Local Elections 2023: What seats are up for grabs in every Lincolnshire council

Local elections are due to take place across Lincolnshire in just under two months.

The vote will to take place on May 4 and will see all the district councils along with North and North East Lincolnshire holding a vote.

Lincolnshire County Council will not be taking part this year, with its next election due in 2025.

The City of Lincoln and North East Lincolnshire’s elections will select just a third of their seats, while all the other councils will be putting their entire cohort up for grabs.

A number of councils, including East Lindsey, Boston, South Holland, North Kesteven and others have moved into their pre-election periods, which limits what potential candidates can say on behalf of their respective authorities.

Full lists of candidates are expected to be confirmed around April 4 or 5.

Below is a brief round-up of the councils’ current positions and what the elections could mean for them.

City of Lincoln Council – Labour led

The City of Lincoln council will be putting a third of its 33 seats up for grabs.

The council is currently made up of 22 Labour, nine Conservatives and two Liberal Democrats. The vote will decide the fate of 10 Labour seats and one Conservative meaning that potentially, if the Tories took seven seats from Labour, they could take control of the authority.

The following councillors’ seats will be up for grabs in the election:

• Jane Loffhagen (Labour) – Abbey
• Rosie Kirk (Labour) – Birchwood (Standing down)
• Liz Bushell (Labour) Boultham
• Neil Murray (Labour) – Carholme
• Rebecca Longbottom (Labour) – Castle
• Jackie Kirk (Labour) – Glebe
• Biff Bean (Labour) – Hartsholme
• Naomi Tweddle (Labour) – Minster
• Bob Bushell (Labour) – Moorland
• Sue Burke (Labour) – Park
• Thomas Dyer (Conservative) – Witham

West Lindsey District Council – No Overall Control

West Lindsey District Council’s elections will include all of its 36 councillors across 20 wards.

The council is currently made up of 16 Conservatives, two Gainsborough Independents, one Independent (all of whom are aligned to form the leading West Lindsey Administration Group), along with 13 Liberal Democrats, two Lincolnshire Independents and two independent unaligned members.

The numbers mean there is no overall control of the authority and so only a few seats from either side could swing it either way.

North Kesteven District Council – No overall control

North Kesteven District Council has 43 seats across 26 wards which will be contested in May.

The authority is another council with no overall control but led by a group of 28 known as the North Kesteven Administration Group. The political make-up of councillors as they were elected includes 21 Conservatives, 14 Lincolnshire Independents and six Independents. The NK Admin group includes the Conservatives, five members of a further NK Independents group and two Independent members.

The Lincolnshire Independents in particular have been fighting to make a dent in the county in a number of recent elections – if the polls show the potential for a Conservative slip could this be their year?

South Kesteven – Conservative led

South Kesteven District Council’s election will see all 56 councillor seats up for grabs across its 30 wards.

The council is currently made up of three AllianceSK members, 36 Conservatives, four Democratic Independents, three Independents, four unaligned Independents, two Labour and Co-operative and three Liberal Democrats.

Given the current fractured nature of the opposition, it could take a massive sweep to knock the Conservatives from their perch.

South Holland District Council – Conservative led

All of South Holland District Council’s 37 seats will be up for election in May.

The authority is currently made up of 25 Conservatives, 11 South Holland Independents and Independents and one unspecified councillor.

In order to lose overall control, the Conservatives would need to be defeated in at least seven seats, but with a strong Independent showing, it’s not impossible.

Boston Borough Council – No overall control

Boston Borough Council has 30 seats up for grabs by candidates during this year’s local elections.

The authority is currently led by a Conservative and Independent alliance, giving the Tories some semblence of power, however, the party only has 14 seats. Alongside this there are five unspecified independents, four members of the Independent 20/20 group, four members of the W, H and A Independents and two Labour members.

The district has a history of no overall control and was once led by an Independent group, though has been Conservative since 2015, so it could go either way.

East Lindsey District Council – Conservative led

There are 55 seats available to potential candidates in East Lindsey district council.

The council is currently made up of 31 Conservatives against eight Independent, six Labour, six Skegness Urban District Society members, two District Independent/Liberal Democrats and two unaligned councillors.

It’s going to be a tough challenge for anyone looking to replace the Conservative leadership – not impossible, but there would need to be a seismic shift in electorate.

North East Lincolnshire – Conservative led

North East Lincolnshire Council will also put a third of its 42 seats up for grabs. The current composition of the authority is 30 Conservatives against eight Labour, three Liberal Democrats and one Independent.

In this year’s election 10 Conservatives, four Labour and one Liberal Democrat defending their seats. Amongst them are Conservative council leader Philip Jackson (Conservative) and Labour opposition leader Matt Patrick.

Given that even if Labour took all the seats available they would only be left with 19, while the Conservatives would be left with 20, there is unlikely to be any major shifts in leadership. However there is a risk of the authority being left with no overall control.

• Gary Abel (Conservative) – Yarborough Ward
• Nicola Aisthorpe (Liberal Democrat) – East Marsh Ward
• Marian Boyd (Conservative) – Park Ward
• Keith Brookes (Conservative) – Haverstoe Ward
• Bob Callison (Conservative) – Croft Baker Ward
• Tom Furneaux (Conservative) – Freshney Ward
• Janet Goodwin (Labour) – South Ward
• Marie Green (Labour) – Sidney Sussex Ward
• Henry Hudson (Conservative) – Wolds Ward
• Philip Jackson (Conservative) – Waltham Ward
• Ian Lindley (Conservative) – Scartho Ward
• Matt Patrick (Labour) – Heneage Ward
• Stan Shreeve (Conservative) – Humberston and New Waltham Ward
• Karen Swinburn (Conservative) – Immingham Ward
• Karl Wilson (Labour) – West Marsh Ward

North Lincolnshire – Conservative led

North Lincolnshire’s 43 seats are all for the taking in May.

The ruling Conservatives currently hold 28 of the authority’s seats with Labour taking up 14 and an Independent taking the last one.

Technically anyone could win, but historically Conservatives have been the dominant force.

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