2023 Folkestone and Hythe District Council election
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All 30 seats to Folkestone and Hythe District Council
16 seats needed for a majority
Turnout34.5%
  First party Second party Third party
  Blank Blank Blank
Leader Jim Martin Connor McConville David Monk
Party Green Labour Conservative
Last election 6 seats, 25.2% 6 seats, 18.8% 13 seats, 36.4%
Seats before 6 5 10
Seats won 11 10 5
Seat change Increase 5 Increase 4 Decrease 8
Popular vote 20,218 13,631 18,137
Percentage 31.0% 20.9% 27.8%
Swing Increase 5.8% Increase 2.1% Decrease 8.6%
  Fourth party Fifth party
  Blank Blank
Leader Tim Prater
Party Liberal Democrats Independent
Last election 2 seats, 11.3% 1 seat, 4.0%
Seats before 3 4
Seats won 2 2
Seat change Steady Increase 1
Popular vote 7,353 4,204
Percentage 11.3% 6.4%
Swing Steady 0.0% Increase 2.4%
A map of the winner of each seat by party in the 2023 Folkestone and Hythe District Council Election
Leader before election

David Monk
Conservative
No overall control

Leader after election

Jim Martin
Green
No overall control

The 2023 Folkestone and Hythe District Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Folkestone and Hythe District Council in Kent, England.[1] This was on the same day as other local elections in England.

Summary

The Green Party won the most seats, with the Conservatives falling into third place behind Labour. The leader of the council prior to the election, Conservative councillor David Monk, lost his seat.[2][3]

Following the election a coalition of the Greens and Liberal Democrats formed a minority administration, with Green councillor Jim Martin being appointed the new leader of the council at the subsequent annual council meeting on 24 May 2023.[4][5]

Election result

2023 Folkestone and Hythe District Council election[6]
Party Candidates Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Green 17 11 5 0 Increase 5 36.7 31.0 20,218 +5.8
  Labour 21 10 4 0 Increase 4 33.3 20.9 13,631 +2.1
  Conservative 30 5 1 9 Decrease 8 16.7 27.8 18,137 –8.6
  Liberal Democrats 16 2 0 0 Steady 6.7 11.3 7,353 ±0.0
  Independent 11 2 1 0 Increase 1 6.7 6.4 4,204 +2.4
  Reform UK 3 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 1.3 823 N/A
  Foundation 2 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 0.9 608 +0.3
  Socialist (GB) 2 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 0.2 126 +0.1
  UKIP 1 0 0 2 Decrease 2 0.0 0.2 124 –3.4

Ward results

The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by Folkestone and Hythe District Council following the close of nominations on 5 April 2023.[7]

Broadmead

Broadmead
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Belinda Walker 454 39.5 +17.1
Conservative Kieran Leigh 448 39.0 –20.4
Liberal Democrats John Stokes 246 21.4 +3.2
Majority 6 0.5 N/A
Turnout 1,163 37.4 +5.1
Registered electors 3,106
Labour Co-op gain from Conservative Swing Increase18.8

Cheriton

Cheriton (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Rebecca Shoob* 1,219 41.0 +7.0
Green Polly Blakemore 1,078 36.3 N/A
Green Mike Blakemore 1,018 34.3 N/A
Conservative Dhan Gurung 691 23.3 –11.1
Liberal Democrats Peter Gane* 690 23.2 +1.8
Labour Paul Bingham 624 21.0 –5.6
Liberal Democrats Roger West 610 20.5 +2.6
Conservative Rory Love 566 19.1 –12.8
Conservative John Collier* 556 18.7 –12.7
Labour Jane Darling 531 17.9 –8.4
Labour Charles Bain Smith 522 17.6 –5.7
Turnout 2,971 31.6 +4.8
Registered electors 9,405
Green hold
Green gain from Conservative
Green gain from Conservative

East Folkestone

East Folkestone (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jackie Meade* 1,098 53.6 +21.9
Labour Connor McConville* 1,030 50.3 +21.9
Labour Adrian Lockwood 962 47.0 +14.5
Green Marianne Brett 548 26.8 +1.2
Conservative Jeanne Brinton 477 23.3 –4.4
Conservative Ema Deba 435 21.2 –4.3
Conservative Sheila Reed 434 21.2 +1.1
Liberal Democrats Danielle Anson 419 20.5 +1.8
Turnout 2,048 24.8 +1.7
Registered electors 8,262
Labour hold
Labour hold
Labour hold

Folkestone Central

Folkestone Central (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Laura Davison* 1,211 48.4 +15.9
Labour Abena Akuffo-Kelly 1,058 42.3 +13.6
Labour Liz McShane 981 39.2 +11.2
Conservative Claire Beresford 659 26.3 –5.5
Conservative Stephen James 647 25.9 –3.6
Conservative Dylan Jeffrey 616 24.6 –3.2
Green Clive Hawkins 545 21.8 N/A
Liberal Democrats Matthew Horrox 301 12.0 –9.1
Liberal Democrats Alison Pemberton 285 11.4 –9.3
Independent Bryan Rylands 260 10.4 –5.2
Liberal Democrats Aston Mannerings 239 9.6 –8.9
Socialist (GB) Max Hess 81 3.2 N/A
Turnout 2,501 30.5 +2.6
Registered electors 8,212
Labour hold
Labour gain from Conservative
Labour gain from Conservative

Folkestone Harbour

Folkestone Harbour (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Bridget Chapman 695 47.2 +19.2
Labour Nicola Keen* 681 46.3 +17.8
Foundation Mary Lawes 372 25.3 –1.9
Foundation Frank McKenna 236 16.0 N/A
Conservative Glyn Hibbert 230 15.6 –4.7
Conservative Richard Moffatt 210 14.3 –4.1
Liberal Democrats Tom McNeice 198 13.5 –4.4
Liberal Democrats Adam Rowledge 121 8.2 N/A
Socialist (GB) Andy Thomas 45 3.1 –1.1
Turnout 1,471 30.0 +2.0
Registered electors 4,897
Labour hold
Labour hold

Hythe

Hythe (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Anita Jones 2,971 67.9 +7.1
Green Jim Martin* 2,930 66.9 +5.9
Green Rich Holgate 2,826 64.6 +9.3
Conservative Malcolm Dearden 989 22.6 –4.9
Conservative David Owen 946 21.6 –4.8
Conservative Ben Potter 888 20.3 –5.8
Reform UK David Turner 440 10.1 N/A
Turnout 4,377 47.8 +1.3
Registered electors 9,165
Green hold
Green hold
Green hold

Hythe Rural

Hythe Rural (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green John Wing* 1,103 59.7 +14.3
Green Jeremy Speakman 1,055 57.1 +5.6
Conservative John Gabris 482 26.1 –2.6
Conservative Michael Lyons 471 25.5 –1.3
Labour Edward Le Fanu 229 12.4 +3.2
Turnout 1,847 36.7 –1.4
Registered electors 5,030
Green hold
Green hold

New Romney

New Romney (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Paul Thomas 680 35.1 N/A
Independent David Wimble* 653 33.7 –14.3
Conservative Patricia Rolfe* 501 25.9 –3.1
Conservative Laurie Glover 400 20.7 –6.4
Green Malcolm Watkinson 317 16.4 –3.6
Labour Paul Carey 315 16.3 –5.4
Independent John Davies 246 12.7 N/A
Reform UK Wendy Nevard 181 9.4 N/A
Liberal Democrats Hugh Robertson-Ritchie 111 5.7 –6.3
Independent John Houston 72 3.7 N/A
Turnout 1,935 32.7 –3.9
Registered electors 5,910
Independent gain from Conservative
Independent hold

North Downs East

North Downs East (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Stephen Scoffham 1,127 38.8 +8.4
Green James Butcher 988 34.0 +8.9
Conservative David Godfrey* 920 31.6 –17.0
Green Doug Wade 903 31.1 N/A
Conservative Stuart Peall* 896 30.8 –15.4
Conservative David Monk* 849 29.2 –15.8
Liberal Democrats Lynne Beaumont 542 20.8 –2.2
Labour Nicola Hayden 524 18.0 +5.3
Labour Lucy McGirr 482 16.6 +4.1
Independent Philip Martin* 419 14.4 N/A
Turnout 2,907 32.2 +2.9
Registered electors 9,035
Green gain from Conservative
Green gain from Conservative
Conservative hold

North Downs West

North Downs West (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Elaine Martin 932 42.7 +9.4
Conservative Jennifer Hollingsbee* 882 40.4 +3.1
Conservative Laszlo Dudas 704 32.2 –9.4
Labour Senet Yohannes 521 23.9 +12.4
Liberal Democrats Chani Sanger 510 23.4 +2.5
Reform UK Gavin Braine 202 9.3 N/A
Turnout 2,183 40.6 –3.8
Registered electors 5,380
Green gain from Conservative
Conservative hold

Romney Marsh

Romney Marsh (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Liz Grant 647 31.6 +5.7
Labour Co-op Tony Cooper 534 26.1 +14.4
Conservative Tony Hills* 532 26.0 +3.3
Independent Andy Weatherhead 491 24.0 N/A
Labour Tony Goode 481 23.5 +10.8
Independent Ian Meyers* 451 22.1 N/A
Green Jenni Hawkins 357 17.5 –6.2
Liberal Democrats Neil Matthews 161 7.9 –3.3
Independent Douglas Young 60 2.9 N/A
Turnout 2,045 34.4 –5.4
Registered electors 5,938
Conservative gain from UKIP
Labour Co-op gain from UKIP

Sandgate and West Folkestone

Sandgate and West Folkestone (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Tim Prater* 1,408 74.6 +18.3
Liberal Democrats Gary Fuller* 1,190 63.1 +13.7
Labour Sarah Danby 316 16.7 +2.4
Conservative Paul Jones 314 16.6 -11.9
Conservative Dylan Moody 261 13.8 -13.8
Turnout 1887 42.6 +3.6
Registered electors 4,434
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats hold

Walland and Denge Marsh

Walland and Denge Marsh (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Clive Goddard* 868 44.1 -1.1
Conservative Alan Martin 618 31.4 -12.7
Independent Peter Webb 406 20.6 N/A
Labour Chrissie Cooper 382 19.4 +6.3
Liberal Democrats Suzanne Piper 322 16.4 -0.1
Green Ross Carter 301 15.3 -5.4
Independent Kim Rye 269 13.7 N/A
Independent Jack Glass 197 10.0 N/A
UKIP Leonard Laws 124 6.3 -17.6
Turnout 1,968 32.1 +1.1
Registered electors 6,133
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

References

  1. ^ "Notice of Election". Folkestone and Hythe District Council. 17 March 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  2. ^ Leonard, Oliver (5 May 2023). "Kent local elections 2023: Greens and Labour win big in Folkestone and Hythe". Kent Online. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  3. ^ Adam, Lucinda (5 May 2023). "Folkestone and Hythe Tories 'frustrated and fatigued'". BBC News. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  4. ^ "Council minutes, 24 May 2023". Folkestone and Hythe District Council. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  5. ^ Esson, Daniel (26 May 2023). "Kent's first-ever 'Green' council in Hythe axes Princes Parade". Kent Online. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  6. ^ "District council 2023 election results". Folkestone and Hythe District Council. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  7. ^ "Election notices for 4 May 2023". Folkestone and Hythe District Council. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
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