2023 Ashford Borough Council election

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2023 Ashford Borough Council election
← 2019 4 May 2023 (2023-05-04) 2027 →
All 47 seats to Ashford Borough Council
24 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party
  Blank Blank
Leader Gerry Clarkson Brendan Chilton
Party Conservative Labour
Last election 26 seats, 39.2% 7 seats, 14.9%
Seats before 23 6
Seats won 19 11
Seat change Decrease 7 Increase 4
Popular vote 14,133 9,951
Percentage 35.7% 25.1%
Swing Decrease 3.5% Increase 9.1%
  Third party Fourth party
  Blank Blank
Leader Noel Ovenden Steve Campkin & Liz Wright[a]
Party Ashford Ind. Green
Last election 11 seats, 19.1% 2 seats, 13.2%
Seats before 10 4
Seats won 9 8
Seat change Decrease 2 Increase 6
Popular vote 5,919 7,183
Percentage 14.9% 18.1
Swing Decrease 4.2% Increase 4.9%
Winner of each seat at the 2023 Ashford Borough Council election
Leader before election

Gerry Clarkson
Conservative
No overall control

Leader after election

Noel Ovenden
Ashford Independents
No overall control

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

At the previous election in 2019, the Conservatives had held onto a majority winning 26 seats out of the 47 up for election. In the intervening years a number of by-elections and defections caused the council to go into no overall control, with the Conservatives continuing to govern as a minority administration, led by Gerry Clarkson. He chose not to stand for re-election in 2023.[2]

The council remained under no overall control following election.[3] The Conservatives remained the largest party, but a coalition of local party the Ashford Independents and the Greens formed a minority administration, with Ashford Independent councillor Noel Ovenden being appointed leader of the council at the subsequent annual council meeting on 30 May 2023.[4]

Summary[edit]

Election result[edit]

2023 Ashford Borough Council election
Party Candidates Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative 47 19 1 8 Decrease 7 40.4 35.7 14,133 –3.5
  Labour 47 11 4 0 Increase 4 23.4 25.1 9,951 +9.1
  Ashford Independents 18 9 2 4 Decrease 2 19.1 14.9 5,919 –4.2
  Green 27 8 6 0 Increase 6 17.0 18.1 7,183 +4.9
  Independent 4 0 0 1 Decrease 1 0.0 1.5 626 –0.1
  Liberal Democrats 15 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 3.9 1,549 –2.5
  Reform UK 1 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 0.2 90 N/A
  TUSC 2 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 0.2 107 N/A

The gain and losses in the above summary results table depict the difference between the 2019 election and the 2023 election. It does not reflect changes since any by-elections in the intervening years.

Ward Results[edit]

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

Aylesford & East Stour[edit]

Aylesford & East Stour
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Sojan Joseph 332 32.5 +9.6
Green Al Arnold 297 29.0 +14.5
Labour Reena Mathew 287 28.1 +6.7
Green Thom Pizzey 261 25.5 +17.5
Ashford Ind. Andy Rogers 258 25.2 -7.8
Ashford Ind. David Smith 243 23.8 -14.7
Conservative Brandon Hawkins 144 14.1 +0.5
Conservative Joanna McCafferty 136 13.3 +2.4
Turnout 1,023 23.2 -1.4
Labour gain from Ashford Ind. Swing
Green gain from Ashford Ind. Swing

Beaver[edit]

There had been a by-election held for one of the Beaver ward seats on 6 May 2021 which had resulted in the Conservatives gaining the seat from Labour.

Beaver
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Kate Leavey 470 44.9 +5.4
Labour Lyn Suddards 437 41.7 -1.7
Conservative Dhan Limbu 285 27.2 +5.7
Conservative Neil Shorter 270 25.8 +9.2
Ashford Ind. Phill Thorne 215 20.5 N/A
Liberal Democrats Jacquie Stamp 99 9.5 N/A
TUSC Garry Harrison 95 9.1 N/A
Turnout 1,047 22.2 +0.1
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

Biddenden[edit]

Biddenden
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Neil Bell 552 65.7 -6.3
Green Guy Pullen 175 20.8 -7.2
Labour Sarah Lucas 112 13.3 N/A
Turnout 845 34.6 +0.1
Conservative hold

Bircholt[edit]

Bircholt
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ashford Ind. Simon Betty 294 31.6 N/A
Conservative William Howard 278 29.9 +29.9
Green Pat Marsh 132 14.2 N/A
Labour Julie Clift 116 12.5 N/A
Independent William Harbottle 106 11.4 N/A
Turnout 928 41.6 N/A
Ashford Ind. gain from Conservative

Bockhanger[edit]

Bockhanger
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Diccon Spain 340 65.7 +16.6
Conservative Shafi Khan 173 33.4 -5.5
Turnout 517 25.6 -2.1
Labour hold

Bybrook[edit]

Bybrook
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Alan Dean 261 33.5 +7.5
Conservative Jac Wood 248 31.9 +1.9
Ashford Ind. Howard Turner 230 29.6 -14.3
Liberal Democrats Andrew Graham 37 4.7 N/A
Turnout 777 37.7 +4.5
Labour gain from Ashford Ind.

Charing[edit]

Charing
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Yvonne Roden 473 65.0 -6.6
Labour Janet White 240 33.0 +4.6
Turnout 727 33.3 -0.6
Conservative hold

Conningbrook & Little Burton Farm[edit]

Conningbrook & Little Burton Farm
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ashford Ind. Katy Pauley 272 43.7 -26.7
Conservative John Seaton 159 25.5 -4.1
Labour Dylan Jones 150 24.1 N/A
Liberal Democrats Charles Knight 40 6.4 N/A
Turnout 622 33 +1.4
Ashford Ind. hold

Downs North[edit]

There had been a by-election held for the Downs North ward seat on 19 August 2021 which resulted in the Green gaining the seat from the Conservatives.

Downs North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Geoff Meaden 348 40.4 +16.9
Conservative Joseph Webb 247 28.7 -18.7
Ashford Ind. Chris Main 188 21.8 N/A
Labour Lisa Bouchat 51 5.9 -4.5
Liberal Democrats Carol Wilcox 26 3.0 -15.7
Turnout 860 41.9 +2.4
Green gain from Conservative

Downs West[edit]

Downs West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Larry Krause 435 53.9 -8.5
Green Vanessa Hutchinson 204 25.2 -3.1
Labour Geoff White 167 20.6 +11.3
Turnout 807 34.2 -0.5
Conservative hold

Furley[edit]

Furley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Euan Anckorn 549 41.2 +7.3
Conservative Andrew Buchanan 506 38.0 +3.7
Labour Sharon McCormack 475 35.6 N/A
Conservative Trish Cornish 442 33.2 -0.6
Green Louise Homewood 310 23.3 -5.1
Liberal Democrats Adrian Gee-Turner 162 12.2 -6.0
Turnout 1,333 30.6 +0.8
Labour hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing

Goat Lees[edit]

Goat Lees
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ashford Ind. Winston Michael 474 76.9 -5.9
Labour Ellie Crook 86 13.9 +6.1
Conservative Phil Sibbald 56 9.0 -0.5
Turnout 620 33.3 -4.7
Ashford Ind. hold

Godinton[edit]

Godinton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Feacey 330 51.9 -3.6
Labour Mark Silvester 146 22.9 +3.3
Green Matt Baker 94 14.8 -10.0
Liberal Democrats Charlotte Mbali 53 8.3 N/A
TUSC Cameron Osmundsen 12 1.8 N/A
Turnout 638 32.7 +1.35
Conservative hold

Highfield[edit]

There had been a by-election held for the Highfield ward seat on 16 December 2021 which resulted in the Greens gaining the seat from the Conservatives.

Highfield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Dawnie Nilsson 464 58.9 +40.2
Conservative Payal Khandaker 205 26.0 -15.1
Labour David Gordon-Young 118 14.9 N/A
Turnout 788 38.9 +15.3
Green gain from Conservative

Isle of Oxney[edit]

Isle of Oxney
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Johnny Shilton 439 47.2 +47.2
Ashford Ind. Simon Honnor 318 34.2 N/A
Labour Robert Pursey 91 9.7 N/A
Liberal Democrats Christopher Grayling 81 8.7 N/A
Turnout 931 42 +42
Conservative hold

Kennington[edit]

Kennington
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Nathan Iliffe 389 55.4 -6.6
Green Philip Sims 161 22.9 N/A
Labour Kemar Harriot 152 21.6 N/A
Turnout 703 39.1 -11.4
Conservative hold

Kingsnorth Village & Bridgefield[edit]

Kingsnorth Village & Bridgefield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ashford Ind. Ray Mcgeever 273 46.8 -22.3
Conservative David Robey 170 29.1 -1.8
Labour Kathy Walters 140 24.0 N/A
Turnout 584 26.8 -2.4
Ashford Ind. hold

Mersham, Sevington South with Finberry[edit]

Mersham, Sevington South with Finberry
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Paul Bartlett 365 56.4 +56.4
Green Anne Mildon 169 26.1 N/A
Labour Chris Kennedy 113 17.4 N/A
Turnout 649 30.7 +30.7
Conservative hold

Norman[edit]

Norman
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Jo Gambling 161 27.6 +14.6
Labour Dara Farrell 156 26.8 -4.4
Conservative Mark Starkings 149 25.6 -8.6
Independent Jenny Webb 116 19.9 -14.3
Turnout 583 28.3 -1.7
Green gain from Conservative

Park Farm North[edit]

There had been a by-election held for the Park Farm North ward seat on 12 March 2020 which resulted in the Ashford Independents party gaining the seat from the Conservatives.

Park Farm North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ashford Ind. Ben Townend 178 35.8 N/A
Conservative Biswasdip Limbu 168 33.8 -27.7
Labour Terry Jones 151 30.3 +10.4
Turnout 498 26.5 +4.4
Ashford Ind. hold

Park Farm South[edit]

Park Farm South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Katrina Giles 239 41.2 N/A
Conservative Jim Wedgbury 227 39.1 -22.0
Labour Aimee Babbs 114 19.6 -2.0
Turnout 581 31 +4.8
Green gain from Conservative

Repton[edit]

Repton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Matthew Forest 405 48.2 -7.6
Conservative Bernard Heyes 337 40.1 -6.7
Labour Elizampeth Mylonogianni 323 38.4 +8.1
Labour Priti Paintal 307 36.5 N/A
Green Dave Higgins 138 16.4 -13.5
Green Jake Pentland 128 15.2 N/A
Turnout 841 25.7 +0.3
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing

Rolvenden & Tenterden West[edit]

Rolvenden & Tenterden West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Kate Walder 444 53.4 N/A
Conservative Tom Spiller 317 38.1 -0.7
Labour Amber Wardrop 70 8.4 N/A
Turnout 840 42 -4.8
Green gain from Independent Swing

Roman[edit]

Roman
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ashford Ind. Heather Hayward 374 62.7 +3.6
Conservative John Bentley 123 20.6 -10.6
Labour Terry Pavlou 99 16.6 +6.9
Turnout 597 27.6 -1.5
Ashford Ind. hold

Saxon Shore[edit]

Saxon Shore
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ashford Ind. Linda Harman 593 72.2 +15.9
Conservative Laura Robinson 158 19.2 -24.5
Labour Dave Gathern 70 8.5 N/A
Turnout 823 39.4 -6.8
Ashford Ind. hold

Singleton East[edit]

Singleton East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bill Barrett 164 34.8 -7.5
Labour Lydia Shomuyiwa 146 30.9 +2.8
Ashford Ind. Malcolm Wiffen 91 19.3 N/A
Green Andy Whybrow 43 9.1 -10.2
Liberal Democrats Robin Robinson 27 5.7 -4.6
Turnout 471 26.2 -0.7
Conservative hold

Singleton West[edit]

Singleton West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Sally Gathern 277 54.6 +17.1
Conservative Kalysha Howard-Smith 160 31.5 -10.7
Liberal Democrats Paul Thornton-Allan 70 13.8 -6.5
Turnout 513 25.7 +1.9
Labour gain from Conservative

Stanhope[edit]

Stanhope
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Brendan Chilton 215 77.6 +10.5
Green Maria Pizzey 34 12.2 -2.4
Conservative Sarah Claydon 28 10.1 -8.2
Turnout 280 14.8 -5.5
Labour hold

Tenterden North[edit]

Tenterden North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ken Mulholland 415 51.5 -21
Labour David Ward 202 25.0 -2.5
Liberal Democrats Stephen Bowen 118 14.6 N/A
Green Owen Elias 70 8.6 N/A
Turnout 809 40.4 +0.2
Conservative hold

Tenterden South[edit]

Tenterden South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Pam Smith 341 46.0 +46.0
Independent John Crawford 249 33.6 N/A
Labour Emma Maclennan 150 20.2 N/A
Turnout 743 35.2 +35.2
Conservative hold

Tenterden St Michael's[edit]

Tenterden St Michael's
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Link 342 47.7 +47.7
Liberal Democrats Stuart Medcalf 271 37.8 N/A
Labour Edward Lloyd 103 14.3 N/A
Turnout 718 34.2 +34.2
Conservative hold

Upper Weald[edit]

Upper Weald
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Clair Bell 392 57.5 +57.5
Liberal Democrats Keith Brannan 173 25.4 N/A
Labour Mark Harris 116 17.0 N/A
Turnout 687 33.2 +33.2
Conservative hold

Victoria[edit]

Victoria
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Tania Gauder 588 48.7 +10.1
Labour Charles Suddards 535 44.3 +14.2
Conservative Charles Ellis 294 24.3 +1.2
Green Kati Ramsden 267 22.1 -0.1
Conservative Tony Trilsbach 264 21.9 +2.1
Green Steve Sitton 222 18.4 N/A
Liberal Democrats Sally Newing 127 10.5 -11.4
Turnout 1,208 24.7 -4.1
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

Washford[edit]

Washford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Clive Hallett 162 31.2 +11.2
Independent James Ransley 155 29.9 N/A
Conservative Dirk Ross 148 28.5 -23.0
Green Matt Palmer 53 10.2 -18.3
Turnout 521 25.3 +0.4
Labour gain from Conservative

Weald Central[edit]

Weald Central
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alan Pickering 591 48.8 +0.2
Conservative Jessamy Blanford 569 46.9 -0.8
Green Philip Monaghan 298 24.6 +4.6
Green Alexander Bienfait 280 23.1 N/A
Labour Sue Hallett 234 19.3 +13.5
Labour Derek Smyth 187 15.4 +10.4
Reform UK Wendy Repasky 90 7.4 N/A
Turnout 1,212 30.88 -7.56
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing

Weald North[edit]

Weald North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Kayleigh Brunger-Randall 467 50.1 +2.5
Ashford Ind. Philly Adams 249 26.7 N/A
Green Hilary Jones 127 13.6 -15.3
Labour Jordan Richardson 88 9.4 N/A
Turnout 935 44.3 -3.3
Conservative hold

Weald South[edit]

Weald South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ashford Ind. David Ledger 617 41.5 -16.9
Conservative Aline Hicks 571 38.5 -5.9
Ashford Ind. George Sparks 511 34.4 -16.4
Conservative Nicola Denoon Duncan 500 33.7 -1.5
Liberal Democrats Theresa Dickens 229 15.4 N/A
Labour Norma Smyth 195 13.1 N/A
Labour Steven Horne 194 13.1 N/A
Turnout 1,485 34.6 -4.2
Ashford Ind. hold Swing
Conservative gain from Ashford Ind. Swing

Willesborough[edit]

Willesborough
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Steven Campkin 1,102 69.3 +24.7
Green Liz Wright 962 60.5 +21.2
Conservative Patricia Speakman 328 20.6 -6.4
Conservative Charles Dehnel 301 18.9 -6.1
Labour Ifeyinwa Ajulufo 203 12.8 +1.9
Labour Ikechi Okere 171 10.7 N/A
Turnout 1,591 33.4
Green hold Swing
Green hold Swing

Wye with Hinxhill[edit]

Wye with Hinxhill
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ashford Ind. Noel Ovenden 541 76.0 -5.2
Conservative John Lawton 72 10.1 -0.1
Labour Tahsil Hashemi 62 8.7 N/A
Liberal Democrats David Browne 36 5.0 -3.6
Turnout 711 38 -5.6
Ashford Ind. hold

References[edit]

  1. ^ Co-leaders
  1. ^ "NOTICE OF ELECTION" (PDF). Ashford Borough Council. 27 March 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  2. ^ Esson, Daniel (1 December 2022). "Ashford Borough Council leader Cllr Gerry Clarkson to stand down after 10 years". Kent Online. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  3. ^ "Local Elections 2023: Results in Sussex, Kent and Essex". ITV News. 6 May 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  4. ^ Esson, Daniel (31 May 2023). "Ashford Independents and Greens take control of Ashford Borough Council after leadership vote shock for Conservatives". Kent Online. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  5. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated for Borough wards - May 2023". Ashford Borough Council. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  6. ^ "May 2023 Local Elections Results". Ashford Borough Council. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
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