The 2023 High Peak Borough Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of High Peak Borough Council in Derbyshire, England. This was on the same day as other local elections in England.
The council was under no overall control prior to the election. Labour had won a majority at the previous full council election in 2019, but lost its majority in 2022 following a by-election in Cote Heath ward. Labour regained a majority at the 2023 election, winning 29 of the 43 seats on the council.
Summary
Election result The overall results were as follows, with vote and candidate totals compiled from the declarations of result of poll for each ward:
Ward results The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by High Peak Borough Council following the close of nominations on 5 April 2023.
Incumbent councillors are marked with an asterisk. The results for each ward were:
Barms
Blackbrook
Burbage
Buxton Central
Chapel East
Chapel West
Corbar
Cote Heath
Kev Kirkham and Labour candidate Alan Smith tied on 569 votes for the second seat. Kirkham was elected after his name was drawn from a ballot box.
Dinting
Gamesley
Hadfield North
Hadfield South
Hayfield
Hope Valley
Howard Town
Limestone Peak
New Mills East
New Mills West
Old Glossop
Padfield
Sett
Simmondley
St John's
Stone Bench
Temple
Tintwistle
Whaley Bridge
Whitfield
Changes 2023–2027 Kev Kirkham, elected as a Conservative in Cote Heath, left the party for Reform UK between 30 April and 16 May 2025; the council listed him as a Reform UK member until at least 18 July 2025. He subsequently left Reform UK, and by 13 August 2025 was listed as an independent. By April 2026, Neville Clarke, elected for Labour and Co-operative in Whaley Bridge, was sitting as an independent. By the end of April 2026, Madeline Hall, representing Corbar, had left Labour to sit as an independent. She cited dissatisfaction with national Labour politics and concerns about decisions affecting Buxton. By early June 2026, Rachael Quinn, representing Barms, had left Labour to sit as an independent. Her departure followed concerns about the future of Buxton Town Hall. By 19 June 2026, Chris Payne, representing Burbage, had left Labour to sit as an independent, citing concerns about the handling of Capital&Centric's plans for Buxton town centre and the opportunities for scrutiny and public consultation. Linda Grooby, elected as a Conservative in Cote Heath, ceased to belong to any political group on the council. She had led the Conservative group in opposition, and by August 2026, when Adrian Hopkinson was elected to succeed her as group leader, she was listed by the council as non-aligned.
References