Chichester local election results 2023 - Liberal Democrats 'jubilant' at securing historic majority

Correction: An earlier version of this story stated that Liberal Democrats Clare Apel and Sarah Quail were elected for Chichester North. They were in fact election for Chichester West. We apologise for this error.

The final results of the election arrived shortly after 4.30pm today and show the Lib Dems have secured a huge and historic majority on Chichester District Council while the Conservatives suffered massive losses across the district.

The final result reveals the Lib Dems have been elected into 25 seats, while the Conservatives secured five, Local Alliance have four and the Green Party have two.

These results are unprecedented and make an historic shift in the politics of the district council.

Lib Dem councillor for Harbour Villages Adrian Moss described it as ‘an absolutely remarkable result’ and said: “We had some extraordinary candidates of all ages who have got elected on the back of residents wanting real change. That’s what they were looking for and that’s what we will endeavour to deliver.”

He added: “We are absolutely delighted with the result because we expecting to gain control of the council but we didn’t expect to gain as many seats as we did. It’s been a real resounding success for a fantastic team, everyone is absolutely jubilant.”

According to cllr Moss during the campaign, residents raised concerns sewage dumping into beaches and rivers, a lack of infrastructure and potholes as well as ‘a feeling they weren’t being listened to’, “We were clear that we would listen to them.”

Here are the results as they came in:

• Lib Dem James Henry Hussey Vivain has won Chichester Central – formerly independent.
• The Conservatives hold Easebourne as Erik Francis Hobbs is re-elected.
• Liberal Democrat Harsha Desai has won Petworth, a historically Conservative seat.
• Lib Dem John Morgan Cross has taken Fittleworth from the Tories.
• Westbourne remains blue as Roy Briscoe is re-elected.
• Joseph Brookes-Harmer (Liberal Democrats) has been elected for Lavant.
• Henry James Potter (Conservatives) has been elected for Goodwood.
• Lib Dems hold Harting as Timothy Richard O’Kelly is elected.
• Lib Dems have held one seat and gained another in Chichester East as Guy William Brisbane and Rhys Chant are elected. Labour has lost its only seat.
• Two out of three seats in Witterings have been won by the Lib Dems with just one seat being held by the Tories. Iain Ballantyne (LD), Mark Chilton (LD) and Elizabeth Hamilton (Con).
• Liberal Democrats gain another seat as Jessica Brown-Fuller and Hannah Burton are elected in Midhurst.
• North Mundham and Tangmere have been gone from Con/Independent to two Lib Dems, David Betts and Charles Hastain.
• Fernhurst elects Brett Burkhart (Con hold) and Eleanora Newbery (Lib Dem gain)
• Lib Dems Gareth Evans and Charles Todhunter elected in Loxwood in another Tory ousting.
• Jonathan Brown and Maureen Corfield from the Lib Dems elected for Chichester North.
• Chichester South elects two Greens, Sarah Sharp and Timothy Young.
• Liberal Democrats Clare Apel and Sarah Quail for Chichester West give the district council a Lib Dem majority
• Selsey South elects Local Alliance duo Steven Boulcott and Timothy Johnson
• Sidlesham with Selsey North elects Donna Johnson and Valerie Weller, both Local Alliance.
• Lib Dems Richard Bates, Philip Johnson and Adrian Moss elected for Harbour Villages.
• Lib Dems hold Southbourne as Tracie Bangert and Oona Hickson are elected.

Earlier this afternoon Lib Dem Adrian Moss said he and colleagues are 'very happy’: “We are very encouraged by the results we have had so far. We are buoyant but we have still got some counts to come. We are confident that we are going to have enough to control the council.”

He added that the Tories are ‘shocked’ at the results. “They didn’t expect to lose some of the seats they have lost.”

Labour’s James Walsh who secured 107 votes in Chichester Central, losing to Lib Dem James Vivian with 404, said the campaign has been a positive one.

"Obviously it would have been nice to get more vote,” he told Sussex World, “but it has been a really positive campaign and there has been a lot of support and a lot of anti-Tory feeling.

"Sewage came up a lot and people that were traditionally Tories saying they can't vote for them.

“I would want some more Labour seats and that’s is what we are fighting for.”

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