The Liberal Democrats are “ecstatic” to have taken overall control of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council (TWBC) for the first time in almost 30 years.
The three-way coalition which ran the council has been replaced with a Lib Dem majority for the first time since 1996.
Votes were cast yesterday (Thursday), with residents electing 39 representatives across the borough, with every single seat up for grabs.
Cllr Ben Chapelard (Lib Dem) was leader of the council before the election, as the head of the coalition of the Lib Dems, Tunbridge Wells Alliance and Labour.
“I’m feeling ecstatic,” he said shortly after their majority was confirmed.
“We had a positive plan for residents and what we want to do for the borough.
“We’ve now been given a two year mandate by residents to deliver that and I can’t wait to get started.
“We are the change in Tunbridge Wells and the residents today have said they want change.”
The Lib Dems now have 22 out of 39 seats on the authority, leaving them in control for the first time since 1996.
The party’s parliamentary candidate Mike Martin said after the votes were counted: “We’ve spoken to 20,000 voters so far this year and they have spoken, they have told us that they are absolutely sick and tired of the Conservatives.”
The Conservatives went from 11 seats to seven – having already lost overall control of the council to the Lib Dem, Labour and Tunbridge Wells Alliance coalition in 2021.
Councillor of 10 years and Tory group leader Cllr Tom Dawlings, however, won re-election in the new ward of Hawkhurst, Sandhurst and Benenden.
“It’s a huge relief, it was very close,” he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).
“I like to think that we fought a very positive campaign, it’s not been a great day for the Conservatives, I acknowledge that.
“I know some of the Liberals very well, I congratulate them on what they’ve achieved, and I hope that they’ll continue to work constructively for the borough,” he added.
The Conservatives have taken a beating at the polls across the country today, losing hundreds of council seats.
Labour group leader and parliamentary candidate Cllr Hugo Pound (Lab) retained his seat, and stressed: “We have fairly limited resources here in Tunbridge Wells whereas we know that the Liberal Democrats particularly have thrown a huge amount of resources at the council election.”
Labour went from seven seats down to five.
“It’s very clear that people are absolutely sick and tired of the Conservative government,” Cllr Pound stressed.
Nicholas Pope of the Tunbridge Wells Alliance, however, lost his Park ward seat.
“There was always a concern that might happen – but its how democracy works,” he told the LDRS.
“You win some you lose some, this time I lost.”
He continued: “It’s disappointing for us, we’re down to four seats from our current nine, we were hoping to get seven or eight.
“But the Lib Dem machine – which is geared up for the general election – has shown it works.
“I don’t think we’ll see something like this next time there’s a local election in Tunbridge Wells.”
Voters elected the entire council in one go for the first time in decades – TWBC does most of its elections “by thirds” – where every year one-third of the members are elected, and no election every fourth year.
The authority previously had 48 seats, but the Local Government Boundary Commission for England reworked the seats for this election – moving down to 14 wards, all but one of which have three councillors each.
The council will return to election by thirds from now, with the next one due in 2026.
The Independents for Tunbridge Wells, formed by defectors from the Tunbridge Wells Alliance, won only one seat – with founder Cllr David Hayward retaining Pembury.
Final result
Liberal Democrats – 22
Conservatives – 7
Labour – 5
Tunbridge Wells Alliance – 4
Independents for Tunbridge Wells – 1
