Suffolk County Council elections

Suffolk County Council in England is elected every four years. Since the last boundary changes in 2005, 75 councillors have been elected from 75 wards.[1]

County Council composition

Year Conservative Labour Liberal Democrats[a] Green UKIP Reform Independents
& Others		 Council control
after election
Local government reorganisation; council established (76 seats)
1973 47 29 3 – – – 3 Conservative
1977 70 9 1 0 – – 2 Conservative
1981 45 27 0 0 – – 4 Conservative
New division boundaries; seats increased from 76 to 80[2]
1985 50 23 3 0 – – 4 Conservative
1989 46 26 4 0 – – 4 Conservative
1993 26 31 19 0 – – 4 No overall control
1997 31 34 14 0 0 – 1 No overall control
2001 31 36 12 0 0 – 1 No overall control
New division boundaries; seats decreased from 80 to 75[3]
2005 46 22 7 0 0 – 1 Conservative
2009 55 4 11 2 1 – 2 Conservative
2013 39 15 7 2 9 – 3 Conservative
2017 52 11 5 3 0 – 4 Conservative
2021 55 5 4 9 0 – 2 Conservative
New division boundaries; seats decreased from 75 to 70[4]
2026[b] 9 3 2 13 0 41 2 Reform

Composition since 1973

1973








1977








1981









1985








1989








1993








1997








2001








2005








2009







2013







2017








2021








2026







County result maps

By-election results

1993-1997

Gunton By-Election 17 February 1994
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Norman Rimmell 693 41.4 +13.4
Conservative 491 29.4 –19.3
Liberal Democrats 488 29.2 +5.9
Majority 202 12.1 N/a
Turnout 1,672 31.0 –5.6
Registered electors 5,394
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +16.3
Halesworth By-Election 15 December 1994
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Troughton 944 60.3 +11.9
Conservative 515 32.9 –8.5
Liberal Democrats 107 6.8 –3.4
Majority 429 27.4 +20.4
Turnout 1,566 28.0 –17.7
Registered electors 5,593
Labour hold Swing +10.2
Broom Hill By-Election 3 October 1996
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Keith Herod 571 41.9 +8.0
Conservative 554 40.6 –7.9
Liberal Democrats 237 17.4 –0.1
Majority 17 1.3 N/a
Turnout 1,362 26.8 –3.6
Registered electors 5,082
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +7.9

1997-2001

Ipswich Bridge By-Election 10 June 1999
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Harold Mangar 569 51.5 −1.5
Conservative 391 35.4 +3.4
Liberal Democrats 144 13.0 −2.0
Majority 178 16.1
Turnout 1,104
Labour hold Swing
Peninsula By-Election 6 April 2000[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats David Wood 1,193 66.3 +1.2
Conservative Stephen Williams 504 28.0 −6.8
Green Anthony Slade 102 5.7 +5.7
Majority 689 38.3
Turnout 1,799 31.0
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

2001-2005

Thedwastre South By-Election 17 January 2002[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jane Storey 991 47.4 +7.9
Liberal Democrats Carol Milward 982 47.0 +8.5
Green John Matthissen 116 5.6 +5.6
Majority 9 0.4
Turnout 2,089 28.6
Conservative hold Swing
Ipswich Town By-Election 2 May 2002[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Kevan Lim 819 53.6 −0.6
Conservative Anthony Ramsey 369 24.3 −0.5
Liberal Democrats Robin Whitmore 331 21.8 +1.1
Majority 450 29.6
Turnout 1,519 24.3
Labour hold Swing
Ipswich St. Clements By-Election 25 July 2002[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Janet Sibley 645 38.0 +4.3
Labour Neil MacDonald 588 34.6 −14.2
Liberal Democrats Robin Whitmore 465 27.4 +9.9
Majority 57 3.4
Turnout 1,698 29.0
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Blything By-Election 1 August 2002[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Raeburn Leighton 989 54.5 +1.9
Liberal Democrats Peter Perren 716 39.4 −8.0
Labour Catherine Knight 111 6.1 +6.1
Majority 273 15.1
Turnout 1,816 35.8
Conservative hold Swing
Wickham By-Election 6 March 2003[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Bellfield 1,114 50.9 +7.2
Liberal Democrats Ronald Else 870 39.7 +8.5
Labour Valerie Pizzey 206 9.4 −15.8
Majority 244 11.2
Turnout 2,190 31.2
Conservative hold Swing
Gainsborough By-Election 1 May 2003[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour William Quinton 711 45.5 −15.1
Conservative Adam Ramsay 463 29.4 +4.3
Liberal Democrats Catherine Chambers 313 20.1 +6.1
CPA Jonathan Barnes 74 4.7 +4.7
Majority 248 15.8
Turnout 1,561 24.5
Labour hold Swing
Felixstowe Ferry By-Election 5 February 2004[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ann Rodwell 1,401 65.5 +12.9
Liberal Democrats Cherrie MacGregor 456 21.3 +0.6
Labour Harriet Bennett 281 13.1 −13.5
Majority 945 44.2
Turnout 2,138 32.0
Conservative hold Swing
Woodbridge By-Election 15 April 2004[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Benjamin Redsell 990 43.8 +4.3
Liberal Democrats Diana Ball 867 38.3 +9.9
Labour Roy Burgon 194 8.6 −18.4
English Democrat Robert Jay 139 6.1 +6.1
Green Gordon Forbes 71 3.1 +3.1
Majority 123 5.4
Turnout 2,261 32.0
Conservative hold Swing

2005-2009

Stowmarket South By-Election 2 February 2006[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anne Whybrow 733 35.0 +0.9
Liberal Democrats Keith Scarff 668 32.0 +9.5
Green Twiggy Davis 354 16.9 +4.7
Labour Duncan Macpherson 337 16.1 −15.2
Majority 65 3.0
Turnout 2,092 29.0
Conservative hold Swing
Pakefield By-Election 4 May 2006[12][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Kenneth Sale 1,338 36.5 +2.8
Labour Terence Kelly 1,097 29.9 −1.2
UKIP Derek Hackett 592 16.1 +16.1
Liberal Democrats Peter Guyton 397 10.8 −6.0
Green Ann Skipper 243 6.6 −1.0
Majority 241 6.6
Turnout 3,667 32.5
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Row Heath By-Election 8 June 2006[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Colin Noble 1,222 61.5 +20.7
UKIP Ian Smith 297 14.9 +5.6
Labour David Bowman 219 11.0 −11.1
Liberal Democrats Tim Huggan 118 5.9 −7.1
Independent David Chandler 110 5.5 −9.3
Independent David Hitchman 22 1.1 +1.1
Majority 925 46.6
Turnout 1,988 27.0
Conservative hold Swing
Thedwastre South By-Election 23 August 2007[15][16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Penny Otton 927 41.8 +7.5
Conservative Julia Dunnicliffe 833 37.5 −9.4
Green Cathy Cass 287 12.9 +12.9
Labour Ron Snell 88 4.0 −14.8
UKIP Chris Streatfield 85 3.8 +3.8
Majority 94 4.3
Turnout 2,220 32.4
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
Stowmarket North and Stowupland By-Election 17 April 2008[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gary Green 834 38.8 −0.7
Liberal Democrats Nicky Turner 781 36.3 +18.1
Green Nigel Rozier 231 10.7 +1.6
Labour Duncan Macpherson 190 8.8 −24.5
UKIP Christopher Streatfield 114 5.3 +5.3
Majority 53 2.5
Turnout 2,150 27.0
Conservative hold Swing
Woodbridge By-Election 18 September 2008[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Caroline Page 970 41.8 +2.3
Conservative Nigel Barratt 826 35.6 −4.4
Independent Michael Weaver 378 16.3 +16.3
Labour Roy Burgon 147 6.3 −14.2
Majority 144 6.2
Turnout 2,321 37.2
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing

2009-2013

Aldeburgh and Leiston By-Election 6 May 2010[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Richard Smith 2,240 45.5 −2.0
Independent Joan Girling 1,439 29.2 n/a
Labour Terry Hodgson 1,243 25.3 +12.1
Majority 801 16.3 −6.7
Turnout 5,009 66.2 +26.2
Conservative hold Swing
Tower By-Election 11 November 2010[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Stefan Oliver 1,005 28.8 0.0
Independent David Nettleton 950 27.2 +1.2
Labour Kevin Hind 759 21.7 +12.6
Green Pippa Judd 479 13.7 −13.4
Liberal Democrats David Chappell 300 8.6 −0.4
Majority 55
Turnout 3,505 20.9
Conservative hold Swing −0.6
Wilford By-Election 5 May 2011[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Andrew Reid 1,913 55.2 −5.4
Liberal Democrats Christine Hancock 796 23.0 −7.2
Labour Roy Burgon 758 21.9 +12.6
Majority 1,117 32.2 +1.8
Turnout 3,495 54.1 +5.1
Conservative hold Swing 0.9
Kesgrave and Rushmere St Andrew By-Election 9 February 2012[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Christopher Hudson 1,302 49.7 −7.5
Labour Kevin Archer 804 30.7 +16.7
Liberal Democrats Derrick Fairbrother 514 19.6 −9.3
Majority 498 19.0 −9.3
Turnout 2639 17.1
Conservative hold Swing −12.1
Bixley By-Election 3 May 2012 [22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alan Murray 866 43.8 −11.3
Labour Co-op John Cook 566 28.6 +15.0
UKIP Chris Streatfield 229 11.6 +11.6
Green Barry Broom 189 9.6 −4.4
Liberal Democrats Peter Bagnall 127 6.4 −10.9
Majority 300 15.1 −22.7
Turnout 1988 35
Conservative hold Swing −13.2

2013-2017

Haverhill Cangle By-Election 7 May 2015 [23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Tim Marks 3,001 38.9 +4.5
UKIP John Burns 2,313 30.0 +0.2
Labour Maureen Byrne 2,004 26.0 +0.4
Liberal Democrats Ken Rolph 404 5.2 −1.2
Majority 1,117 8.9 +4.3
Turnout 7,825 57.7
Conservative hold Swing +2.2
Newmarket and Red Lodge By-Election 18 February 2016 [24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robin Millar 644 39.7 −4.9
UKIP Roger Dicker 494 30.5 +2.1
Labour Michael Jefferys 284 17.5 −3.2
Independent Andrew Appleby 123 7.6 +7.6
Liberal Democrats Tim Huggan 76 4.7 −1.6
Majority 150 9.2 −7.0
Turnout 1,625 18.0
Conservative hold Swing −3.5
Bixley By-Election 5 May 2016 [25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Paul West 1,117 49.7 −8.7
Labour Rob Bridgeman 634 28.2 +3.5
UKIP Tony Gould 344 15.3 +15.3
Liberal Democrats Colin Boyd 154 6.8 +1.3
Majority 300 21.5 −12.2
Turnout 2,264 40.9
Conservative hold Swing −6.1
Haverhill Cangle By-Election 5 May 2016 [23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UKIP John Burns 1,273 36.8 +6.8
Conservative Margaret Marks 1,168 33.8 −5.1
Labour David Smith 838 24.2 −1.8
Liberal Democrats Ken Rolph 178 5.1 −0.1
Majority 105 2.8
Turnout 3,480 26.0
UKIP gain from Conservative Swing +6.0
Carlford By-Election 7 July 2016
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Robin Vickery 1,142 60.2 +1.4
Labour Revd Canon Graham Hedger 344 18.2 +4.1
Liberal Democrats Jon Neal 228 12.1 +4.2
Green Jacqueline Barrow 176 9.3 +9.3
Majority 798 42.0 +2.0
Turnout 1,890 27.4 −10.6
Conservative hold Swing −1.4
Hadleigh By-Election 22 September 2016[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Trevor Sheldrick 642 36.2 +12.0
Conservative Kathryn Grandon-White 460 25.9 −5.6
Labour Susan Monks 397 22.4 +5.8
UKIP Stephen Laing 204 11.5 −11.3
Green Lisa Gordon 70 3.9 −0.9
Majority 182 10.3
Turnout 1,777 26.9
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing +8.8

2017-2021

St John's By-Election 7 September 2017
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Sarah Adams 1,247 62.9 +5.3
Conservative James Harding 483 24.4 −7.3
Liberal Democrats Edward Packard 200 10.1 +5.1
Green Charlotte Armstrong 52 2.6 −3.1
Majority 764 38.5 +12.6
Turnout 1,987 29.7 −6.2
Labour hold Swing +6.3
Bosmere By-Election 25 October 2018
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Kay Oakes 747 45.5 −0.5
Liberal Democrats Stephen Phillips 726 44.2 +5.5
Labour Emma Bonner-Morgan 168 10.2 +2.9
Majority 21 1.3 −6.0
Turnout 1,647 21.3 −11.4
Conservative hold Swing −2.6
Newmarket & Redlodge By-Election 30 January 2020
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Andrew Drummond 893 50.3 −0.2
Liberal Democrats Jonathan Edge 315 17.7 +8.8
West Suffolk Independent Andrew Appleby 248 14.0 +2.5
Labour Theresa Chipulina 198 11.1 −4.5
Green Alice Haycock 123 6.9 +6.9
Majority 578 32.6 −3.3
Turnout 1,783 17.2 −8.4
Conservative hold Swing −4.5

2021-2026

Beccles: By-Election 17 November 2022[27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Ash Lever 2,114 70.5 +18.5
Conservative Letitia Smith 624 20.8 –19.7
Labour Christian Newsome 260 8.7 +1.2
Majority 1,490 49.7 N/A
Turnout 3,006 25.7 –15.9
Registered electors 11,703
Green hold Swing Increase19.1
Felixstowe Coastal: 4 May 2023[28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Seamus Bennett 2,519 44.4 +25.8
Conservative Kevin Sullivan 2,060 36.3 –13.2
Green Lesley Bennett 939 16.6 +5.5
Communist Mark Jones 150 2.6 ±0.0
Majority 459 8.1 N/A
Turnout 5,740 36.5 −2.8
Registered electors 15,706
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing +19.5
Priory Heath: 4 May 2023[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Lucy Smith 918 50.8 +5.1
Conservative Gregor McNie 567 31.4 –9.1
Green Andy Patmore 180 10.0 +1.0
Liberal Democrats Trevor Powell 143 7.9 +3.0
Majority 351 19.4 +14.2
Turnout 1,820 27.3
Registered electors 6,679
Labour hold Swing +7.1
Woodbridge: 12 October 2023[30]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Ruth Leach 990 51.2 –12.3
Conservative Alan Porter 642 33.2 –3.3
Labour Paul Richards 301 15.6 N/A
Majority 348 18.0 –9.0
Turnout 1,943 30.5 –16.4
Registered electors 6,363
Liberal Democrats hold Swing -4.5
Pakefield: 4 July 2024[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Peter Byatt 2,680 40.0 +13.9
Conservative Mark Bee 2,295 33.4 –22.7
Liberal Democrats Adam Robertson 960 14.3 +7.6
Independent Paul Light 767 11.4 N/A
Majority 385 5.7 N/A
Turnout 6,864 57.8 +27.1
Registered electors 11,881 –77
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +18.3
Hoxne and Eye: 10 October 2024[32]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Henry Lloyd 895 45.3 +0.3
Green Joanne Brooks 891 45.1 N/A
Liberal Democrats Timothy Glenton 102 5.2 −14.0
Labour Paul Theaker 89 4.5 −6.6
Majority 4 0.2
Turnout 1,977 24.6
Registered electors 7,992
Conservative hold Swing
St John's: 24 April 2025[33]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Adele Cook 600 28.0 −19.7
Green Adria Pittock 458 21.4 +13.6
Reform Michelle Bevan-Margetts 442 20.6 +20.6
Liberal Democrats Kelly Turner 323 15.1 +9.8
Conservative James Harding 318 14.9 −24.3
Majority 142 6.6
Turnout 2,141
Labour hold Swing
Tower: 3 July 2025[34]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Martin Robinson 1,332 28.8 +28.8
Green Clare Higson 1,155 25.0 −4.5
Conservative Jo Rayner 808 17.5 −16.2
Labour Judith Moore 667 14.4 −6.4
Independent Frank Stennett 407 8.8 −1.4
Liberal Democrats James Porter 259 5.6 +1.6
Majority 177 3.8
Turnout 4,628
Reform gain from Conservative Swing
Pakefield: 18 December 2025[35]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform June Mummery 1,286 49.2 +49.2
Green Dom Taylor 508 19.4 +9.1
Conservative Letitia Smith 357 13.6 −43.3
Labour Sonia Barker 328 12.5 −13.6
Liberal Democrats Chris Thomas 137 5.2 −1.5
Majority 778 29.7
Turnout 2,616
Reform gain from Conservative Swing

Notes

  1. ↑ Includes totals for the predecessors of the Liberal Democrats, the Liberal Party and SDP (both of which participated in the Alliance).
  2. ↑ Delayed from 2025.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "County Councillors". Suffolk County Council. Archived from the original on 24 February 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2010.
  2. ↑ The County of Suffolk (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1984
  3. ↑ "Local election results: Suffolk". BBC News Online. Archived from the original on 19 October 2006. Retrieved 18 March 2010.
  4. ↑ "Elections - Suffolk County Council". Suffolk County Council. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
  5. ↑ Godley, Dan (2 March 2026). "Why were some elections "cancelled"?". LGIU. Retrieved 18 May 2026.
  6. ↑ "Past election results" (PDF). Babergh District Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 18 March 2010.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Thedwastre South" (PDF). Suffolk County Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 February 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2010.
  8. 1 2 "Wickham" (PDF). Suffolk County Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 February 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2010.
  9. ↑ "Liberal Democrats win Yoxford by-election" (PDF). Suffolk Coastal District Council. 6 February 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 June 2011. Retrieved 18 March 2010.
  10. ↑ "Conservatives hold Felxstowe South seat" (PDF). Suffolk Coastal District Council. 23 April 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 June 2011. Retrieved 18 March 2010.
  11. ↑ "Stowmarket South by-election results". Suffolk County Council. Retrieved 18 March 2010.
  12. ↑ "Greens build on election success". guardian.co.uk. London. 12 May 2006. Archived from the original on 10 May 2017. Retrieved 18 March 2010.
  13. ↑ "Pakefield by-election results". Suffolk County Council. Retrieved 18 March 2010.
  14. ↑ "Row Heath by-election results". Suffolk County Council. Archived from the original on 15 July 2006. Retrieved 18 March 2010.
  15. ↑ "Lib Dems snatch shock win in council by-election". 24dash.com. 24 August 2007. Archived from the original on 29 February 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2010.
  16. ↑ "Thedwastre South By-election Results". Suffolk County Council. Retrieved 18 March 2010.
  17. ↑ "Stowmarket North and Stowupland by-election results 2008". Suffolk County Council. Retrieved 18 March 2010.
  18. ↑ "19 September 2008 - Woodbridge by-election". Suffolk County Council. Retrieved 25 September 2008.
  19. ↑ "Aldeburgh and Leiston by-election results". Suffolk County Council. Retrieved 28 July 2011.
  20. ↑ "Tower by-election results". Suffolk County Council. Archived from the original on 24 December 2018. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  21. ↑ "Wilford by-election results". Suffolk County Council. Retrieved 28 July 2011.
  22. 1 2 "By-Election Results in 2012". Suffolk County Council. Archived from the original on 31 August 2012. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  23. 1 2 "Haverhill Cangle by-election results". Suffolk County Council. Archived from the original on 24 December 2018. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  24. ↑ "Newmarket and Red Lodge by-election results". Suffolk County Council. Archived from the original on 24 December 2018. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  25. ↑ "Bixley By-election Results 2016". Suffolk County Council. Archived from the original on 24 December 2018. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  26. ↑ https://www.suffolk.gov.uk/assets/council-and-democracy/consultations-petitions-and-elections/2016-09-23-Hadleigh-Declaration-of-results.pdf
  27. ↑ "Declaration of Result - Beccles Division" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 March 2023. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
  28. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Felixstowe Coastal Division". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  29. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Priory Heath Division". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  30. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Woodbridge Division". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  31. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Pakefield Division". www.andrewteale.me.uk.
  32. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Hoxne and Eye Division". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  33. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — St John's Division". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
  34. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Tower Division". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 31 August 2025.
  35. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Pakefield Division". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 26 December 2025.
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