Chorley local election results 2023: Labour landslide as Tories suffer near wipeout

The party - which has now been in control at the town hall for 11 years - successfully defended eight of the 14 contested seats that it already held.

But in a bitter blow for the Tories in the borough, the ruling group also snatched five others away from the opposition.

Labour now holds 37 seats on the authority, while the sole opposition party saw their numbers halved to stand at just five.

Amongst the members ousted in a night of carnage for the Conservatives was their deputy leader Debrah Platt, who represented Euxton, and finance spokesperson Sam Chapman, one of the members for the Clayton East, Brindle and Hoghton ward.

The only seat that the Tories managed to defend was that previously held by former group leader Martin Boardman, who decided not to stand for re-election in his Croston, Mawdesley and Euxton South ward, but was replaced by fellow Conservative Craige Southern.

Labour effectively gained a sixth seat by winning in Chorley East, after the party’s previous incumbent, James Nevett, became an independent last year and, having decided not to contest the ward this time round, was replaced by Labour’s Chris Snow.

Labour council leader Alistair Bradley told the Lancashire Post that the landslide result was “a fantastic night for Labour in Chorley”.

“To win almost every seat up for grabs is a huge endorsement of the work we are doing for our residents and shows that people can tell the difference we are making in our communities. I’d like to thank everyone who has supported us at this election and look forward to delivering even more for the people of Chorley in the coming year.

“Whether it has been building new space for businesses to help create jobs, opening much-needed health facilities or helping people through the cost-of-living crisis, we have been investing in every part of the borough and the results show that people really appreciate that.

“Alongside the hard work we have done locally, it is also a sign that people are fed up with the incompetent government that has made a complete mess of things nationally and I hope to see Labour make gains across Lancashire and the country, Cllr Bradley added.

Conservative opposition group leader Alan Cullens concurred with his triumphant political rival that national factors had been at play, as he reflected on “a very difficult night for the Conservatives in Chorley”. .

“Whilst this was a local election, the message on the doorstep was [about] the state of the national party.

“Turnout in some wards was less than 30 percent, so this election was by no means a ringing endorsement for Labour, locally [nor] nationally.

“We now regroup and will continue to hold the ruling group to account,” Cllr Cullens pledged.

Andy Hunter-Rossall, Chorley Green party co-ordinator, added: “The Green Party improved their vote share from last year across Chorley, though I am disappointed not to have made a breakthrough on to Chorley Council on a night which looks to have been exceptionally good for Greens across the country.

"We will continue to work hard to represent the 2000+ people who voted Green in Chorley and to hold the council to account on the issues that matter to Chorley residents.”

FULL RESULTS

INC – denotes incumbent

CAB – denotes cabinet member

ADLINGTON AND ANDERTON

LAB HOLD

Neil Baglow - CONSERVATIVE – 430

Catherine Hunter Rossall - GREEN PARTY – 132

Peter Wilson (INC/CAB) - LABOUR – 1,348

BUCKSHAW AND WHITTLE

LAB GAIN

Samantha Martin - LABOUR – 1,205

Gregory Morgan - CONSERVATIVE - 652

Rachel Smith - GREEN PARTY – 161

CHORLEY EAST

LAB HOLD

Mark Grandi - CONSERVATIVE – 248

Chris Snow - LABOUR – 1,175

CHORLEY NORTH AND ASTLEY

LAB HOLD

Oliver Knights - CONSERVATIVE – 522

Jon Royle - GREEN PARTY – 199

Jean Sherwood (INC) - LABOUR – 1,026

CHORLEY NORTH EAST

LAB HOLD

Simon Cash - GREEN PARTY – 162

Gordon France (INC) - LABOUR – 1,554

Charles Hargreaves - CONSERVATIVE – 509

CHORLEY NORTH WEST

LAB HOLD

Sarah Ainsworth (INC) - LABOUR – 1,425

Peter Malpas - CONSERVATIVE – 191

Mark Tebbutt - GREEN PARTY – 561

CHORLEY SOUTH EAST AND HEATH CHARNOCK

LAB HOLD

Conor Dawson - CONSERVATIVE – 504

Jenny Hurley - TRADE UNIONIST AND SOCIALIST COALITION – 104

Beverley Murray (INC/CAB) - LABOUR – 1,203

Jane Weston - GREEN PARTY – 150

CHORLEY SOUTH WEST

LAB HOLD

Peter Davenport - CONSERVATIVE – 152

Stephen Fenn - LIBERAL DEMOCRATS – 33

Andy Hunter-Rossall - GREEN PARTY – 625

Roy Lees (INC) - LABOUR – 857

CLAYTON EAST, BRINDLE AND HOGHTON

LAB GAIN

Sam Chapman (INC) - CONSERVATIVE – 724

Olga Gomez-Cash - GREEN PARTY – 117

Pauline McGovern - LABOUR – 1,065

Gail Ormston - LIBERAL DEMOCRATS – 129

CLAYTON WEST AND CUERDEN

LAB GAIN

Michelle Brown - LABOUR – 1,369

Glenda Charlesworth - LIBERAL DEMOCRATS – 119

Magdalene Cullens (INC) - CONSERVATIVE – 723

Clare Hales - GREEN PARTY – 202

COPPULL

LAB HOLD

Julia Berry (INC) - LABOUR AND CO-OPERATIVE – 1,161

Anne Calderbank - GREEN PARTY – 134

Christine Turner - CONSERVATIVE – 330

CROSTON, MAWDESLEY AND EUXTON SOUTH

CON HOLD

Rowan Power - LIBERAL DEMOCRATS – 161

Craige Southern - CONSERVATIVE – 1,193

Caroline Turner - LABOUR – 828

Robert Wade - GREEN PARTY -134

ECCLESTON, HESKIN AND CHARNOCK RICHARD

LAB GAIN

Sally Felton - GREEN PARTY – 111

Mark Frost - LIBERAL DEMOCRATS – 109

Harold Heaton (INC) - CONSERVATIVE – 827

Christine Heydon - LABOUR 1,082

EUXTON

LAB GAIN

Debra Platt (INC) - CONSERVATIVE - 808

Pauline Summers - GREEN PARTY – 162

Joan Williamson - LABOUR – 1,182