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2024 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election

2024 English local election From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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.

Quick facts All 39 seats on Tunbridge Wells Borough Council 20 seats needed for a majority, Turnout ...
2024 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election
← 2023
2 May 2024 (2024-05-02)
2026 →
All 39 seats on Tunbridge Wells Borough Council
20 seats needed for a majority
Turnout37%
  First party Second party Third party
  Blank Blank Blank
Leader Ben Chapelard Tom Dawlings Hugo Pound
Party Liberal Democrats Conservative Labour
Leader's seat St James' Benenden & Cranbrook Sherwood
Last election 17 seats, 25.3% 11 seats, 29.4% 8 seats, 16.3%
Seats before 17 11 7
Seats won 22 7 5
Seat change Increase 5 Decrease 4 Decrease 2
Popular vote 28,797 24,673 12,022
Percentage 34.2% 29.3% 14.3%
Swing Increase 8.9% Decrease 0.1% Decrease 2.0%
  Fourth party Fifth party
  Blank Blank
Leader Nicholas Pope
Party Alliance IfTW
Leader's seat Park
(defeated)
Last election 9 seats, 18.1% 1 seat, 2.4%
Seats before 7 4
Seats won 4 1
Seat change Decrease 3 Decrease 3
Popular vote 7,323 4,261
Percentage 8.7% 5.1%
Swing Decrease 9.4% Increase 2.7%
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

Close

The council reported borough-wide turnout of 37% and published detailed results for each ward.[2][3]

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.[4]

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.[5]

Election result

More information Party, Candidates ...
2024 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election
Party Candidates Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Liberal Democrats 39 22 3 0 Increase 5 56.4 34.2 28,797 +8.9
  Conservative 39 7 0 2 Decrease 4 18.0 29.3 24,673 –0.1
  Labour 25 5 0 0 Decrease 2 12.8 14.3 12,022 –2.0
  Alliance 10 4 0 1 Decrease 3 10.3 8.7 7,323 –9.4
  Independents for Tunbridge Wells 17 1 0 0 Decrease 3 2.6 5.1 4,261 +2.7
  Independent 2 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 1.0 850 N/A
  Green 18 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 6.5 5,485 –1.7
  Reform 5 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 1.1 906 +0.8
Close

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.[6]

Cranbrook, Sissinghurst & Frittenden

More information Party, Candidate ...
Cranbrook, Sissinghurst & Frittenden (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Andy Fairweather* 917 53.1
Alliance Nancy Warne* 843 48.8
Conservative David Somers 640 37.0
Conservative John Austen 547 31.7
Green John Hurst 360 20.8
Labour Joel Turner 275 15.9
Liberal Democrats James Cole 197 11.4
Liberal Democrats Sally Moesgaard-Kjeldsen 197 11.4
IfTW Chris Hoare 155 9.0
Liberal Democrats Brian Guinnessy 139 8.0
Turnout 1,736 31.3
Registered electors 5,552
Conservative win (new seat)
Alliance win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Close

Culverden

More information Party, Candidate ...
Culverden (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
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 Dunn 713 30.7
Conservative David Scott 653 28.2
Conservative Victoria White* 620 26.7
Green Victoria Moll 337 14.5
Labour Martin Betts 330 14.2
Labour Greg Holder 267 11.5
IfTW Sam Macdonald Walmsley 166 7.2
Turnout 2,323 37.6
Registered electors 6,182
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats hold
Close

Hawkhurst, Sandhurst & Benenden

More information Party, Candidate ...
Hawkhurst, Sandhurst & Benenden (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Tom Dawlings* 903 41.1
Conservative Beverley Palmer* 846 38.5
Alliance Ellen Neville* 809 36.8
Alliance Clare Escombe 748 34.1
Conservative Martin Taylor-Smith 745 33.9
Labour Mia Dahl 309 14.1
Green Debs Keech 281 12.8
Liberal Democrats Hazel Strouts 267 12.2
Reform Simon Hilton 248 11.3
Liberal Democrats Andrew Dawson 228 10.4
Liberal Democrats Vivian Widgery 123 5.6
IfTW Angie Ward 84 3.8
IfTW Dan Littlechild 82 3.7
Turnout 2,211 34.0
Registered electors 6,497
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Alliance win (new seat)
Close

High Brooms

More information Party, Candidate ...
High Brooms
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Dianne Hill* 427 55.9
Liberal Democrats Steve Humphreys 130 17.0
Conservative Freddie Mobbs 82 10.7
Reform Rick Williams 61 8.0
Green Paul Froome 47 6.2
IfTW David Kain 17 2.2
Turnout 765 32.4
Registered electors 2,362
Labour Co-op win (new seat)
Close

Paddock Wood

More information Party, Candidate ...
Paddock Wood (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Mark Munday* 872 38.8
Liberal Democrats Don Kent 850 37.8
Liberal Democrats Adrian Pitts 849 37.8
Conservative Ros Tucker 777 34.6
Independent Rodney Atkins* 670 29.8
Conservative Nicolas Maari 609 27.1
Conservative John Hall 550 24.5
IfTW Begnat Robichaud 370 16.5
Green Trevor Bisdee 340 15.1
Labour Isobel Kerrigan 224 10.0
Turnout 2,254 34.4
Registered electors 6,560
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Close

Pantiles

More information Party, Candidate ...
Pantiles (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
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 Allen 685 27.2
Conservative Zoe Dommett 670 26.6
Conservative David Evans 637 25.2
Green Penny Peerless 334 13.2
Labour Co-op Alan Bullion 333 13.2
Green Michael Calvert 265 10.5
Green Kate Sergeant 240 9.5
Reform John Spence 209 8.3
Independent Penny Kift 180 7.1
IfTW Dino Myers-Lamptey 146 5.8
Turnout 2,532 36.9
Registered electors 6,859
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Close

Park

More information Party, Candidate ...
Park (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
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* 864 31.0
Conservative Bob Atwood 747 26.8
Conservative Andrew Hobart 712 25.5
Conservative Sedat Zorba 689 24.7
Green Alasdair Fraser 434 15.6
Labour Sue Pound 339 12.2
Labour Jack Faulkner 309 11.1
Reform Michael Jerrom 216 7.7
Turnout 2,793 42.2
Registered electors 6,616
Liberal Democrats gain from Alliance
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative
Liberal Democrats gain from Alliance
Close

Pembury & Capel

More information Party, Candidate ...
Pembury & Capel (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Hugh Patterson* 1,099 40.8
Liberal Democrats Astra Birch 1,032 38.3
IfTW David Hayward* 989 36.7
Liberal Democrats Colin Sefton 888 33.0
IfTW Suzie Wakeman* 807 30.0
Conservative Paul Barrington-King* 797 29.6
Conservative Paul Roberts* 554 20.6
Conservative Vivek Gautam 446 16.6
Green Evelien Hurst-Buist 226 8.4
Labour Anne Musker 183 6.8
Turnout 2,701 41.5
Registered electors 6,513
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Independent win (new seat)
Close

Rural Tunbridge Wells

More information Party, Candidate ...
Rural Tunbridge Wells (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Lynne Darrah 1,034 37.7
Conservative Thomas Mobbs 904 33.0
Alliance David Knight* 887 32.3
Conservative Jill Andrew 863 31.5
Alliance Alison Webster* 786 28.7
Green Jenny Fox 532 19.4
Green Geoff Mason 439 16.0
Liberal Democrats Quentin Rappoport 367 13.4
Liberal Democrats Gillian Douglass 356 13.0
IfTW Paul Glazier 331 12.1
Green Helen Yeo 329 12.0
Labour Kevin Kerrigan 300 10.9
Liberal Democrats Michael Gill 275 10.0
Labour Andrew Scott 254 9.3
Turnout 2,751 35.1
Registered electors 7,828
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Alliance win (new seat)
Close

Rusthall & Speldhurst

More information Party, Candidate ...
Rusthall & Speldhurst (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jayne Sharratt* 1,004 30.9
Alliance Matthew Sankey* 975 30.0
Labour Alex Britcher-Allan* 886 27.3
Alliance Paul Curry* 828 25.5
Liberal Democrats Rebecca Leach 760 23.4
Liberal Democrats Martin Franklin 727 22.4
Liberal Democrats John Moreland 697 21.4
Labour Phil Wheeler 687 21.1
Conservative Harry Allen* 662 20.4
Conservative Aaron Brand 612 18.8
Conservative James McInroy 597 18.4
Green Stephanie Gandon 274 8.4
Reform Mike Hardy 172 5.3
IfTW Graham Withers 170 5.2
Turnout 3,257 44.3
Registered electors 7,349
Labour win (new seat)
Alliance win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Close

Sherwood

More information Party, Candidate ...
Sherwood (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Hugh Pound* 721 39.2
Labour Victoria Jones 692 37.6
Conservative Christian Atwood 681 37.1
Conservative Lynne Weatherly 671 36.5
Labour Shadi Rogers* 661 36.0
Conservative Richard Harrington 647 35.2
Green Sue Lovell 225 12.2
Liberal Democrats William Healing 213 11.6
IfTW Joe Dore 200 10.9
Liberal Democrats Marguerita Morton* 188 10.2
Liberal Democrats Yvonne Raptis 175 9.5
Turnout 1,844 29.1
Registered electors 6,345
Labour hold
Labour hold
Conservative hold
Close

Southborough & Bidborough

More information Party, Candidate ...
Southborough & Bidborough (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Mark Ellis* 1,059 35.6
Liberal Democrats Brendon Le Page* 1,037 34.8
Liberal Democrats Joe Opara* 917 30.8
Labour Penny Breedon 800 26.9
Conservative Sarah Bridges 795 26.7
Conservative Peter Oakford 792 26.6
Conservative Alexander Puffette 717 24.1
Labour John Francis* 708 23.8
Labour Alain Lewis* 683 23.0
IfTW Lorenzo Colangelo 347 11.7
Green Mark McBennett 275 9.2
Alliance Jonathan Farina 213 7.2
Turnout 2,986 40.7
Registered electors 7,330
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Close

St. James'

More information Party, Candidate ...
St. James' (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
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 Gavin 423 19.6
Labour Darren Moore 408 18.9
Alliance Kit Hawes-Webb 370 17.1
Labour Chris Stevenson 357 16.5
Conservative Misha Mitchem 255 11.8
Conservative Christopher Woodward 246 11.4
Conservative Jamie Tucker 243 11.3
IfTW Colin Nicholson 128 5.9
IfTW Liberty Richardson 117 5.4
Turnout 2,168 35.8
Registered electors 6,050
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Close

St. John's

More information Party, Candidate ...
St. John's (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Peter Lidstone* 855 50.4
Liberal Democrats Matt Fox 810 47.7
Labour Dariel Francis 446 26.3
Labour Maura Faulkner 419 24.7
Conservative Alexander Lewis-Gray 221 13.0
Conservative Rebecca Winter 194 11.4
Green Adrian Thorne 124 7.3
IfTW Fran Colangelo 99 5.8
IfTW Mark Nicholson 53 3.1
Turnout 1,700 40.4
Registered electors 4,209
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats hold
Close

Changes 2024–2026

  • March 2025: Peter Lidston (Liberal Democrats) and Tara Matthews (Liberal Democrats) resign, triggering by-elections in St John's and Park wards.[7]
  • May 2025: Richard Brown and Simon Davidson win the Park and St John's by-elections respectively.[8][9]
  • August 2025: David Knight leaves the Tunbridge Wells Alliance to sit as an independent.[10]
  • September 2025: Matthew Fox (Liberal Democrats) resigns from St John's ward, triggering a by-election, and David Knight joins the Conservative Party.[11][12]
  • October 2025: Ukonu Obasi wins the St John's by-election.[13]
  • 2026: Vic Jones (Labour) resigns from Sherwood ward and Brendon Le Page (Liberal Democrats) resigns from Southborough and Bidborough ward, creating double-vacancy elections at the 2026 election.[14]

By-elections

Park

More information Party, Candidate ...
Park by-election: 1 May 2025
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Richard Brown 973 38.4 +6.1
Conservative Sedat Zorba 448 17.7 –1.8
Alliance Nick Pope 416 16.4 –6.1
Reform John Spence 405 16.0 +10.4
Green Jeremy Clapham 179 7.1 –4.2
Labour Kate McAlpine 110 4.3 –4.5
Majority 525 20.7 N/A
Turnout 2,538 38.0 –4.2
Registered electors 6,688
Liberal Democrats hold Swing Increase4.0
Close

The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Tara Matthews.[15]

St Johns (May 2025)

More information Party, Candidate ...
St Johns by-election: 1 May 2025
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Simon Davidson 780 51.1 +3.5
Reform Chris Hoare 247 16.2 N/A
Conservative Alex Grey 171 11.2 –1.1
Labour Co-op Alan Bullion 126 8.3 –16.5
Green Kate Sergeant 111 7.3 +0.4
Alliance Kit Hawes-Webb 62 4.1 N/A
IfTW Joe Dore 28 1.8 N/A
Majority 533 34.9 N/A
Turnout 1,529 36.2 –4.2
Registered electors 4,223
Liberal Democrats hold
Close

The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Peter Lidston.[16]

St Johns (October 2025)

More information Party, Candidate ...
St Johns by-election: 30 October 2025[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Ukonu Obasi 629 53.3 +4.3
Reform Chris Hoare 177 15.0 N/A
Green Kate Sergeant 160 13.5 +6.4
Alliance Kit Hawes-Webb 105 8.9 N/A
Conservative David Sumner 90 7.6 –5.1
IfTW Joe Dore 20 1.7 N/A
Majority 452 38.3 N/A
Turnout 1,183 28.4 –12.0
Registered electors 4,159
Liberal Democrats hold
Close

The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Matthew Fox.[18]

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