# Uckfield Town Council

Uckfield Town Council governs the five wards of Uckfield town. The council appoints one councillor who is then known as the Mayor of Uckfield. The current mayor of Uckfield is Councillor Jackie Love.
Uckfield Town Council comprises five wards – North, East, West, New Town, and Ridgewood – electing between two and four town councillors each.
Clockwise, from the north, it borders the communities of Maresfield, Buxted, Framfield and Little Horsted.

## Current composition

| Group affiliation | Group affiliation | Members |
| | TRUST Independent | 9 |
| | Labour | 4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 1 |
| | Independent | 1 |
| Total | Total | 15 |

## Election history

Uckfield Town Council is composed of up to 15 councillors elected from five wards. The last elections were in 2023, and resulted in the election of 7 TRUST Independent councillors, 3 Labour councillors, 1 Liberal Democrat, and 1 Independent councillor. 3 seats were left vacant and were filled by co-option at the first Full Council meeting.

### 2023 election

The 2023 Uckfield Town Council elections were due to be held alongside the elections for Wealden District Council on 4 May 2023. However, all seats were uncontested, as 3 candidates were nominated for the 3 seats in Uckfield North ward and a further 3 candidates were nominated for the 3 seats in Uckfield East ward. Only 2 candidates for 3 seats were nominated in Uckfield Ridgewood ward, 3 candidates for 4 seats were nominated in Uckfield New Town ward and 1 candidate for the 2 seats in Uckfield West ward. At the first meeting of the new Town Council, Bernadette (Ben) Reed was co-opted as a Councillor for Ridgewood ward, Peter Ullman was co-opted as a Councillor for New Town ward, and Val Frost was co-opted for West ward, filling all 15 seats on the council. Councillors Reed and Frost subsequently joined the Trust Independent group, whilst Peter Ullman joined the Labour group.
| Ward | Party | Town councillors elected 2023 |
| North | Independent | Jackie Love |
| North | Labour | Daniel Manvell |
| North | Labour | Angie Smith |
| East | Liberal Democrats | Michael McClafferty |
| East | Independent | Chris Macve |
| East | Independent | Donna French |
| New Town | Labour | Ben Cox |
| New Town | Independent | Spike Mayhew |
| New Town | Independent | Duncan Bennett |
| West | Independent | Diane Ward |
| Ridgewood | Independent | Karen Bedwell |
| Ridgewood | Independent | Peter Selby |

### 2019–2023 by-elections

| By-election | Date | Incumbent party | Incumbent party | Result | Result | Candidate | Reason |
| North | 7 July 2022 | | Independent | | Labour | Daniel Manvell | Non-attendance of Colin Snelgrove |

### 2019 election

The 2019 Uckfield Town Council elections were held alongside the elections for Wealden District Council on 2 May 2019 on new ward boundaries. 9 seats were up for election, as only 2 candidates for 3 seats were nominated in Uckfield North ward and 2 candidates for 3 seats in Uckfield Ridgwood ward, with incumbent Councillor Keith Everett having submitted his nomination papers, but passing away before the close of nominations. At the first meeting of the new Town Council, Karen Bedwell was co-opted as a Councillor for Ridgewood ward and Colin Snelgrove co-opted as a Councillor for North ward, filling all 15 seats on the council. Both Councillors Bedwell and Snelgrove subsequently joined the Trust Independent group. Diane Ward, who ran as an Independent councillor, also sits with the Trust Independent group.
| Ward | Party | Town councillors elected 2019 |
| North | Independent | Jackie Love |
| North | Labour | Angie Smith |
| East | Liberal Democrats | Paul Sparks |
| East | Independent | Chris Macve |
| East | Independent | Donna French |
| New Town | Conservative | Helen Firth |
| New Town | Labour | Ben Cox |
| New Town | Independent | Spike Mayhew |
| New Town | Independent | Duncan Bennett |
| West | Independent | Diane Ward |
| West | Conservative | Gary Johnson |
| Ridgewood | Liberal Democrats | James Edwards |
| Ridgewood | Independent | Jez Beesley |

### 2015–2019 by-elections

| By-election | Date | Incumbent party | Incumbent party | Result | Result | Candidate | Reason |
| Ridgewood | 31 August 2017 | | Independent | | Independent | Jez Beesley | Resignation of Jacqueline Beckford |
| North | 12 July 2018 | | Independent | | Labour | Daniel Manvell | Resignation of James Anderson |

### Change of party affiliation 2016

On the 5 July 2016 it was announced that Cllr Spike Mayhew & Cllr Jacqueline Beckford had resigned from the Liberal Democrats. It was reported that they would now be acting as Independent Councillors.
| Date | Ward | Ward | Result | Result | Result | Candidate | Reason |
| 5 July 2016 | New Town | | Liberal Democrats | | Independent | Spike Mayhew | Change of party affiliation |
| 5 July 2016 | Ridgewood | | Liberal Democrats | | Independent | Jacqueline Beckford | Change of party affiliation |

### 2015 election

The 2015 Uckfield Town Council elections were held alongside the elections for Wealden District Council & the Wealden Parliamentary constituency on 7 May 2015. All 15 seats were up for election.
| Ward | Party | Town councillors elected 2015 |
| North | Independent | James Anderson |
| North | Independent | Louise Eastwood |
| North | Independent | Donna French |
| North | Independent | Jackie Love |
| North | Independent | Chris Macve |
| North | Liberal Democrats | Paul Sparks |
| Central | Conservative | Helen Firth |
| Central | Liberal Democrats | Paul Meakins |
| Central | Independent | Diane Ward |
| New Town | Independent | Duncan Bennett |
| New Town | Independent | Mick Dean |
| New Town | Liberal Democrats | Spike Mayhew |
| Ridgewood | Liberal Democrats | Jacqueline Beckford |
| Ridgewood | Independent | Keith Everett |
| Ridgewood | Independent | Ian Smith |

### 2011–2015 by-elections

| By-election | Date | Incumbent party | Incumbent party | Result | Result | Candidate | Reason |
| North | 27 June 2013 | | Conservative | | Independent | Paul Sparks | Resignation of Duncan Bennett |
| Central | 26 June 2014 | | Conservative | | Liberal Democrats | Paul Meakins | Resignation of Brian Marsh |

### 2011 election

In the 2011 elections, 7 seats were won by the Conservatives, 5 by the Liberal Democrats and 3 by independents.
| Ward | Party | Town councillors elected 2011 |
| North | Conservative | Duncan Bennett |
| North | Independent | Sam Bryant |
| North | Liberal Democrats | John Collins |
| North | Conservative | Louise Eastwood |
| North | Independent | Thelma Rumbelow |
| North | Liberal Democrats | Alan Whittaker |
| Central | Conservative | John Carvey |
| Central | Conservative | Helen Firth |
| Central | Conservative | Brian Marsh |
| New Town | Liberal Democrats | Sarah Hall |
| New Town | Liberal Democrats | Jeremy Hallett |
| New Town | Conservative | Jim Molesworth-Edwards |
| Ridgewood | Liberal Democrats | Michael Harker |
| Ridgewood | Conservative | Marion Rowland |
| Ridgewood | Independent | Ian Smith |

### 2007–2011 by-elections

| By-election | Date | Incumbent party | Incumbent party | Result | Result | Candidate | Reason |
| New Town | 16 April 2009 | | Independent | | Liberal Democrats | Jeremy Hallett | Death of Barrie Murray |

### 2007 election

In the 2007 elections, 6 seats were won by Independent candidates, 6 by the Liberal Democrats and 3 by the Conservatives.
| Ward | Party | Town councillors elected 2007 |
| North | Independent | Leonard Ashby |
| North | Independent | Duncan Bennett |
| North | Independent | Louise Eastwood |
| North | Independent | Thelma Rumbelow |
| North | Liberal Democrats | Dorothy Sparks |
| North | Liberal Democrats | Alan Whittaker |
| Central | Conservative | John Carvey |
| Central | Conservative | Helen Firth |
| Central | Conservative | Jim Molesworth-Edwards |
| New Town | Liberal Democrats | Sarah Hall |
| New Town | Independent | Barrie Murray |
| New Town | Liberal Democrats | Anne Parker |
| Ridgewood | Liberal Democrats | Michael Harker |
| Ridgewood | Independent | Ian Smith |
| Ridgewood | Liberal Democrats | Robert Sweetland |

### 2003–2007 by-elections

| By-election | Date | Incumbent party | Result | Candidate | Reason |
| Central | 16 September 2004 | Independent | Liberal Democrats | John McGuckin | Unfilled |
| Ridgewood | 16 September 2004 | Independent | Liberal Democrats | Michael Harker | Unfilled |
| New Town | 24 November 2005 | None | Liberal Democrats | Sarah Hall | Unknown |

### 2003 election

In the 2003 elections, 5 seats were won by the Liberal Democrats, 3 by the Conservatives, 2 by Labour & 2 by Independent candidates. 2 seats were unfilled in Central Ward and 1 seat was unfilled in Ridgewood.
| Ward | Party | Town councillors elected 2003 |
| North | Labour | Leonard Ashby |
| North | Labour | Duncan Bennett |
| North | Independent | Louise Eastwood |
| North | Conservative | Thelma Rumbelow |
| North | Liberal Democrats | Dorothy Sparks |
| North | Liberal Democrats | Alan Whittaker |
| Central | Conservative | Richard Vanderpump |
| New Town | Liberal Democrats | Libby Calton |
| New Town | Independent | Barrie Murray |
| New Town | Liberal Democrats | Ian Nottage |
| Ridgewood | Conservative | James Molesworth-Edwards |
| Ridgewood | Liberal Democrats | Anthony Parker |

## Mayoral history

| Year | Name | Party |
| 2021–24 | Jackie Love | Independent |
| 2018–21 | Spike Mayhew | Independent |
| 2015–18 | Louise Eastwood | Independent |
| 2013–15 | Ian Smith | Independent |
| 2010–13 | John Carvey | Conservative |
| 2009–10 | Leonard Ashby | Independent |
| 2006–09 | Louise Eastwood | Conservative |
| 2001–06 | Barrie Murray | Independent |