Local Elections 2023: Results in Sussex, Kent and Essex
SUSSEX
ARUN
Arun District Council is under no overall control.
BRIGHTON AND HOVE
Labour gain control of Brighton and Hove City Council
CHICHESTER
Chichester District Council is no under the control of the Liberal Democrats. It was previously under no overall control.
CRAWLEY
Crawley Borough Council remains under Labour control.
In 2022 the Labour Party gained control of Crawley Borough Council from the Conservatives.
A third of seats were being contested. The Labour Party gained 2 seats, the Conservatives lost 1, and an Independent lost 1.
Following 2022's elections the council was as follows:
Labour - 18
Conservatives - 17
Vacant - 1
EASTBOURNE
Eastbourne Borough Council remains under the control of the Liberal Democrats.
The Liberal Democrats gained one seat here, bringing their total to 19. The Conservatives lost one and now hold eight.
27 seats at the council are up for election this year. It is run by the Liberal Democrats.
The current representation is:
Liberal Democrats - 16 councillors
Conservative - 8 councillors
Independent - 3 councillor
HORSHAM
The Liberal Democrats have gained control of Horsham District Council from the Conservatives
Lib Dems gain 15, Greens gain 5, Conservatives lose 18, Independents lose 2
New council: Lib Dems 28, Conservatives 11, Greens 8, Independents 1
LEWES
Lewes District Council has no overall control
Greens gain 9, Lib Dems gain 6, Lab gain 5, C lose 18, Ind lose 2
New council: Green 17, Lib Dem 15, Labour 9
The political representation on Lewes District Council following previous elections is:
Conservative - 18 councillors
Liberal Democrats - 9 councillors
Green - 8 councillors
Labour - 4 councillors
Independent Group - 2 councillors
MID SUSSEX
The Conservatives have lost control of Mid Sussex District Council. It is no under no overall control.
ROTHER
Rother District Council has no overall control
Labour gains 6, Greens gain 2, Conservatives lose 6, Independents lose 2
New council: Independent 10, Conservatives 10, Labour 8, Lib Dems 7, Green 3
WEALDEN
Conservatives lose Wealden District Council to no overall control
The Political Composition of the Council following the previous election was:
Conservatives – 28
Liberal Democrats – 6
Independent Democrats – 4
Green Party – 4
The Independent Group – 3
WORTHING
Labour has held control of Worthing Borough Council.
The town has been a key battleground for both Labour and the Conservatives.
Labour gained one seat, as well as the Green Party, while the Conservatives lost two.
The council make up is as follows:
Labour - 24
Conservatives - 11
Lib Dem - 1
Green Party- 1
KENT
ASHFORD
Ashford Borough Council is now under no overall control.
The Conservatives lost four seats, but remain the largest party with a total of 19 seats.
Labour gained five seats, whilst the Green Party gained four.
The overall make-up is as follows:
Conservatives - 19
Labour - 11
Ashford Independent Group - 9
Green Party - 8
Independents - 0
CANTERBURY
Canterbury City Council has no overall control
Labour gain 9, Lib Dem gain 3, Greens gain 3, Conservatives lose 10, Independents lose 5
New council: Lab 18, Lib Dem 9, Conservatives 8, Greens 4
DARTFORD
Conservatives hold Dartford Borough Council
DOVER
Labour have taken control of Dover District Council for the first time since 1995.
FOLKESTONE AND HYTHE
Folkestone and Hythe District Council has no overall control
GRAVESHAM
Labour gain Gravesham Borough Council from NOC
MAIDSTONE
Maidstone Borough Council is now under no overall control.
The Conservatives lost four seats here. The Liberal Democrats also lost one.
Independents gained two seats. Labour gained one also.
The Greens gained two seats bringing their total to three.
Last year, 18 of Maidstone's 55 seats were up for re-election. The Conservatives did have a majority of 5, but were 1 short to hold a majority.
There are 55 Maidstone Borough Council councillors in total which were as follows:
Conservative - 27
Liberal Democratic - 12
Independent - 6
Labour – 5
Maidstone Group – 4
Green Party - 1
MEDWAY
Medway Council will now be run by Labour.
Labour has enough seats to form an administration, taking control from the Tories for the first time in 20 years.
The Conservatives previously had 35 councillors, but following yesterday's election now only have 22.
Labour has 33 councillors, up 11. Independents gained 2 seats.
SEVENOAKS
No change as Conservatives hold Sevenoaks District Council
Lib Dems gain 10, Greens gain 4, Conservatives lose 12, Labour lose 1, Independent lose 1
New council: Conservatives 33, Lib Dems 14, Greens 4, Independents 3
SWALE
Swale Borough Council has no overall control
THANET
Labour has taken control of Thanet District Council
The Conservative leader of Thanet Council, Ash Ashbee, has lost her seat.
Labour shadow leader Rick Everitt has won a seat.
Prior to the election Thanet council consisted of:
25 Conservative
15 Labour
7 Thanet Independents
5 Green and Independents
2 Independents
2 vacant seats
TONBRIDGE AND MALLING
The Conservatives have lost control of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council. It is now under no overall control.
TUNBRIDGE WELLS
Tunbridge Wells District Council remains under no overall control.
The Conservatives lost two seats here.
Tunbridge Wells District Council had become a safe Tory seat but the party was forced to run as a minority in 2021.
A third of the council was up for election in 2022. Of these seats, 9 were lost to opposing parties, 4 to the Lib Dems, 3 by the Tunbridge Wells Alliance (TWA) and 2 to Labour.
This meant the Liberal Democrats had the largest share on the council:
Liberal Democrats - 16
Conservatives - 13
Independent - 12
Labour - 7
ESSEX
CASTLE POINT
Castle Point Borough Council remains in no overall control.
The Conservatives lost seven seats here. The party now has nine councillors overall.
13 of the 14 seats up for grabs were won by Independents or local groups.
The new council is: Ind/Others: 32, Con: 9
SOUTHEND-ON-SEA
Southend-on-Sea City Council remains under no overall control.
The Conservatives gained two seats here. Labour gained one along with the Greens.
The new makeup is: C 22, Lab 17, Ind 7, LD 4, Green 1
18 of the 51 seats on the council were up for election in May 2022.
There were 8 independent councillors that were elected - down from 10.
Southend was previously run as a joint administration by Labour, Lib Dems and Independents although the Conservatives were the biggest single party following last year's elections.
THURROCK
The Conservative Party remains in control of Thurrock Council.
Labour has gained 5 seats, whilst the Conservatives lost 3. Independent candidates lost 2.
New council makeup: C 26, Lab 19, Ind 4
16 of the 49 seats on the council were up for election in May 2022.
Following that election, the council was made up of 30 Conservative Councillors, 14 Labour (down from 15) and 5 Independents.
Thurrock is a unitary authority in Essex, meaning a single council runs all the local services.
Labour lost their overall majority in 2014 after UKIP gained five seats. UKIP used to have a strong presence in Thurrock.