2023 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election

Last updated
2023 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election
FlagOfKent.svg
  2022 4 May 2023 (2023-05-04) 2024  

16 out of 48 seats to Tunbridge Wells Borough Council
25 seats needed for a majority
 First partySecond partyThird party
  No image wide.svg No image wide.svg No image wide.svg
LeaderBen ChapelardTom DawlingsDavid Hayward
Party Liberal Democrats Conservative Alliance
Last election17 seats, 22.4%15 seats, 32.1%9 seats, 21.5%
Seats before15139
Seats won525
Seats after171111
Seat changeSteady2.svgDecrease2.svg2Steady2.svg
Popular vote6,7337,8084,804
Percentage25.3%29.4%18.1%
SwingIncrease2.svg2.9%Decrease2.svg2.7%Decrease2.svg3.4%

 Fourth partyFifth party
  No image wide.svg No image wide.svg
LeaderHugo Pound
Party Labour Independent
Last election7 seats, 19.6%N/A
Seats before74
Seats won31
Seats after81
Seat changeIncrease2.svg1Steady2.svg
Popular vote4,330640
Percentage16.3%2.4%
SwingDecrease2.svg3.3%N/A

Tunbridge Wells UK ward map 2023.svg
Winner of each seat at the 2023 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election

Leader before election

Ben Chapelard
Liberal Democrat
No overall control

Leader after election

Ben Chapelard
Liberal Democrat
No overall control

The 2023 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council in Kent, England. [1] This was on the same day as other local elections across England.

Contents

The council remained under no overall control, being led by a coalition of the Liberal Democrats, local party the Tunbridge Wells Alliance, Labour and an independent councillor, led by Ben Chapelard of the Liberal Democrats. [2] The council remained under no overall control after the election and continued to be run by the same coalition. [3] [4]

Summary

Election result

2023 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election
PartyThis electionFull councilThis election
SeatsNetSeats %OtherTotalTotal %VotesVotes %+/−
  Liberal Democrats 5Steady2.svg31.0121735.46,73325.3+2.9
  Conservative 2Decrease2.svg 212.591122.97,80829.4–2.7
  Alliance 5Increase2.svg 131.061118.84,80418.1–3.4
  Labour 3Increase2.svg 118.85816.74,33016.3–3.3
  Independent 1Steady2.svg6.3236.36402.4N/A
  Green 0Steady2.svg00002,1778.2+4.2
  Reform UK 0Steady2.svg0000830.3N/A

Ward results

The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council following the close of nominations on 5 April 2023. [5] The results were as follows: [6]

Benenden and Cranbrook

Benenden and Cranbrook [7]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Alliance Nancy Warne* 723 42.9 Increase2.svg4.9
Conservative John Austen61936.7Decrease2.svg6.4
Labour Lorna Blackmore1207.1Decrease2.svg2.7
Green Rachael Mason1166.9Decrease2.svg2.2
Liberal Democrats Michael Gill1096.5N/A
Majority 1046.2Increase2.svg1.1
Turnout 1,68732.3Decrease2.svg1.5
Registered electors 5,221
Alliance hold Swing Increase2.svg5.7

Culverden

Culverden [7]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats David Osborne 1,104 51.5 Decrease2.svg3.1
Conservative Chris Woodward58027.1Decrease2.svg3.3
Green Michael Calvert24911.6N/A
Labour Adrian Farnham2109.8Decrease2.svg1.7
Majority 52424.4Increase2.svg0.2
Turnout 2,14334.7Decrease2.svg4.3
Registered electors 6,173
Liberal Democrats hold Swing Increase2.svg3.2

Frittenden and Sissinghurst

Frittenden and Sissinghurst
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Andy Fairweather* 429 67.0 Increase2.svg20.8
Green John Hurst8212.8N/A
Liberal Democrats Angela Funnell7511.7Decrease2.svg1.0
Alliance Janis Smith548.4Decrease2.svg34.3
Majority 34754.2Increase2.svg50.7
Turnout 64035.5Decrease2.svg9.1
Registered electors 1,805
Conservative hold Swing Increase2.svg27.6

Goudhurst and Lamberhurst

Goudhurst and Lamberhurst
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Alliance Alison Webster 520 41.6 Increase2.svg1.6
Conservative Beckie Winter29123.3Decrease2.svg14.9
Green Geoff Mason27221.7Increase2.svg14.3
Liberal Democrats John Rappoport967.7Increase2.svg1.6
Labour Anne Musker725.8Decrease2.svg2.5
Majority 22918.3
Turnout 1,25135.4
Registered electors 3,533
Alliance gain from Conservative Swing

Hawkhurst and Sandhurst

Hawkhurst and Sandhurst
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Godfrey Bland* 800 48.1 Increase2.svg6.7
Alliance Heidi Eccles29117.5Decrease2.svg30.6
Liberal Democrats Mike Appelbe23013.8N/A
Labour Ana Draper1599.6Decrease2.svg0.9
Green Debs Keech1006.0N/A
Reform UK Simon Hilton835.0N/A
Majority 50930.6
Turnout 1,66333.6
Registered electors 4,954
Conservative hold Swing

Paddock Wood East

Paddock Wood East
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Rodney Atkins* 391 35.9 N/A
Conservative Nicolas Maari30928.4Decrease2.svg4.1
Independent Matthew Bailey*17816.4N/A
Labour Andrew Muir1089.9Decrease2.svg4.6
Green Penny Peerless585.3Increase2.svg0.3
Liberal Democrats Brian Guinnessy444.0N/A
Majority 827.5
Turnout 1,08832.4
Registered electors 3,360
Independent hold Swing

Paddock Wood West

Paddock Wood West
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Mark Munday 438 40.4 Increase2.svg35.8
Conservative Tom Mobbs35432.7Increase2.svg5.3
Green Trevor Bisdee22120.4Increase2.svg8.3
Independent Linda Store716.5N/A
Majority 847.7
Turnout 1,08435.2
Registered electors 3,077
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing

Pantiles and St Mark's

Pantiles and St Mark's
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Pamela Wilkinson 1,250 54.0 Decrease2.svg4.4
Conservative David Scott75832.8Increase2.svg2.7
Labour Alan Bullionn1586.8Increase2.svg1.3
Green Jack Mason1476.4Increase2.svg0.8
Majority 49221.2
Turnout 2,31343.4
Registered electors 5,327
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

Park

Park
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Alliance Siobhan O'Connell 868 38.7 Increase2.svg1.7
Conservative Christian Atwood*61627.5Decrease2.svg5.0
Liberal Democrats Jules Luxford33214.8Decrease2.svg3.1
Labour Sue Pound26411.8Decrease2.svg0.8
Green Alasdair Fraser1627.2N/A
Majority 25211.2
Turnout 2,24238.1
Registered electors 5,890
Alliance hold Swing

Pembury

Pembury
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Alliance David Hayward* 922 51.3 Increase2.svg8.5
Conservative Vivek Gautam52929.4Decrease2.svg16.7
Liberal Democrats Eugenie Ballara1226.8N/A
Labour Joel Turner1156.4Decrease2.svg4.7
Green Evelien Hurst-Buist1096.1N/A
Majority 39321.9
Turnout 1,79741.0
Registered electors 4,388
Alliance hold Swing

Rusthall

Rusthall
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Jayne Sharratt 627 41.5 Increase2.svg5.8
Liberal Democrats Dave Funnell*53335.3Increase2.svg8.1
Conservative James Allen26617.6Decrease2.svg10.8
Green Aimee Taylor865.7Decrease2.svg3.1
Majority 946.2
Turnout 1,51242.3
Registered electors 3,572
Labour gain from Liberal Democrats Swing

Sherwood

Sherwood
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Hugo Pound* 643 37.3 Decrease2.svg16.1
Conservative Nasir Jamil54531.6Decrease2.svg15.0
Liberal Democrats Andrew Elliott23513.6N/A
Alliance Joseph Dore21012.2N/A
Green Lee MacKinnon895.2N/A
Majority 985.7
Turnout 1,72229.9
Registered electors 5,756
Labour hold Swing

Southborough and High Brooms

Southborough and High Brooms
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour John Francis 933 53.8 Decrease2.svg6.5
Conservative Misha Mitchem30517.6Decrease2.svg7.9
Alliance Paul Johnson1699.7N/A
Liberal Democrats Yvonne Raptis1659.5Decrease2.svg4.7
Green David Holton1629.3N/A
Majority 62836.2
Turnout 1,73431.6
Registered electors 5,488
Labour hold Swing

Southborough North

Southborough North
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Joe Opara 619 41.9 Decrease2.svg1.9
Conservative Sarah Bridges47832.4Decrease2.svg9.6
Alliance Jonathan Farina16311.0N/A
Labour Martin Betts1439.7Decrease2.svg4.4
Green Sue Lovell734.9N/A
Majority 1419.5
Turnout 1,47644.3
Registered electors 3,333
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

Speldhurst and Bidborough

Speldhurst and Bidborough
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Alliance Paul Curry 884 42.1 Decrease2.svg22.5
Conservative Aaron Brand60829.0Increase2.svg0.7
Liberal Democrats Rebecca Leach36317.3N/A
Green Steph Gandon1366.5N/A
Labour Paul Froome1085.1Decrease2.svg2.0
Majority 27613.1
Turnout 2,09945.8
Registered electors 4,578
Alliance hold Swing

St John's

St John's
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Marguerita Morton* 1,018 47.9 Increase2.svg6.6
Labour Dariel Francis67031.5Decrease2.svg9.6
Conservative Alexander Puffette32115.1Decrease2.svg2.4
Green Adrian Thorne1155.4N/A
Majority 34816.4
Turnout 2,12440.8
Registered electors 5,202
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

Changes 2023–2024

Labour councillor Raymond Moon was suspended from the party in July 2023. [8] David Hayward, elected for the Tunbridge Wells Alliance, left the party (of which he had been the leader) in August 2023 to form a new independent group. [9]

References

  1. "Notice of election" (PDF). Tunbridge Wells Borough Council. 20 March 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  2. "Your Councillors by Party". Tunbridge Wells Borough Council. Archived from the original on 24 March 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  3. Thorne, Lucy (5 May 2023). "Tunbridge Wells local election results 2023". Kent Live. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  4. "Borough Partnership continues following local elections". Tunbridge Wells Borough Council. May 2023. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  5. "Statement of Persons Nominated". Tunbridge Wells Borough Council . Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  6. Mehrez, Hedi (5 May 2023). "Kent local election results 2023 in full". Kent Live. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  7. 1 2 "Results". Tunbridge Wells Borough Council. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  8. Esson, Daniel (27 July 2023). "Labour Tunbridge Wells borough councillor suspended from local party over screening of Jeremy Corbyn: the Big Lie". Kent Online. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  9. Croucher, Lilly (23 August 2023). "Ex-Alliance leader quits party to form new independent group". Times of Tunbridge Wells. Retrieved 2 October 2023.