# 2024 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election

The 2024 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election took place on 2 May 2024 to elect members of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council in Kent, England. This was on the same day as other local elections.
Following a review of ward boundaries, the election was contested with new electoral divisions and with a reduced number of seats, 39 down from 48.

## Summary

The council was under no overall control prior to the election, being run by a coalition of the Liberal Democrats, local party the Tunbridge Wells Alliance, and Labour, led by Liberal Democrat councillor Ben Chapelard. The election saw the Liberal Democrats take majority control of the council.

### Election result

2024 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election :
| Party | Candidates | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Liberal Democrats | 39 | 22 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 56.4 | 34.2 | 28,797 | +8.9 |
| Conservative | 39 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 18.0 | 29.3 | 24,673 | –0.1 |
| Labour | 25 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 12.8 | 14.3 | 12,022 | –2.0 |
| Alliance | 10 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 10.3 | 8.8 | 7,457 | –9.3 |
| Independent | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2.6 | 5.9 | 4,977 | +3.5 |
| Green | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 6.5 | 5,485 | –1.7 |
| Reform UK | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 1.1 | 906 | +0.8 |

## Results

The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council following the close of nominations on 8 April 2024.

### Cranbrook, Sissinghurst & Frittenden

Cranbrook, Sissinghurst & Frittenden (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andy Fairweather* | 917 | 53.1 | |
| | Alliance | Nancy Warne* | 843 | 48.8 | |
| | Conservative | David Somers | 640 | 37.0 | |
| | Conservative | John Austen | 547 | 31.7 | |
| | Green | John Hurst | 360 | 20.8 | |
| | Labour | Joel Turner | 275 | 15.9 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | James Cole | 197 | 11.4 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sally Moesgaard-Kjeldsen | 197 | 11.4 | |
| | Independent | Chris Hoare | 155 | 9.0 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Brian Guinnessy | 139 | 8.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,736 | 31.3 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,552 | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Alliance win (new seat) | Alliance win (new seat) | Alliance win (new seat) | Alliance win (new seat) | Alliance win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Culverden

Culverden (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Justine Rutland* | 1,184 | 51.1 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Martin Brice* | 1,128 | 48.6 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Osborne* | 1,070 | 46.1 | |
| | Conservative | Alex Dunn | 713 | 30.7 | |
| | Conservative | David Scott | 653 | 28.2 | |
| | Conservative | Victoria White* | 620 | 26.7 | |
| | Green | Victoria Moll | 337 | 14.5 | |
| | Labour | Martin Betts | 330 | 14.2 | |
| | Labour | Greg Holder | 267 | 11.5 | |
| | Independent | Sam Macdonald Walmsley | 166 | 7.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,323 | 37.6 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,182 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold |

### Hawkhurst, Sandhurst & Benenden

Hawkhurst, Sandhurst & Benenden (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Tom Dawlings* | 903 | 41.1 | |
| | Conservative | Beverley Palmer* | 846 | 38.5 | |
| | Alliance | Ellen Neville* | 809 | 36.8 | |
| | Alliance | Clare Escombe | 748 | 34.1 | |
| | Conservative | Martin Taylor-Smith | 745 | 33.9 | |
| | Labour | Mia Dahl | 309 | 14.1 | |
| | Green | Debs Keech | 281 | 12.8 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Hazel Strouts | 267 | 12.2 | |
| | Reform UK | Simon Hilton | 248 | 11.3 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andrew Dawson | 228 | 10.4 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Vivian Widgery | 123 | 5.6 | |
| | Independent | Angie Ward | 84 | 3.8 | |
| | Independent | Dan Littlechild | 82 | 3.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,211 | 34.0 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,497 | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Alliance win (new seat) | Alliance win (new seat) | Alliance win (new seat) | Alliance win (new seat) | Alliance win (new seat) |

### High Brooms

High Brooms :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Dianne Hill* | 427 | 55.9 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Steve Humphreys | 130 | 17.0 | |
| | Conservative | Freddie Mobbs | 82 | 10.7 | |
| | Reform UK | Rick Williams | 61 | 8.0 | |
| | Green | Paul Froome | 47 | 6.2 | |
| | Independent | David Kain | 17 | 2.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 765 | 32.4 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,362 | | |
| | Labour Co-op win (new seat) | Labour Co-op win (new seat) | Labour Co-op win (new seat) | Labour Co-op win (new seat) | Labour Co-op win (new seat) |

### Paddock Wood

Paddock Wood (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mark Munday* | 872 | 38.8 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Don Kent | 850 | 37.8 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Adrian Pitts | 849 | 37.8 | |
| | Conservative | Ros Tucker | 777 | 34.6 | |
| | Independent | Rodney Atkins* | 670 | 29.8 | |
| | Conservative | Nicolas Maari | 609 | 27.1 | |
| | Conservative | John Hall | 550 | 24.5 | |
| | Independent | Begnat Robichaud | 370 | 16.5 | |
| | Green | Trevor Bisdee | 340 | 15.1 | |
| | Labour | Isobel Kerrigan | 224 | 10.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,254 | 34.4 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,560 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |

### Pantiles

Pantiles (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jamie Johnson* | 1,185 | 47.0 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Hall* | 1,179 | 46.7 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Pamela Wilkinson* | 1,011 | 40.1 | |
| | Conservative | James Allen | 685 | 27.2 | |
| | Conservative | Zoe Dommett | 670 | 26.6 | |
| | Conservative | David Evans | 637 | 25.2 | |
| | Green | Penny Peerless | 334 | 13.2 | |
| | Labour Co-op | Alan Bullion | 333 | 13.2 | |
| | Green | Michael Calvert | 265 | 10.5 | |
| | Green | Kate Sergeant | 240 | 9.5 | |
| | Reform UK | John Spence | 209 | 8.3 | |
| | Independent | Penny Kift | 180 | 7.1 | |
| | Independent | Dino Myers-Lamptey | 146 | 5.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,532 | 36.9 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,859 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |

### Park

Park (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Matt Lowe | 1,240 | 44.5 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Corinna Keefe | 1,076 | 38.6 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Tara Matthews | 1,009 | 36.2 | |
| | Alliance | Nick Pope* | 864 | 31.0 | |
| | Conservative | Bob Atwood | 747 | 26.8 | |
| | Conservative | Andrew Hobart | 712 | 25.5 | |
| | Conservative | Sedat Zorba | 689 | 24.7 | |
| | Green | Alasdair Fraser | 434 | 15.6 | |
| | Labour | Sue Pound | 339 | 12.2 | |
| | Labour | Jack Faulkner | 309 | 11.1 | |
| | Reform UK | Michael Jerrom | 216 | 7.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,793 | 42.2 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,616 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Alliance | Liberal Democrats gain from Alliance | Liberal Democrats gain from Alliance | Liberal Democrats gain from Alliance | Liberal Democrats gain from Alliance |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Alliance | Liberal Democrats gain from Alliance | Liberal Democrats gain from Alliance | Liberal Democrats gain from Alliance | Liberal Democrats gain from Alliance |

### Pembury & Capel

Pembury & Capel (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Hugh Patterson* | 1,099 | 40.8 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Astra Birch | 1,032 | 38.3 | |
| | Independent | David Hayward* | 989 | 36.7 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Colin Sefton | 888 | 33.0 | |
| | Independent | Suzie Wakeman* | 807 | 30.0 | |
| | Conservative | Paul Barrington-King* | 797 | 29.6 | |
| | Conservative | Paul Roberts* | 554 | 20.6 | |
| | Conservative | Vivek Gautam | 446 | 16.6 | |
| | Green | Evelien Hurst-Buist | 226 | 8.4 | |
| | Labour | Anne Musker | 183 | 6.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,701 | 41.5 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,513 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |

### Rural Tunbridge Wells

Rural Tunbridge Wells (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Lynne Darrah | 1,034 | 37.7 | |
| | Conservative | Thomas Mobbs | 904 | 33.0 | |
| | Alliance | David Knight* | 887 | 32.3 | |
| | Conservative | Jill Andrew | 863 | 31.5 | |
| | Alliance | Alison Webster* | 786 | 28.7 | |
| | Green | Jenny Fox | 532 | 19.4 | |
| | Green | Geoff Mason | 439 | 16.0 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Quentin Rappoport | 367 | 13.4 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gillian Douglass | 356 | 13.0 | |
| | Independent | Paul Glazier | 331 | 12.1 | |
| | Green | Helen Yeo | 329 | 12.0 | |
| | Labour | Kevin Kerrigan | 300 | 10.9 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Gill | 275 | 10.0 | |
| | Labour | Andrew Scott | 254 | 9.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,751 | 35.1 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,828 | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Alliance win (new seat) | Alliance win (new seat) | Alliance win (new seat) | Alliance win (new seat) | Alliance win (new seat) |

### Rusthall & Speldhurst

Rusthall & Speldhurst (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jayne Sharratt* | 1,004 | 30.9 | |
| | Alliance | Matthew Sankey* | 975 | 30.0 | |
| | Labour | Alex Britcher-Allan* | 886 | 27.3 | |
| | Alliance | Paul Curry* | 828 | 25.5 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Rebecca Leach | 760 | 23.4 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Martin Franklin | 727 | 22.4 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Moreland | 697 | 21.4 | |
| | Labour | Phil Wheeler | 687 | 21.1 | |
| | Conservative | Harry Allen* | 662 | 20.4 | |
| | Conservative | Aaron Brand | 612 | 18.8 | |
| | Conservative | James McInroy | 597 | 18.4 | |
| | Green | Stephanie Gandon | 274 | 8.4 | |
| | Reform UK | Mike Hardy | 172 | 5.3 | |
| | Independent | Graham Withers | 170 | 5.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,257 | 44.3 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,349 | | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Alliance win (new seat) | Alliance win (new seat) | Alliance win (new seat) | Alliance win (new seat) | Alliance win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Sherwood

Sherwood (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Hugh Pound* | 721 | 39.2 | |
| | Labour | Victoria Jones | 692 | 37.6 | |
| | Conservative | Christian Atwood | 681 | 37.1 | |
| | Conservative | Lynne Weatherly | 671 | 36.5 | |
| | Labour | Shadi Rogers* | 661 | 36.0 | |
| | Conservative | Richard Harrington | 647 | 35.2 | |
| | Green | Sue Lovell | 225 | 12.2 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | William Healing | 213 | 11.6 | |
| | Independent | Joe Dore | 200 | 10.9 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Marguerita Morton* | 188 | 10.2 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Yvonne Raptis | 175 | 9.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,844 | 29.1 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,345 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Southborough & Bidborough

Southborough & Bidborough (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mark Ellis* | 1,059 | 35.6 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Brandon Le Page* | 1,037 | 34.8 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Joe Opara* | 917 | 30.8 | |
| | Labour | Penny Breedon | 800 | 26.9 | |
| | Conservative | Sarah Bridges | 795 | 26.7 | |
| | Conservative | Peter Oakford | 792 | 26.6 | |
| | Conservative | Alexander Puffette | 717 | 24.1 | |
| | Labour | John Francis* | 708 | 23.8 | |
| | Labour | Alain Lewis* | 683 | 23.0 | |
| | Alliance | Jonathan Farina | 347 | 11.7 | |
| | Green | Mark McBennett | 275 | 9.2 | |
| | Independent | Len Colangelo | 213 | 7.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,986 | 40.7 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,330 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |

### St. James'

St. James' (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ben Chapelard* | 1,427 | 66.1 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Rob Wormington* | 1,024 | 47.4 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Courtney Souper | 957 | 44.3 | |
| | Green | Maria Gavin | 423 | 19.6 | |
| | Labour | Darren Moore | 408 | 18.9 | |
| | Alliance | Kit Hawes-Webb | 370 | 17.1 | |
| | Labour | Chris Stevenson | 357 | 16.5 | |
| | Conservative | Misha Mitchem | 255 | 11.8 | |
| | Conservative | Christopher Woodward | 246 | 11.4 | |
| | Conservative | Jamie Tucker | 243 | 11.3 | |
| | Independent | Colin Nicholson | 128 | 5.9 | |
| | Independent | Liberty Richardson | 117 | 5.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,168 | 35.8 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,050 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |

### St. John's

St. John's (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Lidstone* | 855 | 50.4 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Matt Fox | 810 | 47.7 | |
| | Labour | Dariel Francis | 446 | 26.3 | |
| | Labour | Maura Faulkner | 419 | 24.7 | |
| | Conservative | Alexander Lewis-Gray | 221 | 13.0 | |
| | Conservative | Rebecca Winter | 194 | 11.4 | |
| | Green | Adrian Thorne | 124 | 7.3 | |
| | Independent | Fran Colangelo | 99 | 5.8 | |
| | Independent | Mark Nicholson | 53 | 3.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,700 | 40.4 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,209 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold |