28 Apr 2023 19:27:21 In 2007, the Labour Party was completely pushed out of the council after losing its last councillor, Ronnie Ooi. In a major upset for the Liberal Democrats, the Conservative Party won every single seat that the Lib Dems were defending in the election, providing the party with a majority in the borough, which was seen as traditionally pro-Tory, once more. Last week I approached each Leader of the Opposition Groups. The Conservatives 23 council seats are now outnumbered by the 25 seats held by opposition parties. He said: Matthew and volunteers were out canvassing and leafleting every day for 3 weeks across the ward. It takes its name from its main town, Royal Tunbridge Wells. Members of the Council elected Councillor Tom Dawlings as new Leader at a meeting of the Full Council on Wednesday 26 May. [1], 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. "It's not going to be Alliance-led, Labour-led or Lib Dem-led. Councillor Dawlings (Cons), ward member for Benenden and Cranbrook,. The deficit last year was 944,000 which has been plugged by reserves so in the old administration that wouldve been balanced. Read more:Fresh plans for new health spa and accommodation at popular pub and restaurant. [5] Eight wards are within Royal Tunbridge Wells itself: Broadwater, Culverden; Pantiles & St Marks; Park; Rusthall; Sherwood & St John's and St. James. Conservative Tunbridge Wells Council Leader Tom Dawlings outlines key achievements and upcoming 2022 delivery in the Tunbridge Wells Times newspaper news article published on the 2nd February. The council stands at Conservatives 24, Liberal Democrats 13, Tunbridge Wells Alliance 5, Labour 5, Independent 1. He is keen to hear their voices and learn of the contributions they are making that benefit their communities and society at large. The new administration was confirmed at the annual council meeting on 25 May 2022.[8]. TBD. Councillor Ben Chapelard, the leader of the Liberal Democrat group on the council, chalked the Tories' huge losses up to not just dissatisfaction with the national Conservative government's response to the cost-of-living crisis and anger over Partygate, but also frustration with the local Tory government's pattern of spending, including 10.8 Matthew Sankey (pictured below) won the Speldhurst and Bidborough seat last week for the Tunbridge Wells Alliance Party by just 58 votes with a 50% share of the vote. What's for dinner? Copyright 2023 Tunbridge Wells Conservatives. The Conservatives are still in control of the council with their majority. The leader of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has resigned. Council Leader Ben Chapelard said: 'The Council is a force for good. "It has been a very, very difficult two years with Covid," he said. The leader of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has resigned.. A statement from the council says Alan McDermott (Con), councillor for Brenchley and Horsmonden, stepped down on Sunday and a new . Carla met Geoff Mason our candidate in Goudhurst and [], Read More from Co-Leader Carla Denyer Visits Goudhurst, With less than 3 months to go to the May local elections, this year youll need to show photo ID before you can vote. Alison Broom, Chief Executive William Cornall, Director of Regeneration and Place Mark. The Conservative Party won a majority. A Green In The Room Will Make The Difference. The partnership is made up of Liberal Democrats, Tunbridge Wells Alliance (TWA) and Labour councillors, and the independent councillor for Paddock Wood (East). Local News; National News; Tunbridge Wells Conservatives . The day-to-day management of the council and its services is carried out by the Corporate Leadership Team. "The amount of hours I was putting in last year was unbelievable. Hub plans win over Tunbridge Wells Planning Committee, Multiple Errors of Fact in Planning Officers Report supporting Hub, say critics, Southborough Society Pledges Full Support for Council Hub Scheme, Key Planning Decision Next Week as Hub Project Team Ignore Petition, Petition Against Current Hub Plans Reaches 1,000 signatures: Local Priest says pay attention, Heritage Asset Status awarded to Royal Victoria Hall But Only Just, Soccer Club on Ridgewaye says Trust in Hub Project Team Has Evaporated, Backstage Pictures Reveal Secrets of Condemned Royal Victoria Hall amid New Delay to Planning Verdict, 84% of Planning Comments Still Oppose Hub Plans, Tunbridge Wells Theatre Boss Calls For Old Southborough Theatre to be Demolished, Hub Project on Track says Southborough Council, Six Reasons to Save the Superb Royal Victoria Hall, Sport England says No to Hub building plans. Cllr Dawlings, who was first elected to the council in 2014 and has been portfolio holder for finance and governance since 2019, says he approached each leader of the opposition groups last week but was unable to arrange to meet ahead of the full council meeting. A new Tunbridge Wells council leader has been elected after the conservatives lost their majority for the first time in 22 years. Something went wrong, please try again later. In recent years she has been hands-on with house restoration. Show only. Sadly my approach to sort out some matters in advance of the Full Council meeting on 26th May were rebuffed. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. "We have major matters to address the local plan; the climate emergency and our net zero target for carbon emissions by 2030; our property assets and completion of the Amelia Scott. Tunbridge Wells Social has been created to establish an online sense of community across our borough and to help combat the social isolation and loneliness we can all feel sometimes. In an interview with Southborough News, Cllr Tom Dawlings (pictured below) said he spoke regularly with the opposition group leaders. endobj stream Bob Atwood, who was elected leader of the council in January 2011, lost to Piers Wauchope of. David Jukes lost out to Lucy Willis of the Tunbridge . The seat returned to Labour in 2014, bringing the party back to the council. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. "But whether that will influence the others in his group, I dont know.". he first Tunbridge Wells Borough Council was elected prior to the boroughs official formation, in the 1973 United Kingdom local elections. m8#KL.$]s58r5mreW#V>mpOay[`c:\Clt=P#GEV It felt like an extended family around the table all deciding whether they want to go in this or that direction. Cllr Dawlings pointed out that his partys share of the vote was an improvement on the May election result when the Conservatives had held the seat. This caused the Conservatives to lose their majority, creating a minority administration. Councillor Tom Dawlings (above) said the plan, which earmarks land across the borough for housing, employment, leisure and infrastructure, would be submitted, as scheduled, to the . At the Annual Meeting of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council on Wednesday 25 May 2022 Councillor Ben Chapelard was elected as Leader. endobj The Conservatives were displaced as the largest party by the Liberal Democrats following the 2022 election, with Mayor Chris Woodward losing his seat and Leader of the Council Tom Dawlings seeing his majority significantly reduced in his ward. "I think, in all honesty, if you go to any borough council leader, they will say the last year or two years has been the hardest they have had. There's a fantastic opportunity for a planning specialist TWBC. Required fields are marked *. "All the opposition wants what's best for the borough," he said. The Boundary Commission is about to start an investigation to balance up the wards sizes across the Borough which inevitably will lead to many changes. It is all change as a new leader of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council and a new mayor have been elected. However, the Liberal Democrats lost their majority before the next election due to defections, which emboldened the optimistic Conservatives during the local election campaign of 1998. Cllr Dawlings said he was unsure quite what might now happen if the Conservatives were outvoted in full council, noting that Tunbridge Wells had no recent experience in coping with a political group having no overall majority. It was a decision which left Hugo Pound (Lab), leader of the Labour group, frustrated. This website and its associated newspaper are members of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), the Conservatives failed to secure the 10 seats they needed to retain overall control at the Tunbridge Wells Borough Council elections, Cllr McDermott survived a leadership challenge at the Conservative AGM. Full Council Executive (Cabinet) Tunbridge Wells Borough Council operates under executive arrangements, also known as the 'Leader and Cabinet' model. Cllr Chapelard is the ward member for St James' and. Nick Pope said: It is up to Tom Dawlings, the Leader of the council, to decide what he should do. A new Tunbridge Wells council leader has been elected after the conservatives lost their majority for the first time in 22 years. At the Annual Meeting of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council on Wednesday 25 May 2022 Councillor Ben Chapelard was elected as Leader. Sign up to our daily newsletter for all the latest Kent stories and breaking news delivered straight to your inbox. Since 2016 the Community Safety Manager at Tunbridge Wells Borough Council following eleven years experience as the Council's Anti-social Behaviour Officer. Some of the services provided by our major contractors are presently less than satisfactory. They remain the biggest party on the council, with exactly half the seats, but secured only 37% of the overall vote, meaning no party holds overall majority. Celebrating Tunbridge Wells Women in Business to recognise International Womens Day. A new plan for Tunbridge Wells borough was approved by Full Council on 1 March 2023 Book a bulky or electrical item collection, Homeless, vulnerable or at risk of homelessness, Setting up your business in Tunbridge Wells, Genuinely affordable housing and social rental housing, Digital access, transparency and local democracy. On 13 May 2022, the TWA released a statement claiming that negotiations with the Liberal Democrats on forming a new administration had not begun, rejecting claims by Chapelard in the Kent and Sussex Courier that discussions were ongoing. %PDF-1.7 Former leader of the opposition, Cllr Ben Chapelard (Lib Dem), was voted through with 31 votes in favour, but all 13 opposition conservatives abstained. Cllr Chapelard said: We have come together to form this administration with one single and only objective: doing the best for our residents and our borough.. 1984-2002: Fourteen years experience in IBM mainframes with blue chip companies and a further 5 years client/server database experience in the private education sector. Following the local elections on 5 May the Liberal Democrats held 16 of the 48 seats making them the largest Group in the Council. The Town Hall co-working initiative which opens up additional space inside, released from digital automation for start-up & small businesses. Cllr Chapelard is the ward member for St James' and Liberal Democrats Council Group Leader. "Following elections earlier this month, there is currently no overall control in the council with Conservatives and opposition parties holding 24 seats each.". The leader of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council said the draft Local Plan will not be derailed by Boris Johnson's comments against house building on "green fields". Beyond the walls of the council chamber he said he was attempting to cut down his hours as a languages teacher at Gravesend grammar school to focus on being leader. The pandemic has seriously impacted on the Councils income so there are some major financial decisions to take to balance our revenue budget and replenish reserves. At Wednesday's (May 25) Full Council meeting, the first since the May 5 elections that saw the Lib Dem group overtake the Tories as the largest party at TWBC, Cllr Ben Chapelard . Apart from Tunbridge Wells itself, places of interest in the Borough include: Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}510744N 01539E / 51.12889N 0.26083E / 51.12889; 0.26083, 1990s: Liberal Democrat Rule and Conservative Reclamation, 2000s: Continued Conservative Rule and Labour Decline, 2022: End of Conservative Administration and Formation of Coalition, Learn how and when to remove this template message, List of places of worship in Tunbridge Wells (borough), "Coalition to run Tunbridge Wells council to be agreed after Conservatives lose power", "Tunbridge Wells result - Local Elections 2022 - BBC News", "PRESS RELEASE: Coalition discussions yet to start", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Borough_of_Tunbridge_Wells&oldid=1144226138, facilities for rock-climbing at the 'High Rocks', 2 miles west of Tunbridge Wells, This page was last edited on 12 March 2023, at 14:43. The district was formed on 1 April 1974, by the merger of the municipal borough of Royal Tunbridge Wells along with Southborough urban district, Cranbrook Rural District and most of Tonbridge Rural District. The council is planning to draw on reserves to cover the budget shortfall caused by a loss of income from charges (as a result of the Covid pandemic) and rising costs of staff, utility bills, waste collection and parks maintenance. Tunbridge Wells Borough Council elections One third of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council in Kent, England, is elected each year, followed by one year without election. The Government insists that this is [], Read More from A Green in the Room Makes a Difference, We hope everyone had a good Christmas even if their water had to be trucked into Tescos carpark for collection Water played a big part in shaping a year [], Read More from A fairer and Greener New Year. . The content is clear and concise and you do not need to wade through a load of reading. Cllr Dawlings also noted that the Borough Councils Local Plan covered more than housing. "They want to wait until the full council meeting on Wednesday.". The new administration has five key priorities, their Focus on Five: To deliver on the administrations Focus on Five the following members will serve in the Councils Cabinet: Cllr Wendy Fitzsimmons (LD), Leisure, wellbeing and culture Cllr Andy Hickey (LD), Finance and performance Cllr Justine Rutland (LD), Tunbridge Wells town and local areas Cllr David Hayward (TWA), Governance and transparency Cllr Nancy Warne (TWA), Rural communities and deputy leader Cllr Hugo Pound (Lab), Housing and planning Cllr Luke Everitt (Lab), Environment, sustainability and carbon reduction Champions. We will be taking cabinet on a tour to meet residents so we can be accountable to them. The email also includes a reminder for your bin collection day and tells you when new planning applications have been submitted near your house. It threatens our security and the very foundations of our society. By Geoff Mason | 13 April 2023. Then-leader of the Liberal Democrats Paddy Ashdown visited the area to help campaign for his party, who were quite confident in their ability to retain the borough administration. It is all change as a new leader of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council and a new mayor have been elected. He argued the plans for Kingstanding Way on the North Farm Industrial estate provided: wonderful business and employment opportunities.. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. Last August, Cllr McDermott survived a leadership challenge at the Conservative AGM, beating off competition from Cllr Paul Barrington-King. On the Speldhurst and Bidbrough by-election result, Cllr Dawlings said the result was hugely disappointing and the Conseratives had had an admirable candidate in Rowena Stanyer who took 46% of the vote. The Building a Better Borough: Tunbridge Wells Borough Council Plan 2022-24 sets out the priorities for 2022-24 with the overarching aim of 'doing the best for our residents, our businesses and our borough'. "This late addition to the agenda comes after councillor Alan McDermott resigned from the post on Sunday, May 23. The email also includes a reminder for your bin collection day and tells you when new planning applications have been submitted near your house. The Conservative's 23 council seats are now outnumbered by the 25 seats held by opposition parties. Following the 2022 election, the council remains under no overall control (NOC). endobj No overall control. After 1976, when the council was re-elected, the Conservatives controlled of seats. Labour doubled their representation on the council, and the Tunbridge Wells Alliance (TWA), contesting their first election, increased their seat count from 1 to 6. When I first started there were four Lib Dems and 44 Conservatives so weve had to invest a huge amount of emotion and energy into winning the trust of residents. Tunbridge Wells Borough Council elections, The Borough of Tunbridge Wells (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1976, 1973 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election, 1976 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election, 1979 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election, 1980 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election, 1982 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election, 1983 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election, 1984 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election, 1986 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election, 1987 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election, 1988 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election, 1990 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election, 1991 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election, 1992 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election, 1994 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election, 1995 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election, 1996 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election, 1998 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election, 1999 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election, 2000 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election, 2002 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election, 2003 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election, 2004 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election, 2006 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election, 2007 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election, 2008 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election, 2010 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election, 2011 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election, 2012 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election, 2015 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election, 2016 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election, 2018 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election, 2019 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election, 2021 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election, 2022 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election, "Council's Tory group selects new leader", The Kent (District Boundaries) Order 1987, The East Sussex, West Sussex and Kent (County Boundaries) Order 1992, The Kent and East Sussex (County Boundaries) Order 1993, The Borough of Tunbridge Wells (Electoral Changes) Order 2001, The Borough of Tunbridge Wells (Electoral Changes) (Amendment) Order 2006, "Tories romp home in Tunbridge Wells by-election", "Declaration of result of poll Sherwood ward", "Election results for Southborough North, 10 September 2015", "Election results for Culverden, 14 November 2019", "Local Elections Archive Project Speldhurst and Bidborough Ward", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tunbridge_Wells_Borough_Council_elections&oldid=1143429079, This page was last edited on 7 March 2023, at 17:32. Read More from Tunbridge Wells Green Party is standing 16 candidates on 4th May a full slate! On the state of shops in Tunbridge Wells, Cllr Dawlings noted that the Pantiles area was currently buzzing and he expressed optimism that the empty BHS store would soon attract a new retailer. LEADERS INTRODUCTION AND ANNOUNCEMENTS CAB154/22 There were no announcements. <> The Liberal Democrats were also criticised by the Conservatives for their plans to use parts of the Common for cycle and bus lanes. The Council is composed of 48 councillors representing 20 wards across the borough. The Conservative leader of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has been unseated by a UKIP candidate. In 2021, the Conservatives, who made significant gains across the country in that years local elections, continued to lose ground to the other parties in the council. APOLOGIES CAB155/22 Tunbridge Wells Green Party is standing 16 candidates on 4th May - a full slate! The council plans to increase its element of Council Tax by 2% (or 5 mimimum per household). His theme for the Mayoral year is The Rising Generation, the children and young adults who will become the leaders of the future. He has continued to oversee the production of the new Local Plan with the Full Council approving the Pre-Submission Local Plan now out for consultation. Tunbridge Wells Borough Council can send you a weekly email packed full of interesting news and features. The major issue now confronting the council is the budget. Cllr McDermott said: "We thought they had it all arranged but they decided they didn't want to do it. Our Education Directory has everything you could possibly need! treeves@thekmgroup.co.uk. Nick Pope (pictured below) emphasised the recent slide in Conservative support, pointing out that just 3 years ago, the Conservatives had a massive majority, holding 43 out of 48 seats on the Borough Council. A record 662 new homes were built in the last 12 months, including 272 affordable homes. Tunbridge Wells Borough Council (TWBC) has voted in the head of the Lib Dem group as the authority's new Council Leader, ending two decades of Conservative rule. He argued that the cross-party collaborative agreement on plans to rent out the surplus space in the Town Hall for co-working showed that the different groups were able to work effectively together. "Despite the initial rebuff, I hope the opposition group leaders will now be prepared to discuss establishing good working relationship because that is what our residents and businesses both need and deserve.". In addition to Cabinet members there are four champions to help deliver the Focus on Five: Cllr Peter Lidstone (LD), Walking and cycling champion Cllr Mark Ellis (LD), Town market champion Cllr Matthew Sankey (TWA), Local business champion Cllr Alex Britcher-Allan (Lab), Charities and voluntary sector champion. yDYQCXy:?eQUJZ[HZI_5&[(vPHpdMb "We are all interested in what's best for the people of the borough.". Council control after election. The leader of The Alliance on Tunbridge Wells Borough Council hopes the ABC cinema site can be put to community use until development takes place. Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting service, Cllr Chapelard said: We all know from Calverley Square the councils reputation has been absolutely savaged by residents and we need to rebuild that trust. See here @BenChapelard's (Leader of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council) response. In November of the same year, a by-election was held for one seat in Speldhurst and Bidborough ward, in which the Tories lost to TWA candidate and local businessman Matthew Sankey. Cllr Blackwell 2: Plans for Hub Theatre are Very Unrealistic, Cllr Blackwell 1: Cllr Oakford is incorrect on State of Victoria Hall, Shock Resignation of Conservative Town Councillor, Cllr Oakford 2: Tunbridge Wells Assembly Hall to Run Hub Theatre, Cllr Oakford 1: Confident of Overcoming Sport England Objection. The Liberal Democrats more than doubled their presence. <> The remainder are rural wards covering the other main towns and villages. But despite the changes to the new-look chamber, they remain deadlocked after the Conservatives failed to secure the 10 seats they needed to retain overall control at the Tunbridge Wells Borough Council elections earlier this month. After last Thursdays by-election defeat, the Conservative leader of Tunbridge Wells Council has called for all political parties to work together in collaboration in the interests of the Borough. Published and promoted by Chris Rose on behalf of the Green Party, both at The Green Party, PO Box 78066, London, SE16 9GQ. "I think that Tom is more capable in terms of engaging with the opposition," he said. Since the last boundary changes in 2002, 48 councillors have been elected from 20 wards. Read more: All the latest news from Tunbridge Wells. Vibrant Focal Point or Plastic Lunch Box? The chair of Tunbridge Wells Alliance Nick Pope told Southborough News that the seat had been won by his party after relentless campaigning. Tunbridge Wells Alliance leader David Hayward this week said he had been trying to get hold of former leader Cllr McDermott in the hopes of striking a deal and feels all opposition parties are united in wanting what is best for the area. As is customary, the mayor chooses a charity to support during their term of office and Cllr Woodward will be supporting Mental Health Resource, a mental health charity. Weve all come to serve our residents. Cllr Dawlings said the recent speech where Boris Johnson suggested that green fields should be protected from development had not yet turned into revised government policy, so the existing Local Plan including the new development at Capel was continuing its approval process and was currently with government-appointed planning inspectors. Chapelard stated his intention to reduce the councils budget deficit, which he claimed would cumulatively amount to 20 million by 2028. Tunbridge Wells Borough Council. Celebrating Tunbridge Wells Women in Business to recognise International Womens Day. A new plan for Tunbridge Wells borough was approved by Full Council on 1 March 2023 Book a bulky or electrical item collection, Homeless, vulnerable or at risk of homelessness, Setting up your business in Tunbridge Wells. It is likely that little will change until the May elections.. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. We have major matters to address the Local Plan; the Climate Emergency and our net zero target for carbon emissions by 2030; our property assets and completion of the Amelia Scott. All rights reserved. "All the opposition wants what's best for the borough," he said. Earlier plans for an active travel route along the A26 which Borough Council officers had worked on for some time and for which Government funding had been secured had had to be abandoned when these failed to get the support of Kent Highways officials due to safety concerns. :D6hs%#^_G1NG.2S\)me{u The Conservative leader of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has been unseated by a UKIP candidate. https://www.timeslocalnews.co.uk/tunbridge-wells-news. P!JcT+hRh+A@`td{(=U>`7Y\g-y``bG6E+mu R 9e6,>zz:8-\(|r? Councillor Ben Chapelard, the leader of the Liberal Democrat group on the council, chalked the Tories huge losses up to not just dissatisfaction with the national Conservative governments response to the cost-of-living crisis and anger over Partygate, but also frustration with the local Tory governments pattern of spending, including 10.8 million spent on the cancelled Calverley Square development, and concern over a waste collection contract.

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