Today (May 5) the ballots are being counted for the district and town and parish council elections for Thanet.
The count is taking place at Dreamland due to the usual venue, Margate Winter Gardens, being shut.
Prior to the election Thanet council consisted of:
- 25 Conservative
- 15 Labour
- 7 Thanet Independents
- 5 Green and Independents
- 2 Independents
- 2 vacant seats
Results for districts across Kent are coming in today. Medway Council was the only authority to hold the count overnight. Labour has taken control of that council for the first time since 2003.
The count as it happens
In Thanet Labour has gained seats in Northwood and Westbrook where former council leader Ash Ashbee was visibly upset at the result. Greens have also gained in St Peter’s with former council tree officer Kevin Pressland taking a seat for the party.
In Kingsgate Conservative Bob Bayford has lost the seat he held for 32 years with Independent Alan Munns taking the vote.
Cllr Munns says he began to realise he may be elected after talking to people at the polling station yesterday.
He said he is now looking forward to taking on the role with ‘hot topics’ of traffic management during tourist season and beach management.
Results are coming in: (refresh to see new results)
Margate Central stays red with the re-election of Rob Yates and Helen Whitehead. Turn out 22.1%
Helen Whitehead | Labour Party | 504 | 33% | Elected |
Rob Yates | Labour Party | 481 | 32% | Elected |
Alanna McGill-Tagg | Green Party | 245 | 16% | Not elected |
Barry Scott Millen | Conservative Party Candidate | 154 | 10% | Not elected |
John Finnegan | Independent | 138 | 9% | Not elected |
Newington
Labour’s Rick Everitt and Pat Moore are elected. Turn out 19.2%
Election Candidate | Party | Votes | % | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|---|
Pat Moore | Labour Party | 414 | 32% | Elected |
Rick Everitt | Labour Party | 393 | 30% | Elected |
Trevor Shonk | Conservative Party Candidate | 214 | 16% | Not elected |
Ben Thomas Harris | Conservative Party Candidate | 194 | 15% | Not elected |
Phil Shotton | Green Party | 94 | 7% | Not elected |
St Peter’s brings a result of two Greens with Mike Garner and former council tree officer Kevin Pressland plus Conservative Paul Moore. Turn out 33.56%
Election Candidate | Party | Votes | % | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mike Garner | Green Party | 849 | 17% | Elected |
Paul Moore | Conservative Party Candidate | 664 | 14% | Elected |
Kevin Raymond Pressland | Green Party | 664 | 14% | Elected |
Roy Dexter | Conservative Party Candidate | 614 | 13% | Not elected |
Ahsan Ashfaq | Conservative Party Candidate | 595 | 12% | Not elected |
Jason Harvey Evers | Labour Party | 470 | 10% | Not elected |
David Cooper | Labour Party | 440 | 9% | Not elected |
Matthew Thomas | Labour Party | 381 | 8% | Not elected |
Gail Anne Banks | Liberal Democrats | 215 | 4% | Not elected |
Northwood ward is all change with Labour’s Jim Driver, Will Scobie and Debra Owen-Hughes taking the seats, meaning Thanet Independents leader Stuart Piper loses his seat at council. Turn out 25%.
Election Candidate | Party | Votes | % | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|---|
Jim Driver | Labour Party | 563 | 16% | Elected |
Will Scobie | Labour Party | 554 | 16% | Elected |
Debra Owen-Hughes | Labour Party | 553 | 16% | Elected |
Keith Joseph Henry Clark | Conservative Party Candidate | 312 | 9% | Not elected |
David Barrie Spicer | Conservative Party Candidate | 282 | 8% | Not elected |
Sandra Caroline Spicer | Conservative Party Candidate | 278 | 8% | Not elected |
Rev. Stuart Piper | Thanet Independents | 270 | 8% | Not elected |
Lynda Piper | Thanet Independents | 264 | 8% | Not elected |
Christina Collins | Thanet Independents | 230 | 7% | Not elected |
Mike White | Green Party | 119 | 3% | Not elected |
Westbrook
Former council leader Ash Ashbee loses her seat as Labour’s John Edwards and Elysa D’Abbro take the votes. The former council leader was just three votes behind Labour’s John Edwards.
Turn out 30.5%
Election Candidate | Party | Votes | % | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|---|
Elyssa Chiarina D’Abbro | Labour Party | 451 | 24% | Elected |
John Martin Edwards | Labour Party | 385 | 20% | Elected |
Ash Ashbee | Conservative Party Candidate | 382 | 20% | Not elected |
David Parsons | Conservative Party Candidate | 283 | 15% | Not elected |
Ken Watkins | Green Party | 162 | 8% | Not elected |
Mark Bray | Thanet Independents | 160 | 8% | Not elected |
Amelia Randall | Reform UK | 93 | 5% | Not elected |
Birchington North
The Birchington North seats are resoundingly Conservative with George Kup and Reece Pugh taking the poll with 908 and 873 votes respectively. Turn out was 43%.
Election Candidate | Party | Votes | % | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|---|
George Kup | Conservative Party Candidate | 908 | 26% | Elected |
Reece Pugh | Conservative Party Candidate | 873 | 25% | Elected |
David Hart | Thanet Independents | 384 | 11% | Not elected |
Simon Nicholas Day | Thanet Independents | 382 | 11% | Not elected |
Colin Joseph Brown | Labour Party | 379 | 11% | Not elected |
Lucy Williams | Green Party | 328 | 9% | Not elected |
Mario Portelli | Labour Party | 262 | 7% | Not elected |
Kingsgate
The seat for Kingsgate is taken by Independent candidate Alan Munns with 366 votes. Former councillor Bob Bayford (Con) who has held the seat for more than 30 years polled 241 while Labour’s Howard Green took 128 votes. Turn out 42%.
Election Candidate | Party | Votes | % | Outcome |
---|---|---|---|---|
Alan Munns | Independent | 366 | 50% | Elected |
Robert William Bayford | Conservative Party Candidate | 241 | 33% | Not elected |
Howard Leonard Green | Labour Party | 128 | 17% | Not elected |
Thanet Villages
Conservatives Sam Bambridge, with 733 votes, and Abi-Leigh Barlow, 672 votes, and Green’s Abi Smith, 658 votes, take the seats. Turn out was 27%.
Central Harbour
All three councillors for Central Harbour retain their seats with Raushan Ara (Labour) polling 1157 votes, Tricia Austin (Green) on 852 and Becky Wing (Green) 937 votes. Turn out was 31%.
Birchington South
Birchington South stays blue with Emma Dawson, 699 votes, Phil Fellows,814 votes and Linda Wright on 726 votes taking the seats. Turn out was 31%
Westgate
Thanet Independent Bertie Braidwood retains his seat, polling 789 votes. David Donaldson (Labour) takes a seat with 525 votes and Conservative Matthew Scott retains his seat with 576 votes.
Garlinge
Thanet Independent group has taken both seats in Garlinge ward with John Dennis receiving 509 votes and John Worrow polling 581. Turn out was 29%
Beacon Road
Labour take the seats in Beacon Road ward with Joanne Bright polling 620 votes and Jenny Matterface 694 votes. Turn out was 34%
Dane Valley
Labour take all three seats with newcomer Jack Packman polling 719 votes, Martin Boyd on 709 and Ruth Duckworth on 754. Turn out was 24%.
Nethercourt
Nethercourt is a Labour hold with David Green taking 547 votes and Anne-Marie Nixey polling 574 votes. Turn out was 32%.
Viking
Independent councillor Ruth Bailey has lost her seat. The seats have gone to Kristian Bright (Labour) 786 votes, Roopa Farooki (Labour) 863 votes and John Nicols (Con) 786 votes. Turn out was 39%
Salmestone
Labour takes both seats at Salmestone ward with Leo Britcher on 470 votes and Katie Pope on 491 votes. Turn out was 23%
Eastcliff
Labour retains Eastcliff with Steve Albon, 741 votes, Corinna Huxley, 775 votes, and Helen Crittenden, 811 votes, taking the seats. Turn out was 25%
Cliftonville East
Conservatives retain Cliftonville East with newcomer Banny Manners -best known for beach clean volunteering – on 985 votes, Marc Rattigan taking 912 and Cedric Towning on 852. Turn out was 35%
Sir Moses Montefiore
Labour retain their seats with Pat Makinson taking 452 votes and Tony Ovenden polling 449 votes. Turn out was 31%
Bradstowe
Jill Bayford and George Rusiecki, both Conservative, take 524 votes and 525 votes respectively. Turn out was 40%
Cliftonville West
Labour retain the ward with Alan Currie, Heather Keen and Harry Scobie taking the votes. This means Labour also takes overall control of Thanet council for the first time since 2003 with 30 seats and just one ward left to declare
Cliffsend and Pegwell
Brenda Rogers and John Davis, Conservative, take the seats for Cliffsend and Pegwell with 571 and 516 votes respectively.
This means the make up of Thanet council is now Labour 30 seats, Conservative 17, Green 5, Thanet Independents 3, Independent 1.
Labour takes overall control of Thanet council in election success
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