# 2023 Maidstone Borough Council election

The 2023 Maidstone Borough Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Maidstone Borough Council in Kent, England. This was on the same day as other local elections in England.
Two weeks before the election, the council went into no overall control when the Conservatives lost their majority due to the resignation of Robert Eves, leaving them with 27 out of the 54 occupied seats.
The council stayed under no overall control following the election, with the Conservatives forming the largest group. They continued to hold the council's leadership positions as a minority administration.

## Summary
### Election result

2023 Maidstone Borough Council election :
| Party | Party | This election | This election | This election | Full council | Full council | Full council | This election | This election | This election |
| Party | Party | Seats | Net | Seats % | Other | Total | Total % | Votes | Votes % | +/− |
| | Conservative | 5 | 4 | 83.3 | 19 | 24 | 43.6 | 9,708 | 32.7 | –5.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 5 | 1 | 27.8 | 7 | 12 | 21.8 | 6,786 | 22.9 | –2.4 |
| | Independent | 4 | 2 | 22.2 | 6 | 10 | 18.2 | 3,350 | 11.3 | +5.3 |
| | Labour | 2 | 1 | 11.1 | 4 | 6 | 10.9 | 4,631 | 15.6 | +0.2 |
| | Green | 2 | 2 | 11.1 | 1 | 3 | 5.5 | 4,995 | 16.8 | +2.5 |
| | Reform UK | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 129 | 0.4 | N/A |
| | Heritage | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 77 | 0.3 | N/A |

## Ward results

The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by Maidstone Borough Council following the close of nominations on 4 April 2023. The results for each ward were as follows:

### Allington

Allington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Cynthia Robertson* | 923 | 39.4 | −18.6 |
| | Conservative | Laura Kennedy | 639 | 27.3 | +2.5 |
| | Green | Rachel Rodwell | 569 | 24.3 | +15.0 |
| | Labour | Marianna Poliszczuk | 213 | 9.1 | +1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,344 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Bearsted

Bearsted :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Val Springett* | 1,204 | 58.0 | −8.7 |
| | Green | Ciaran Oliver | 294 | 14.2 | −1.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ian Chittenden | 283 | 13.6 | −3.5 |
| | Labour | Mark Tickner | 219 | 10.5 | N/A |
| | Heritage | Sean Turner | 77 | 3.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,077 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Boxley

Boxley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Vanessa Jones | 1,012 | 44.1 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Anne Brindle* | 784 | 34.2 | −24.8 |
| | Labour | Stella Randall | 263 | 11.5 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Geoffrey Samme | 236 | 10.3 | −13.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,295 | | |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Coxheath & Hunton

Coxheath & Hunton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Reid | 788 | 39.7 | +4.2 |
| | Green | Claire Kehily | 697 | 35.1 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Bryan Vizzard | 275 | 13.8 | −44.4 |
| | Labour | John Randall | 226 | 11.4 | +5.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,986 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |

### Detling & Thurnham

Detling & Thurnham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Stephen Thompson | 485 | 49.7 | +24.3 |
| | Conservative | Christopher Waters | 411 | 42.1 | −15.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Zeina Toric-Azad | 80 | 8.2 | −8.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 976 | | |
| | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Downswood & Otham

Downswood & Otham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Gordon Newman* | 510 | 62.8 | +4.2 |
| | Labour | Theresa Lyons | 118 | 14.5 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Scott Walker | 115 | 14.2 | −10.4 |
| | Green | David Murray | 69 | 8.5 | +0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 812 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

### East

East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Naghi* | 1,051 | 52.9 | +5.5 |
| | Conservative | Ronald Burke | 497 | 25.0 | −3.6 |
| | Labour | Derek Swan | 273 | 13.8 | +0.9 |
| | Green | Matthew White | 164 | 8.3 | −2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,985 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Fant

Fant :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Margaret Rose* | 760 | 43.5 | +8.4 |
| | Green | Ian McDonald | 383 | 21.9 | +7.6 |
| | Conservative | Jaison Musindo | 354 | 20.2 | −8.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Rojo Kurien | 252 | 14.4 | −1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,749 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Harrietsham & Lenham

Harrietsham & Lenham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Tom Sams* | 1,296 | 72.6 | +15.1 |
| | Conservative | Andrew Bye | 325 | 18.2 | −14.9 |
| | Labour | Ryan Slaughter | 164 | 9.2 | +5.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,785 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

### High Street

High Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Dinesh Khadka* | 641 | 37.2 | −10.7 |
| | Labour | David Collier | 401 | 23.2 | +3.7 |
| | Conservative | Reiss Cordrey | 352 | 20.4 | +0.1 |
| | Green | Steven Cheeseman | 331 | 19.2 | +6.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,725 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Leeds

Leeds :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Gill Fort* | 389 | 61.2 | −7.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Field | 138 | 21.7 | N/A |
| | Green | Caroline Jessel | 109 | 17.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 636 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Loose

Loose :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Susan Grigg* | 236 | 34.9 | −19.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Simon Wales | 179 | 26.5 | −28.2 |
| | Conservative | Kenneth Amakye | 165 | 24.4 | −6.2 |
| | Labour | Alan Le Grys | 60 | 8.9 | +5.4 |
| | Green | Donna Greenan | 36 | 5.3 | −5.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 676 | | |
| | Independent gain from Liberal Democrats | Independent gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |

### Marden & Yalding

Marden & Yalding :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Annabelle Blackmore* | 1,005 | 43.4 | −3.5 |
| | Green | Mick Summersgill | 891 | 38.5 | +16.3 |
| | Labour | Sarah Barwick | 265 | 11.4 | +0.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Chris Passmore | 154 | 6.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,315 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### North

North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Thompson | 930 | 51.2 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Scott Hahnefeld | 397 | 21.8 | −10.7 |
| | Labour | Rachel Slaughter | 292 | 16.1 | −11.3 |
| | Green | Kimberley Milham | 199 | 10.9 | −13.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,818 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Shepway North

Shepway North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Joanna Wilkinson | 602 | 37.1 | +20.4 |
| | Conservative | Alison Colyer | 577 | 35.6 | −3.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Joe Higson | 184 | 11.3 | −4.0 |
| | Green | Stephen Muggeridge | 146 | 9.0 | +2.1 |
| | Independent | Gary Butler | 114 | 7.0 | +4.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,623 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### South

South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Brian Clark* | 1,153 | 53.4 | −5.3 |
| | Conservative | Emily Hudson | 408 | 18.9 | −5.8 |
| | Labour | Dennis Luchmun | 197 | 9.1 | +2.3 |
| | Independent | Paul Thomas | 182 | 8.4 | N/A |
| | Reform UK | Graham Jarvis | 129 | 6.0 | N/A |
| | Green | Simon Milham | 92 | 4.3 | −1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,161 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Staplehurst

Staplehurst :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Paddy Riordan | 942 | 50.3 | −4.8 |
| | Labour | Rory Silkin | 578 | 30.9 | +20.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Thomas Burnham | 219 | 11.7 | −0.5 |
| | Green | Kelly Rigden | 132 | 7.1 | −4.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,871 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Sutton Valence & Langley

Sutton Valence & Langley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Derek Eagle | 398 | 47.3 | +31.3 |
| | Conservative | Wendy Young* | 356 | 42.3 | −26.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Martin Richards | 88 | 10.5 | −4.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 842 | | |
| | Green gain from Conservative | Green gain from Conservative | Swing | | |