2023 Ashford Borough Council election

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.

2023 Ashford Borough Council election
4 May 2023 (2023-05-04)
All 47 seats to Ashford Borough Council
24 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
  Blank Blank Blank
Leader Gerry Clarkson Noel Ovenden Brendan Chilton
Party Conservative Ashford Ind. Labour
Last election 26 seats, 39.2% 11 seats, 19.1% 7 seats, 14.9%
Seats before 23 10 6
Seats won 19 9 11
Seat change -4 -1 +5
  Fourth party Fifth party
  Blank Blank
Leader Steve Campkin & Liz Wright[lower-alpha 1]
Party Independent Green
Last election 1 seat, 1.6% 2 seats, 13.2%
Seats before 4 4
Seats won 0 8
Seat change -4 +4
Leader before election

Gerry Clarkson
Conservative
No overall control

 Leader after election

TBD
TBD

At the 2019 Ashford Borough Council election, The Conservative Party (UK) 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 Conservative Party continuing to govern as a minority administration.

Summary

Election result
2023 Ashford Borough Council election
Party Candidates Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative 47 19 1 8 -7 40.4 35.7 14,133 -3.5%
  Labour 47 11 4 0 +4 23.4 25.1 9,951 +9.1%
  Ashford Independents 18 9 2 4 -2 19.1 14.9 5,919 -
  Green 27 8 6 0 +6 17 18.1 7,183 +4.9%
  Independent 4 0 0 -1 0 0 1.5 626 -0.1%
  Liberal Democrats 15 0 0 0 0 0 3.9 1,549 -2.5%
  Reform UK 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.2 90 +0.2%
  TUSC 2 0 0 0 0 0 0.2 107 +0.2%

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

Ward Results

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.[2]

Aylesford & East Stour
Aylesford & East Stour
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour Sojan Joseph 332 16.9
Green Al Arnold 297 15.1
Labour Reena Mathew 287 14.6
Green Thom Pizzey 261 13.3
Ashford Ind. Andy Rogers 258 13.1
Ashford Ind. David Smith 243 12.3
Conservative Brandon Hawkins 144 7.3
Conservative Joanna Mccafferty 136 6.9
Turnout 1962 23.2
Labour gain from Ashford Ind.
Green gain from Ashford Ind.

Beaver

There was a by-election held for one of the Beaver ward seats on 6 May 2021 which resulted in The Conservative Party (UK) gaining the seat from the The Labour Party (UK).

Beaver
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour Kate Leavey 470 25.1
Labour Lyn Suddards 437 23.3
Conservative Dhan Limbu 285 15.2
Conservative Neil Shorter 270 14.4
Ashford Ind. Phill Thorne 215 11.4
Liberal Democrats Jacquie Stamp 99 5.2
TUSC Garry Harrison 95 5
Turnout 1,050 22.2
Labour hold
Labour gain from Conservative

Biddenden
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 +13.3
Turnout 845 34.6 +0.1
Conservative hold

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

Bockhanger
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
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 +4.7
Turnout 777 37.7 +4.5
Labour gain from Ashford Ind.

Charing
Charing
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Yvonne Roden 473 65 -6.6
Labour Janet White 240 33 +4.6
Turnout 727 33.3 -0.6
Conservative hold

Conningbrook & Little Burton Farm
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 +24.1
Liberal Democrats Charles Knight 40 6.4 +6.4
Turnout 622 33 +1.4
Ashford Ind. hold

Downs North

There was a by-election held for the Downs North ward seat on 19 August 2021 which resulted in the Green Party of England and Wales gaining the seat from the The Conservative Party (UK).

Downs North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Geoff Meaden 348 40.4 -11.4
Conservative Joseph Webb 247 28.7 -16.7
Ashford Ind. Chris Main 188 21.8 +21.8
Labour Lisa Bouchat 51 5.9 +5.9
Liberal Democrats Carol Wilcox 26 3 +0.2
Turnout 860 41.9 +16
Green hold

Downs West
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
Furley
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour Euan Anckorn 549 22.4
Conservative Andrew Buchanan 506 20.7
Labour Sharon Mccormack 475 19.4
Conservative Trish Cornish 442 18
Green Louise Homewood 310 12.6
Liberal Democrats Adrian Gee-Turner 162 6.6
Turnout 1,341 30.6
Labour hold
Conservative hold

Goat Lees
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 -0.5
Turnout 620 33.3 -4.7
Ashford Ind. hold

Godinton
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
Liberal Democrats Charlotte Mbali 53 8.3 +8.3
TUSC Cameron Osmundsen 12 1.8 +1.8
Turnout 638 32.7 +1.35
Conservative hold

Highfield

There was a by-election held for the Highfield ward seat on 16 December 2021 which resulted in the Green Party of England and Wales gaining the seat from the The Conservative Party (UK).

Highfield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Dawnie Nilsson 464 58.9 +18.9
Conservative Payal Khandaker 205 26 -8.1
Labour David Gordon-Young 118 14.9 +10.1
Turnout 788 38.9 +15.3
Green hold

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

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

Kingsnorth Village & Bridgefield
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 +24
Turnout 584 26.8 -2.4
Ashford Ind. hold

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

Norman
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 +19.9
Turnout 583 28.3 -1.7
Green gain from Conservative

Park Farm North

There was 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 The Conservative Party (UK).

Park Farm North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ashford Ind. Ben Townend 178 35.8 -24.4
Conservative Biswasdip Limbu 168 33.8 +5.8
Labour Terry Jones 151 30.3 +23.2
Turnout 498 26.5 +4.4
Ashford Ind. hold

Park Farm South
Park Farm South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Katrina Giles 239 41.2 +41.2
Conservative Jim Wedgbury 227 39.1 -22
Labour Aimee Babbs 114 19.6 -2
Turnout 581 31 +4.8
Green gain from Conservative

Repton
Repton
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Matthew Forest 405 24.7
Conservative Bernard Heyes 337 20.5
Labour Elizampeth Mylonogianni 323 19.7
Labour Priti Paintal 307 18.7
Green Dave Higgins 138 8.4
Green Jake Pentland 128 7.8
Turnout 847 25.7
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

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

Roman
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
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 +8.5
Turnout 823 39.4 -6.8
Ashford Ind. hold

Singleton East
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 +19.3
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
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
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
Tenterden North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ken Mulholland 415 51.5 -21
Labour David Ward 202 25 -2.5
Liberal Democrats Stephen Bowen 118 14.6 +14.6
Green Owen Elias 70 8.6 +8.6
Turnout 809 40.4 +0.2
Conservative hold

Tenterden South
Tenterden South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Pam Smith 341 46 +46
Independent John Crawford 249 33.6 +33.6
Labour Emma Maclennan 150 20.2 +20.2
Turnout 743 35.2 +35.2
Conservative hold

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

Upper Weald
Upper Weald
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Clair Bell 392 57.5 +57.5
Liberal Democrats Keith Brannan 173 25.4 +25.4
Labour Mark Harris 116 17 +17
Turnout 687 33.2 +33.2
Conservative hold

Victoria
Victoria
Party Candidate Votes %
Labour Tania Gauder 588 25.5
Labour Charles Suddards 535 23.2
Conservative Charles Ellis 294 12.7
Green Kati Ramsden 267 11.6
Conservative Tony Trilsbach 264 11.4
Green Steve Sitton 222 9.6
Liberal Democrats Sally Newing 127 5.5
Turnout 1222 24.7
Labour hold
Labour hold

Washford
Washford
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Clive Hallett 162 31.2 +11.2
Independent James Ransley 155 29.9 +29.9
Conservative Dirk Ross 148 28.5 -23
Green Matt Palmer 53 10.2 -18.3
Turnout 521 25.3 +0.4
Labour gain from Conservative

Weald Central
Weald Central
Party Candidate Votes %
Conservative Alan Pickering 591 26.2
Conservative Jessamy Blanford 569 25.3
Green Philip Monaghan 298 13.2
Green Alexander Bienfait 280 12.4
Labour Sue Hallett 234 10.4
Labour Derek Smyth 187 8.3
Reform UK Wendy Repasky 90 4
Turnout 1,214 30.88
Conservative hold
Conservative hold

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

Weald South
Weald South
Party Candidate Votes %
Ashford Ind. David Ledger 617 21.9
Conservative Aline Hicks 571 20.2
Ashford Ind. George Sparks 511 18.1
Conservative Nicola Denoon Duncan 500 17.7
Liberal Democrats Theresa Dickens 229 8.1
Labour Norma Smyth 195 6.9
Labour Steven Horne 194 6.8
Turnout 1498 34.6
Ashford Ind. hold
Conservative gain from Ashford Ind.

Willesborough
Willesborough
Party Candidate Votes %
Green Steven Campkin 1,102 35.9
Green Liz Wright 962 31.3
Conservative Patricia Speakman 328 10.6
Conservative Charles Dehnel 301 9.8
Labour Ifeyinwa Ajulufo 203 6.6
Labour Ikechi Okere 171 5.5
Turnout 1597 33.4
Green hold
Green hold

Wye with Hinxhill
Wye with Hinxhill
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Ashford Ind. Noel Ovenden 541 76 -5.2
Conservative John Lawton 72 10.1 -0.1
Labour Tahsil Hashemi 62 8.7 +8.7
Liberal Democrats David Browne 36 5 -3.6
Turnout 711 38 -5.6
Ashford Ind. hold

References
  1. Co-leaders
  1. "NOTICE OF ELECTION" (PDF). Ashford Borough Council. 27 March 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  2. "Statement of Persons Nominated for Borough wards - May 2023". Ashford Borough Council. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
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