# Ashford Borough Council elections

Ashford Borough Council is the local authority for the Borough of Ashford in Kent, England. The council is elected every four years. Since the last boundary changes in 2019, 47 councillors have been elected from 39 wards.

## Political control

The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority before coming into its powers on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1973 has been held by the following parties:
| Party in control | Years |
| No overall control | 1973–1976 |
| Conservative | 1976–1979 |
| No overall control | 1979–1983 |
| Conservative | 1983–1995 |
| No overall control | 1995–2003 |
| Conservative | 2003–2022 |
| No overall control | 2022–present |

### Leadership

The leaders of the council since 1999 have been:
| Councillor | Party | From | To |
| Paul Clokie | Conservative | 1999 | 13 May 2010 |
| Paul Bartlett | Conservative | 13 May 2010 | 9 Nov 2010 |
| Peter Wood | Conservative | 9 Nov 2010 | 1 Mar 2013 |
| Gerry Clarkson | Conservative | 18 Apr 2013 | 7 May 2023 |
| Noel Ovenden | Ashford Ind. | 30 May 2023 | |

## Council elections

* 1973 Ashford Borough Council election
* 1976 Ashford Borough Council election (New ward boundaries)
* 1979 Ashford Borough Council election
* 1983 Ashford Borough Council election
* 1987 Ashford Borough Council election
* 1991 Ashford Borough Council election
* 1995 Ashford Borough Council election
* 1999 Ashford Borough Council election
* 2003 Ashford Borough Council election (New ward boundaries reduced the number of seats by 6)
* 2007 Ashford Borough Council election
* 2011 Ashford Borough Council election
* 2015 Ashford Borough Council election
* 2019 Ashford Borough Council election (New ward boundaries)
* 2023 Ashford Borough Council election

## Borough result maps

* 2003 results map
* 2007 results map
* 2011 results map
* 2015 result map
* 2019 results map
* 2023 results map

## By-election results
### 1995-1999

Tenterden East By-Election 11 December 1997 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | | 387 | 58.9 | −3.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | | 147 | 22.4 | −15.0 |
| | Labour | | 123 | 18.7 | +18.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 240 | 36.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 657 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### 2003-2007

Charing By-Election 16 February 2006 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Gerald Clarkson | 419 | 71.7 | +4.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jonathan Heuch | 126 | 21.6 | −11.0 |
| | Labour | Malcolm Horton | 39 | 6.7 | +6.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 293 | 50.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 584 | 30.1 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### 2011-2015

Beaver by-election 24 November 2011 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Cengizhan Cerit | 249 | 27.69 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jack Cowen | 173 | 19.24 | |
| | Ashford Ind. | Laura Lawrence | 111 | 12.34 | |
| | Green | Mark Reed | 26 | 2.89 | |
| | Labour | Rebecca Rutter | 336 | 37.37 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 87 | 9.67 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 899 | 20.5 | −13.25 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
Tenterden South by-election 12 July 2012 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Dara Farrell | 36 | 5.92 | +5.92 |
| | Conservative | Jill Hutchinson | 277 | 45.55 | −12.28 |
| | Ashford Ind. | Roy Isworth | 179 | 29.44 | −11.02 |
| | UKIP | Thomas Taylor | 72 | 11.84 | +11.84 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Took | 40 | 6.57 | +6.57 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 98 | 16.11 | −1.26 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 608 | 31.13 | −17.48 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Beaver by-election 28 February 2013 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jill Britcher | 296 | 35.83 | −1.54 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jack Cowen | 79 | 9.56 | −9.68 |
| | Independent | John Holland | 34 | 4.11 | +4.11 |
| | Ashford Ind. | Palma Laughton | 85 | 10.29 | −2.05 |
| | Conservative | Jane Martin | 158 | 19.12 | −8.57 |
| | Green | Mark Reed | 19 | 2.3 | −0.59 |
| | UKIP | Angharad Yeo | 155 | 18.76 | +18.76 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 138 | 16.7 | +7.03 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 826 | 19.4 | −1.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
Saxon Shore by-election 2 May 2013 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UKIP | Christopher Cooper | 410 | 27.66 | |
| | Conservative | Jane Martin | 759 | 51.21 | |
| | Green | Geoffrey Meaden | 129 | 8.7 | |
| | Labour | Thomas Reed | 174 | 11.74 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 349 | 23.54 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1482 | 35.67 | −16.98 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
Wye by-election 6 March 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ken Blanshard | 13 | 1.73 | −7.07 |
| | Conservative | Ian Cooling | 240 | 31.95 | −6.82 |
| | UKIP | Elaine Evans | 97 | 12.91 | +3.32 |
| | Labour | Dylan Jones | 22 | 2.92 | −8.15 |
| | Green | Geoffrey Meaden | 55 | 7.32 | +7.32 |
| | Ashford Ind. | Noel Ovenden | 323 | 43 | +4.23 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 83 | 11.05 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 751 | 41 | −14.46 |
| | Ashford Ind. gain from Conservative | Ashford Ind. gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
The 2014 Wye by-election was triggered by the resignation of Councillor Steve Wright.

### 2015-2019

Aylesford Green by-election 19 November 2015 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Adrian Gee-Turner | 42 | 8.91 | +8.91 |
| | Conservative | Alexander Howard | 110 | 23.35 | −20.27 |
| | Ashford Ind. | Christine Kathawick-Smith | 92 | 19.53 | +19.53 |
| | Labour | Gordon Miller | 106 | 22.5 | −30.92 |
| | Green | Thom Pizzey | 10 | 2.12 | +2.12 |
| | UKIP | Harriet Yeo | 109 | 23.14 | +23.14 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1 | 0.21 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 471 | 19.01 | −34.67 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Beaver by-election 4 August 2016 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UKIP | Ryan Macpherson | 373 | 42.1 | +11.6 |
| | Labour | Caroline Harris | 243 | 27.4 | −3.3 |
| | Conservative | Jo Gideon | 240 | 27.1 | +0.2 |
| | Green | Liz Wright | 31 | 3.5 | −3.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 130 | 14.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 890 | 21.3 | −34.64 |
| | UKIP gain from Labour | UKIP gain from Labour | Swing | | |
The 2016 Beaver by-election was triggered by the resignation of Councillor Jill Britcher.
Victoria by-election 8 June 2017 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | James Galloway | 260 | 11.04 | |
| | UKIP | Serge Goldenberg-Kosbab | 181 | 7.68 | |
| | Green | Maria Pizzey | 99 | 4.2 | |
| | Conservative | David Robey | 753 | 31.98 | |
| | Labour | John Charles Suddards | 1052 | 44.68 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 299 | 12.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2354 | 56.81 | −0.29 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Bockhanger by-election 8 June 2017 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Euan Anckorn | 415 | 31.27 | −1.2 |
| | Green | Steve Campkin | 97 | 7.3 | +7.3 |
| | Conservative | Simon Howard-Smith | 697 | 52.52 | +12 |
| | UKIP | Liah Macpherson | 113 | 8.51 | +8.51 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 282 | 21.25 | +10.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1327 | 64.07 | +1.92 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Kennington by-election 25 October 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Ashford Ind. | Ian McAllister Anderson | 227 | 38.02 | +23.1 |
| | Conservative | Nathan Iliffe | 247 | 41.37 | −6.6 |
| | Labour | Dylan Jones | 85 | 14.23 | +6 |
| | Green | Peter Morgan | 36 | 6 | +6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 20 | 3.35 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 597 | 32.8 | −43.25 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
The 2018 Kennington by-election was triggered by the resignation of Councillor Phil Sims.

### 2019-2023

Downs North by-election 18 July 2019 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Ashford Ind. | Rachael Carley | 67 | 10.38 | +10.38 |
| | Conservative | Charles Dehnel | 229 | 35.5 | −11.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Adrian Gee-Turner | 70 | 10.85 | −7.8 |
| | Green | Geoffery Meaden | 190 | 29.45 | +5.9 |
| | UKIP | Philip Meads | 22 | 3.41 | +3.41 |
| | Labour | Carly Ruppert Lingham | 17 | 2.63 | −7.7 |
| | Independent | Sarah Williams | 49 | 7.59 | +7.59 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 39 | 6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 645 | 32.52 | −3.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
The 2019 Downs North by-election was triggered by the death of Councillor Stephen Dehnel.
Park Farm North by-election 12 March 2020 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Ashford Ind. | Trish Cornish | 247 | 60.2 | +60.2 |
| | Labour | Garry Harrison | 29 | 7 | −12.9 |
| | Conservative | Aline Hicks | 115 | 28 | −33.5 |
| | Green | Thom Pizzey | 11 | 2.6 | +2.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Samuel Strolz | 8 | 1.9 | −16.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 132 | 32.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 410 | 22.05 | −5.2 |
| | Ashford Ind. gain from Conservative | Ashford Ind. gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
The 2020 Park Farm North by-election was triggered by the election of Councillor Jo Gideon to the UK Parliament as MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central.
Beaver by-election 6 May 2021 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Trevor Brooks | 469 | 41.9 | |
| | Independent | Garry Harrison | 105 | 9.4 | |
| | Labour | Dylan Jones | 402 | 36 | |
| | Green | Thom Pizzey | 70 | 6.2 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jacqueline Stamp | 64 | 5.7 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 66 | 5.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1115 | 23.47 | −0.6 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
The 2021 Beaver by-election was triggered by the death of Councillor Alex Ward.
Downs North by-election 19 August 2021 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Geoffery Meaden | 273 | 51.8 | +20.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Carol Wilcox | 15 | 2.8 | −8.6 |
| | Conservative | Sarah Williams | 239 | 45.5 | +7.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 34 | 6.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 529 | 25.96 | −5.6 |
| | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
The 2021 Downs North by-election was triggered by the resignation of Councillor Charles Dehnel.
Highfield by-election 16 December 2021 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Ashford Ind. | Barry Ball | 101 | 21.1 | −7 |
| | Green | Dawnie Nilsson | 191 | 39.9 | +21.5 |
| | Labour | Terry Pavlou | 23 | 4.8 | +4.8 |
| | Conservative | James Ransley | 163 | 34.1 | −6.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 28 | 5.8% | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 478 | 23.66 | −11.39 |
| | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
The 2021 Highfield by-election was triggered by the death of Councillor Gerald White.

### 2023-2027

Aylesford & East Stour by-election 17 October 2024 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Thom Pizzey | 299 | 31.6 | +2.8 |
| | Labour | Rena Mathew | 293 | 31.0 | −1.2 |
| | Reform UK | Brian Collins | 216 | 22.9 | |
| | Conservative | Jac Wood | 111 | 11.7 | −2.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alexander Coxall | 26 | 2.8 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6 | 0.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 945 | 21 | |
| | Green gain from Labour | Green gain from Labour | Swing | | |
The 2024 Aylesford & East Stour by-election was triggered by the resignation of Councillor Sojan Joseph following their election as MP for Ashford.