The 2023 Wyre Forest District Council election took place on 4 May 2023, to elect all 33 members of Wyre Forest District Council in Worcestershire, England. This was on the same day as other local elections across England.
Prior to the election the council was under no overall control, being run by a "progressive alliance" of Independent Health Concern, Labour, Green and independent councillors. The Conservatives won a majority of the seats at this election. Wyre Forest was one of only two councils where the Conservatives gained control in the 2023 elections, with the party generally losing seats and councils elsewhere.
Prior to the election the eight Independent Health Concern councillors, five independent councillors and the one Green councillor had sat together as one "Independent Group", led by independent councillor Helen Dyke. The Independent Group and Labour together formed the council's administration, calling themselves a progressive alliance, with Helen Dyke serving as leader of the council.[1] Local party Independent Health Concern announced in 2022 that it would no longer be fielding candidates at elections; its sitting councillors who chose to stand for re-election in 2023 did so as independent candidates.[2]
The Conservatives and Labour saw gains, whilst the Liberal Democrats and independents (when including the former Independent Health Concern councillors) suffered loses. The only Green councillor retained her seat. Whilst the Conservatives suffered loses throughout the country, in Wyre Forest the Conservatives won a majority of the seats. Torbay and Wyre Forest were the only two councils where the Conservatives gained a majority at this election.[3]
Conservative leader Marcus Hart was appointed leader of the council at the subsequent annual council meeting on 17 May 2023.[4]
The overall results were as follows:[5]
The results for each ward were as follows, with an asterisk (*) indicating an incumbent councillor standing for re-election:[6][7]
John Thomas had been a Health Concern councillor prior to the election.
Anna Coleman and Roger Coleman had both been elected as Conservatives but left the party in 2020 and joined Health Concern. Seat change compared to 2019 result.[8]
Peter Young was a Health Concern councillor prior to the election; seat shown as independent gain from Health Concern to allow comparison with 2019 results.
Ben Brookes and David Ross had previously won their seats in by-elections in 2021 and 2022; their seats shown as Conservative gains from Health Concern to allow comparison with 2019 results.
Dixon Sheppard was a Health Concern councillor prior to the election.
Nicky Martin had been a Health Concern councillor prior to the election; seat shown as independent gain from Health Concern.