2024 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election

Last updated
2024 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election
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All 39 seats on Tunbridge Wells Borough Council
20 seats needed for a majority
 First partySecond partyThird party
  No image wide.svg No image wide.svg No image wide.svg
LeaderBen ChapelardTom DawlingsHugo Pound
Party Liberal Democrats Conservative Labour
Leader's seatSt James'Benenden & CranbrookSherwood
Last election17 seats, 25.3%11 seats, 29.4%8 seats, 16.3%
Seats before17117
Seats won2275
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 5Decrease2.svg 4Decrease2.svg 2
Popular vote28,79724,67312,022
Percentage34.2%29.3%14.3%
SwingIncrease2.svg 8.9%Decrease2.svg 0.1%Decrease2.svg 2.0%
 Fourth partyFifth party
  No image wide.svg No image wide.svg
LeaderNicholas Pope
Party Alliance Independent
Leader's seatPark
(defeated)
Last election9 seats, 18.1%1 seat, 2.4%
Seats before74
Seats won41
Seat changeDecrease2.svg 3Decrease2.svg 3
Popular vote7,4574,977
Percentage8.8%5.9%
SwingDecrease2.svg 9.3%Increase2.svg 3.5%
Tunbridge Wells UK ward map 2024.svg
Winner of each seat at the 2024 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election
Leader before election

Ben Chapelard
Liberal Democrat
No overall control

Leader after election

Ben Chapelard
Liberal Democrats

The 2024 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election took place on 2 May 2024 to elect members of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council in Kent, England. [1] This was on the same day as other local elections.

Contents

Following a review of ward boundaries, the election was contested with new electoral divisions and with a reduced number of seats, 39 down from 48. [2]

Summary

The council was under no overall control prior to the election, being run by a coalition of the Liberal Democrats, local party the Tunbridge Wells Alliance, and Labour, led by Liberal Democrat councillor Ben Chapelard. The election saw the Liberal Democrats take majority control of the council. [3]

Election result

2024 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election
PartyCandidatesSeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Liberal Democrats 392230Increase2.svg 556.434.228,797+8.9
  Conservative 39702Decrease2.svg 418.029.324,673–0.1
  Labour 25500Decrease2.svg 212.814.312,022–2.0
  Alliance 10401Decrease2.svg 310.38.87,457–9.3
  Independent 19100Decrease2.svg 32.65.94,977+3.5
  Green 18000Steady2.svg0.06.55,485–1.7
  Reform UK 5000Steady2.svg0.01.1906+0.8

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 8 April 2024. [4]

Cranbrook, Sissinghurst & Frittenden

Cranbrook, Sissinghurst & Frittenden (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Andy Fairweather* 917 53.1
Alliance Nancy Warne* 843 48.8
Conservative David Somers 640 37.0
Conservative John Austen54731.7
Green John Hurst36020.8
Labour Joel Turner27515.9
Liberal Democrats James Cole19711.4
Liberal Democrats Sally Moesgaard-Kjeldsen19711.4
Independent Chris Hoare1559.0
Liberal Democrats Brian Guinnessy1398.0
Turnout 1,73631.3
Registered electors 5,552
Conservative win (new seat)
Alliance win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Culverden

Culverden (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Justine Rutland* 1,184 51.1
Liberal Democrats Martin Brice* 1,128 48.6
Liberal Democrats David Osborne* 1,070 46.1
Conservative Alex Dunn71330.7
Conservative David Scott65328.2
Conservative Victoria White*62026.7
Green Victoria Moll33714.5
Labour Martin Betts33014.2
Labour Greg Holder26711.5
Independent Sam Macdonald Walmsley1667.2
Turnout 2,32337.6
Registered electors 6,182
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats hold

Hawkhurst, Sandhurst & Benenden

Hawkhurst, Sandhurst & Benenden (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Tom Dawlings* 903 41.1
Conservative Beverley Palmer* 846 38.5
Alliance Ellen Neville* 809 36.8
Alliance Clare Escombe74834.1
Conservative Martin Taylor-Smith74533.9
Labour Mia Dahl30914.1
Green Debs Keech28112.8
Liberal Democrats Hazel Strouts26712.2
Reform UK Simon Hilton24811.3
Liberal Democrats Andrew Dawson22810.4
Liberal Democrats Vivian Widgery1235.6
Independent Angie Ward843.8
Independent Dan Littlechild823.7
Turnout 2,21134.0
Registered electors 6,497
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Alliance win (new seat)

High Brooms

High Brooms
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Co-op Dianne Hill* 427 55.9
Liberal Democrats Steve Humphreys13017.0
Conservative Freddie Mobbs8210.7
Reform UK Rick Williams618.0
Green Paul Froome476.2
Independent David Kain172.2
Turnout 76532.4
Registered electors 2,362
Labour Co-op win (new seat)

Paddock Wood

Paddock Wood (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Mark Munday* 872 38.8
Liberal Democrats Don Kent 850 37.8
Liberal Democrats Adrian Pitts 849 37.8
Conservative Ros Tucker77734.6
Independent Rodney Atkins*67029.8
Conservative Nicolas Maari60927.1
Conservative John Hall55024.5
Independent Begnat Robichaud37016.5
Green Trevor Bisdee34015.1
Labour Isobel Kerrigan22410.0
Turnout 2,25434.4
Registered electors 6,560
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Pantiles

Pantiles (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Jamie Johnson* 1,185 47.0
Liberal Democrats Christopher Hall* 1,179 46.7
Liberal Democrats Pamela Wilkinson* 1,011 40.1
Conservative James Allen68527.2
Conservative Zoe Dommett67026.6
Conservative David Evans63725.2
Green Penny Peerless33413.2
Labour Co-op Alan Bullion33313.2
Green Michael Calvert26510.5
Green Kate Sergeant2409.5
Reform UK John Spence2098.3
Independent Penny Kift1807.1
Independent Dino Myers-Lamptey1465.8
Turnout 2,53236.9
Registered electors 6,859
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Park

Park (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Matt Lowe 1,240 44.5
Liberal Democrats Corinna Keefe 1,076 38.6
Liberal Democrats Tara Matthews 1,009 36.2
Alliance Nick Pope*86431.0
Conservative Bob Atwood74726.8
Conservative Andrew Hobart71225.5
Conservative Sedat Zorba68924.7
Green Alasdair Fraser43415.6
Labour Sue Pound33912.2
Labour Jack Faulkner30911.1
Reform UK Michael Jerrom2167.7
Turnout 2,79342.2
Registered electors 6,616
Liberal Democrats gain from Alliance
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative
Liberal Democrats gain from Alliance

Pembury & Capel

Pembury & Capel (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Hugh Patterson* 1,099 40.8
Liberal Democrats Astra Birch 1,032 38.3
Independent David Hayward* 989 36.7
Liberal Democrats Colin Sefton88833.0
Independent Suzie Wakeman*80730.0
Conservative Paul Barrington-King*79729.6
Conservative Paul Roberts*55420.6
Conservative Vivek Gautam44616.6
Green Evelien Hurst-Buist2268.4
Labour Anne Musker1836.8
Turnout 2,70141.5
Registered electors 6,513
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Independent win (new seat)

Rural Tunbridge Wells

Rural Tunbridge Wells (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Lynne Darrah 1,034 37.7
Conservative Thomas Mobbs 904 33.0
Alliance David Knight* 887 32.3
Conservative Jill Andrew86331.5
Alliance Alison Webster*78628.7
Green Jenny Fox53219.4
Green Geoff Mason43916.0
Liberal Democrats Quentin Rappoport36713.4
Liberal Democrats Gillian Douglass35613.0
Independent Paul Glazier33112.1
Green Helen Yeo32912.0
Labour Kevin Kerrigan30010.9
Liberal Democrats Michael Gill27510.0
Labour Andrew Scott2549.3
Turnout 2,75135.1
Registered electors 7,828
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Alliance win (new seat)

Rusthall & Speldhurst

Rusthall & Speldhurst (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Jayne Sharratt* 1,004 30.9
Alliance Matthew Sankey* 975 30.0
Labour Alex Britcher-Allan* 886 27.3
Alliance Paul Curry*82825.5
Liberal Democrats Rebecca Leach76023.4
Liberal Democrats Martin Franklin72722.4
Liberal Democrats John Moreland69721.4
Labour Phil Wheeler68721.1
Conservative Harry Allen*66220.4
Conservative Aaron Brand61218.8
Conservative James McInroy59718.4
Green Stephanie Gandon2748.4
Reform UK Mike Hardy1725.3
Independent Graham Withers1705.2
Turnout 3,25744.3
Registered electors 7,349
Labour win (new seat)
Alliance win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)

Sherwood

Sherwood (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Hugh Pound* 721 39.2
Labour Victoria Jones 692 37.6
Conservative Christian Atwood 681 37.1
Conservative Lynne Weatherly67136.5
Labour Shadi Rogers*66136.0
Conservative Richard Harrington64735.2
Green Sue Lovell22512.2
Liberal Democrats William Healing21311.6
Independent Joe Dore20010.9
Liberal Democrats Marguerita Morton*18810.2
Liberal Democrats Yvonne Raptis1759.5
Turnout 1,84429.1
Registered electors 6,345
Labour hold
Labour hold
Conservative hold

Southborough & Bidborough

Southborough & Bidborough (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Mark Ellis* 1,059 35.6
Liberal Democrats Brandon Le Page* 1,037 34.8
Liberal Democrats Joe Opara* 917 30.8
Labour Penny Breedon80026.9
Conservative Sarah Bridges79526.7
Conservative Peter Oakford79226.6
Conservative Alexander Puffette71724.1
Labour John Francis*70823.8
Labour Alain Lewis*68323.0
Alliance Jonathan Farina34711.7
Green Mark McBennett2759.2
Independent Len Colangelo2137.2
Turnout 2,98640.7
Registered electors 7,330
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

St. James'

St. James' (3 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Ben Chapelard* 1,427 66.1
Liberal Democrats Rob Wormington* 1,024 47.4
Liberal Democrats Courtney Souper 957 44.3
Green Maria Gavin42319.6
Labour Darren Moore40818.9
Alliance Kit Hawes-Webb37017.1
Labour Chris Stevenson35716.5
Conservative Misha Mitchem25511.8
Conservative Christopher Woodward24611.4
Conservative Jamie Tucker24311.3
Independent Colin Nicholson1285.9
Independent Liberty Richardson1175.4
Turnout 2,16835.8
Registered electors 6,050
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

St. John's

St. John's (2 seats)
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Peter Lidstone* 855 50.4
Liberal Democrats Matt Fox 810 47.7
Labour Dariel Francis44626.3
Labour Maura Faulkner41924.7
Conservative Alexander Lewis-Gray22113.0
Conservative Rebecca Winter19411.4
Green Adrian Thorne1247.3
Independent Fran Colangelo995.8
Independent Mark Nicholson533.1
Turnout 1,70040.4
Registered electors 4,209
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats hold

By-elections

Park

Park by-election: 1 May 2025
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Richard Brown 973 38.4 +6.1
Conservative Sedat Zorba44817.7–1.8
Alliance Nick Pope41616.4–6.1
Reform UK John Spence40516.0+10.4
Green Jeremy Clapham1797.1–4.2
Labour Kate McAlpine1104.3–4.5
Majority 52520.7N/A
Turnout 2,53838.0–4.2
Registered electors 6,688
Liberal Democrats hold Swing Increase2.svg4.0

St Johns

St Johns by-election: 1 May 2025
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Simon Davidson 780 51.1 +3.5
Reform UK Chris Hoare24716.2N/A
Conservative Alex Grey17111.2–1.1
Labour Co-op Alan Bullion1268.3–16.5
Green Kate Sergeant1117.3+0.4
Alliance Kit Hawes-Webb624.1N/A
IfTW Joe Dore281.8N/A
Majority 53334.9N/A
Turnout 1,52936.2–4.2
Registered electors 4,223
Liberal Democrats hold

References

  1. ↑ "Notice of election". Tunbridge Wells Borough Council. 11 March 2024. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  2. ↑ "Local elections 2024: Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells residents prepare to vote". BBC News. April 9, 2024.
  3. ↑ Esson, Daniel (3 May 2024). "Liberal Democrats take control of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council at 2024 local election". Kent Online. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  4. ↑ "Statement of persons nominated". Tunbridge Wells Borough Council. 8 April 2024. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
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