & Cross-in-Hand
Frant & Wadhurst
Hadlow Down & Rotherfield
Hailsham Central
Hailsham East
Hailsham North
Hailsham North West
Hailsham South
Hailsham West
Hartfield
Heathfield North
Heathfield South
Hellingly
Herstmonceux & Pevensey Levels
Horam & Punnetts Town
Lower Willingdon
Maresfield
Mayfield & Five Ashes
Pevensey Bay
Polegate Central
Polegate North
Polegate South & Willingdon Watermill
South Downs
Stone Cross
Uckfield East
Uckfield New Town
Uckfield North
Uckfield Ridgewood & Little Horsted
Upper Willingdon
Withyham
Changes 2023–2027
On 15 May 2024 Liberal Democrat councillor for Hailsham Central Ward, Cllr Neil Cleaver, resigned from his party and the 'Alliance for Wealden' (the coalition agreement between the Liberal Democrats and Green Party), therefore becoming an independent. On 22 May 2024 it was announced Cllr Cleaver had joined the Conservative Party.
On 24 May 2024, Andrew Wilson, the councillor for Crowborough South East, also left the Liberal Democrats and became an independent.
On 26 March 2026, Conservative councillors David Greaves, representing South Downs, and Neil Cleaver, representing Hailsham Central, defected to Reform UK, becoming the party's first councillors on the council.
By-elections
Uckfield New Town
The Uckfield New Town by-election was triggered by the disqualification of independent councillor Spike Mayhew for non-attendance.
Horam & Punnetts Town
The Horam & Punnetts Town by-election was triggered by the resignation of councillor Cornelie Usborne.
References