The 2017 Suffolk County Council election took place on 4 May 2017 as part of the 2017 local elections in the United Kingdom.^[1] All 75 councillors were elected from 63 electoral divisions, which returned either one or two county councillors each, by first-past-the-post voting, for a four-year term of office.

Quick Facts All 75 seats to Suffolk County Council 38 seats needed for a majority, First party ...

2017 Suffolk County Council election

← 2013 4 May 2017 2021 →
All 75 seats to Suffolk County Council 38 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party Third party   Party Conservative Labour Liberal Democrats Last election 39 seats, 35.5% 15 seats, 21.6% 7 seats, 20.0% Seats before 37 15 8 Seats won 52 11 5 Seat change 13 4 3 Popular vote 92,238 41,242 27,237 Percentage 46.3% 20.7% 13.0% Swing 10.8% 0.9% 3.1%   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Party Independent Green UKIP Last election 3 seats, 3.6% 2 seats, 8.8% 9 seats, 20.0% Seats before 3 2 10 Seats won 3 3 0 Seat change 1 10 Popular vote 8,511 16,367 11,974 Percentage 4.3% 6.0% 6.0% Swing 0.7% 0.6% 14.0%
Map of the results of the 2017 Suffolk council election. Conservatives in blue, Liberal Democrats in yellow, Labour in red, Greens in green and independents in grey.
Council control before election No overall control Conservative Council control after election Conservative

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Voters who live in divisions which elected two councillors (12 divisions) were entitled to cast a maximum of two votes, while those living in divisions only electing one councillor (51 divisions) were only entitled to cast one vote.

Labour and the Conservatives were the only parties fielding candidates in all 63 electoral divisions. The Liberal Democrats had candidates standing in 58 divisions, while the Green Party stood candidates in 46 divisions and UKIP stood candidates in 43 divisions.

The Conservatives regained much of the ground they lost at the previous election taking a net gain of 15 seats despite only picking up two extra seats in Ipswich.

Labour lost 4 of its 5 seats in Lowestoft but managed to pick up a Sudbury seat that they haven't held since 2009 and remained the main opposition party.

The Lib Dem lost 2 seats and failed to maintain a by election gain in Hadleigh.

The Greens made a net gain of 1, and UKIP lost all their seats.

With 52 seats and a fourth successive victory, the Conservatives were able to form a working majority of 29 in the new Council, with Colin Noble (Row Heath) elected as Council Leader. In May 2018 he was ousted in a party room ballot by cabinet member for waste, fire and the environment Matthew Hicks (Thredling).^[2][3]

Opposition leader Sandy Martin (St John's) stood down after being elected to Parliament in the 2017 general election in June, with Sandra Gage (Rushmere) succeeding him. However, in December 2017 she stood down to be replaced by former deputy group leader Sarah Adams (St John's), who had returned to the council after winning the by-election triggered by Martin's departure.^[4]

The Lib Dems and the Greens agreed to form a joint group, with the leadership switching each year, David Wood (Peninsula) the incumbent Lib Dem group leader became the first leader of this new group.^[5]