Local elections 2023: Timetable of key results and events
Votes will be counted overnight and during the next day
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Your support makes all the difference.Local election day has arrived, with voters heading to the polls across England.
Voting kicked off at 7am in 230 local authorities, marking the nation’s biggest round of elections since 2019.
Crucial mayoral ballots are also taking place in Bedford, Leicester, Mansfield and Middlesbrough.
Local elections typically reflect voters’ attitudes about neighbourhood concerns, such as when bins are collected, the state of parks and pavements, or access to libraries and hospitals.
Voters are also likely to be swayed by their opinions on the main political parties and their handling of big issues – which, in 2023, is likely to mean the cost of living, the NHS and public services.
As such, this year’s verdict is likely to be a good test of the national mood ahead of the next general election.
With prime minister Rishi Sunak predicting a “hard night” for the Tories at the ballot box, and Labour hoping to earn early support for Sir Keir Starmer’s bid for Downing Street, much is at stake.
Here we take a look at when to expect the key results:
Thursday 4 May
10pm
Polls close in the 230 local authorities across England holding elections. Counting begins for 63 councils.
Friday 5 May
From 12.30am
First results expected. Hartlepool is a target for Labour and the Conservatives, with both parties hoping to make enough gains to take overall control. The result from Castle Point will be an early test of the fortunes of independent candidates, who currently have a majority on the council.
Sunderland will provide a measure of Labour’s popularity in one of its traditional heartlands. The result of the Middlesbrough mayoral election is also due, with the independent Andy Preston seeking a second term in office.
From 2am
In Brentwood, the Conservatives are defending a slim majority and face a strong challenge from the Liberal Democrats, who are hoping to take control. Labour is hoping for signs of a recovery in Thurrock, though it would be a major upset if the Tories lost control. In Portsmouth, the Lib Dems are keen to remain the largest party, while the Tories hope to do likewise in Worcester.
From 3am
Independent candidates could prevent the Tories from gaining full control in Boston. The Lib Dems hope to increase their slim majority in Cotswold and cling on to their tiny majority in Hull.
Colchester has seen the Tories, Labour and Lib Dems almost level-pegging in recent years and the outcome of this year’s contest – with a third of its seats in play – could impact the current Labour-Lib Dem-Green coalition.
From 4am
Bolton is a key battleground with every council seat up for grabs and both Labour and the Conservatives hoping to win overall control. Plymouth is another Labour target and was visited early in the campaign by Sir Keir Starmer.
The Lib Dems have their sights on Dacorum, where leader Sir Ed Davey launched his party’s campaign by driving a yellow tractor through a “blue wall” of painted hay bales.
From 5am
Independents currently hold almost every seat in Ashfield and will be looking for a comfortable win. Stoke-on-Trent will be another big measure of Labour’s fortunes, with the party hoping to become the largest party in what was once a stronghold.
By 9am
Most results from the overnight counts should be in, with at least one council, East Lindsey, not likely to finish until late morning.
After 9am
Counting begins for the remaining 167 councils in England and the mayoral contests in Bedford, Leicester and Mansfield.
From 12pm
Results likely to resume in England. Labour will want to increase its majority in Worthing while the Tories hope to see off the Greens and Lib Dems to keep their slender majority in Solihull. The Lib Dems are keen to deny the Tories a majority in Stratford-on-Avon.
Labour is looking for comfortable wins in places like Gateshead, Manchester and North Tyneside. Labour and the Tories both hope to do well in the ultra-marginal council of Crawley. The result of the Mansfield mayoral election is due around this time, with Labour’s Andy Abrahams looking for a second term.
From 2pm
In Torbay, the ruling coalition of Lib Dems and Independents could be at risk if the Tories do well. The Forest of Dean may be fertile ground for the Greens and independents.
From 3pm
Labour is keen to retake control of Middlesbrough and needs only two gains. A strong showing in Darlington would also point to a good performance in an area where the party needs to make ground at a general election.
Both the Conservatives and Labour hope to make progress in Milton Keynes, which is currently run by a Labour-Lib Dem coalition despite the Tories having the most seats. There may be signs of a Lib Dem advance in places like Surrey Heath and Wokingham. The results of the Bedford and Leicester mayoral contests are due, with the Lib Dems’ Dave Hodgson and Labour’s Peter Soulsby respectively hoping to stay in office.
From 4pm
The Greens could become the largest party in Mid-Suffolk, where they launched their election campaign. The Tories will hope to recover ground in West Oxfordshire, where they lost control in 2022 after 22 years.
The Lib Dems are keen to make progress in the “blue wall” council of Woking, where they won a slim majority last year. Sir Keir Starmer launched Labour’s campaign in Swindon, but the party needs a very strong performance to win control.
From 5pm
Derbyshire is home to several key contests, including Bolsover, where Labour is defending a slender majority, and Derby, where every seat is up for grabs and where Labour is hoping to oust the minority Tory administration. South Derbyshire could end up another two-way tussle between the Tories and Labour.
In Brighton & Hove, the Greens will want to maintain their status as the largest party in the face of a possible Labour advance. Southampton could be a two-way battle between Labour, which currently has a small majority, and the Conservatives. In Lancaster, the Greens are looking to overtake Labour to become the largest party.
Friday evening
Labour will hope to make progress at Cheshire West & Chester and will be disappointed if it misses out on winning a majority of seats. Waverley finds the Conservatives trying to unpick a Labour-Lib Dem-Green-independent coalition.
The final result could come from York, where all seats are in play and Labour is hoping to do enough to end the current Lib Dem-Green coalition, while the Tories will want to increase their tally of just two seats.
All declaration times are estimates and could change.
Additional reporting from PA