Tories tighten grip on Tunbridge Wells
Published: 15:52, 01 May 2008
Tories grabbed another three seats from the Lib Dems at yesterday's borough council elections.
The party increased its number of seats from 41 to 44, leaving the Lib Dem group with four members on Tunbridge Wells council. The overall turnout by voters was 38.84 per cent.
Conservative gains were made in Capel, Rusthall and St John's wards, with Labour failing to gain a foothold on the council.
In St John's, Tory newcomer Tracy Moore took the seat by only eight votes. It was previously held by Lib Dem Simon Bannister who had stepped down.
Mrs Moore, a mother of three, said: "I am surprised. We thought it was going to be close, but I did not expect it to be this close."
In Benenden and Cranbrook, Sean Holden retained the seat for Tories, beating Independent Peter Jempson into second place.
MP Greg Clark (Con) said afterwards: "I am thrilled and delighted that we have held all our own seats and gained three extra seats from the Lib Dems.
"We have a lot of new, fresh young candidates who are standing for the first time."
Lib Dem group leader, Cllr David Neve, said: "There were four Lib Dem seats up for re-election. I expected to lose all four, but it is a victory for local politics and local action that we maintained St James'."
Click on the name of your ward to skip to the full results:
Benenden and Cranbrook, Brenchley and Horsmonden, Brenchley and Horsmonden, Broadwater, Capel, Culverden, Goudhurst and Lamberhurst, Hawkhurst and Sandhurst, Pantiles and St Mark's, Park, Pembury, Rusthall, Sherwood, Southborough and High Brooms, Speldhurst and Bidborough, St James', St John's.
Benenden and Cranbrook
Oliver Clement (UKIP) 67
Sean Holden (Con) 836
Peter Jempson (Ind) 599
Francis Rook (Lib Dem) 522
Result: Con Hold
Brenchley and Horsmonden
Marcella Callow (Con) 1,011
Isobel Kerrigan (Lib Dem) 608
Result: Con hold
Broadwater
Jean-Luc Bressard (Lib Dem) 294
Barbara Cobbold (Con) 637
Result: Con hold
Capel
Hugh Patterson (Lib Dem) 337
Brian Ransley (Con) 422
Result: Con gain
Culverden
Ronen Basu (Con) 919
Brian Leslie (Green) 518
Patricia Theophanides (UKIP) 172
Result: Con hold
Goudhurst and Lamberhurst
John Billingham (Lib Dem) 227
Barry Noakes (Con) 902
Victor Webb (UKIP) 99
Result: Con hold
Hawkhurst and Sandhurst
Keith Brown (Lib Dem) 297
David Burgess (Lab) 102
Jeffrey King (UKIP) 166
Beverley Palmer (Con) 1,120
Result: Con hold
Pantiles and St Mark's
Leonard Horwood (Con)
Result: Ward not contested, Leonard Horwood wins. Con hold.
Park
Peter Bulman (Con) 1,161
Shaun Carey (Green) 244
Peter Hillier (Lib Dem) 464
Result: Con hold
Pembury
Paul Barrington-King (Con) 1,230
Christopher Hoare (UKIP) 110
Jacqueline Prance (Lib Dem) 472
Result: Con hold
Rusthall
Robert Atwood (Con) 505
June Lavinia Moore (UKIP) 129
Bob Prance (Lib Dem) 380
Tim Probert (Lab) 166
Result
Sherwood
Lorna Blackmore (Lab) 211
Peter Lewis (Lib Dem) 347
Frank Williams (Con) 789
Result: Con hold
Southborough and High Brooms
Eileen Gayler (UKIP) 125
Marguerita Morton (Lib Dem) 235
Ronnie Ooi (Lab) 598
Joseph Simmons (Con) 695
Result: Con hold
Speldhurst and Bidborough
Peter Fasey (UKIP) 152
David Stanyer (Con) 1,345
Ian Williams (Lib Dem) 331
Result: Con hold
St James'
Beatrice Lewis (Lib Dem) 694
Christopher Luke (UKIP) 101
Alan McDermott (Con) 390
Result: Lib Dem hold
St John's
Alan Bullion (Lib Dem) 786
Phyllis Leslie (Green) 151
Tracy Moore (Con) 794
Result: Con gain
Read more
PoliticsMore by this author
KentOnline reporter