Thanet District Council elections

Thanet District Council elections are held every four years to elect Thanet District Council in Kent, England. Since the last boundary changes in 2003 the council has comprised 56 councillors representing 23 wards.[1]

Council elections

Year Conservative Labour Liberal Democrats[a] UKIP Green Independents
& Others		 Council control
after election
Local government reorganisation; council established (63 seats)
1973 33 14 5 – – 11 Conservative
1976 39 11 0 – 0 13 Conservative
New ward boundaries (54 seats)
1979 32 5 1 – 0 16 Conservative
1983 28 8 2 – 0 16 Conservative
1987 25 7 10 – 0 12 No overall control
1991 29 14 2 – 0 9 Conservative
1995 3 45 4 0 0 2 Labour
1999 16 35 0 0 0 3 Labour
New ward boundaries (56 seats)[2]
2003 31 23 1 0 0 1 Conservative
2007 33 19 0 0 0 4 Conservative
2011 27 26 0 0 0 3 No overall control
2015 18 4 0 33 0 1 UKIP
2019 25 20 0 0 3 8[b] No overall control
2023 17 30 0 0 5 4[c] Labour

May 2023 election results

  • The Labour Party became the largest party on the council, winning the council from no overall control.

May 2019 election results

  • The Conservative Party became the largest party on the council, with the incumbent UK Independence Party losing every seat.
  • The council fell into no overall control.

May 2015 election results

  • The UK Independence Party won control of the council with 33 seats. The Conservative Party won 18 seats, the Labour Party won 4 seats, and one Independent was elected.[3]
  • Five UKIP councillors defected to a Democratic Independent Group over September and October 2015 over allegations that the leader of the council prevented the reopening of Manston Airport. This led to UKIP losing a majority on the council.[4] On 5 November, it was reported that a Councillor had defected from UKIP to the Conservatives.[5] In January 2016 UKIP remain the largest group but now with 26 members; there are 19 Conservatives, 5 Democratic Independent Group councillors, 5 Labour and 1 Independent councillor.
  • UKIP regained control of the council in 2016, after some independents rejoined the party and following a by-election gain by UKIP from Labour.
  • On 21 July 2017, a UKIP councillor defected to the Conservatives, meaning UKIP lost its majority on the council.[6]

May 2011 election results

  • Overall turnout: 42%
  • The council went to no overall control, the Conservative Party leading a minority administration with 27 seats, the Labour Party taking 26 seats and the Independents 3 seats.[7]
  • A Conservative councillor defected to the Independents in December 2011, subsequently the Labour Party led a minority administration.[8]

May 2007 election results

  • Overall turnout: 35%.
  • The Conservative Party held control of Thanet District Council with 33 seats, the Labour Party took 19 seats. There were 3 independents and 1 candidate from Ramsgate First also elected.[9]
  • The Ramsgate First candidate defected to the Conservatives shortly after the election.

May 2003 election results

  • Overall turnout: 33%
  • The Conservative Party won control of Thanet District Council with a total of 31 seats, the Labour Party taking 23 seats. One Liberal Democrat candidate and one Independent candidate were elected.
  • After the 30 October 2003 by-election the composition was: Conservative Party 30 seats, Labour Party 24 seats.

May 1999 election results

  • Overall turnout: 28.9%
  • Labour maintained control of Thanet District Council with a total of 35 seats, the Conservatives recovered to 16 seats, the Liberal Democrat candidates were wiped out and 3 Independent candidate were elected.

May 1995 election results

  • Overall turnout: 40.2%
  • The Labour Party won control of Thanet District Council with a total of 45 seats, the Conservatives were reduced to 3 seats and 4 Liberal Democrat candidates and 2 Independent candidate were elected.

May 1991 election results

  • Overall turnout: 41.5%
  • The Conservative Party retook control of Thanet District Council with a total of 29 seats, the Labour Party taking 14 seats, 2 Liberal Democrat candidate and 9 Independent candidate were elected.

May 1987 election results

  • Overall turnout: 44.8%
  • The Conservative Party lost enough seats to lose the council to No Overall Control (NOC). Conservatives had 25 seats, the Labour Party took 7 seats, 10 Liberal/SDP and 12 Independent candidates were elected.

May 1983 election results

  • Overall turnout: 44.1%
  • The Conservative Party lost seats but continued in control of Thanet District Council with a total of 28 seats, the Labour Party took 8 seats, 2 Liberal/SDP candidate and 16 Independent candidates elected.

May 1979 election results

  • Overall turnout: 71.1% (the election coincided with the General Election.
  • The Conservative Party continued to control the Council with a total of 32 seats, the Labour Party reduced to 5 seats, one Liberal candidate and 16 Independent candidates were elected.

May 1976 election results

  • Overall turnout: 47.7%
  • The Conservative Party kept control of Thanet District Council with a total of 39 seats, the Labour Party taking 11 seats and 13 Independent candidate were elected.

May 1973 election results

  • The council was created from Margate Municipal Borough, Ramsgate Municipal Borough, Broadstairs & St Peters Urban District and parts of Eastry Rural District.
  • Overall turnout: 44.2%
  • The Conservative Party won control of Thanet District Council with a total of 33 seats, the Labour Party taking 14 seats, Liberals 5 seats, and there was eleven Independent candidates elected.

County result maps

By-election results

1995–1999

Northdown Park By-Election 20 March 1997
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour 548 43.2
Conservative 338 26.6
Independent 187 14.7
Thanet Socialists 133 10.4
Liberal Democrats 62 4.9
Majority 210 16.6
Turnout 1,268
Labour hold Swing
Pier By-Election 1 October 1998
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour 164 51.3 −14.6
Conservative 137 42.8 +27.2
Liberal Democrats 19 5.9 +0.8
Majority 27 8.5
Turnout 320 15.2
Labour hold Swing -20.9

1999–2003

Margate West By-Election 18 November 1999
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative 565 72.9 +34.1
Labour 210 27.1 −10.0
Majority 355 45.8
Turnout 775 15.5
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +22.1
Central Westcliffe By-Election 22 June 2000
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative 858 68.9 +68.9
Labour 388 31.1 −20.4
Majority 470 37.8
Turnout 1,246 23.1
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +44.7
Cliftonville By-Election 22 February 2001
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative 1,026 60.4 −0.5
Labour 544 32.0 −7.1
Independent 130 7.6 +7.6
Majority 482 28.4
Turnout 1,700 27.4
Conservative hold Swing +3.3

2003–2007

Margate Central By-Election 30 October 2003[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Watkins 370 41.0 −4.8
Conservative Ramesh Chhabra 201 22.3 −23.2
BNP Robert Parker 172 19.1 +19.1
Liberal Democrats Guy Voizey 85 9.4 +9.4
UKIP Timothy Stocks 37 4.1 +4.1
Socialist Alliance Karen Cardwell 19 2.1 +2.1
Independent Francis Foy 18 2.0 −10.7
Majority 169 18.7
Turnout 902 25.9
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +9.2
Sir Moses Montefiore By-Election 15 July 2004[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Alan Poole 378 33.2 −13.3
Conservative Robert Burgess 342 30.1 −6.1
UKIP Michael Taylor 288 25.3 +25.3
Liberal Democrats Vincent Knight 130 11.4 −5.9
Majority 36 3.1
Turnout 1,138 31.1
Labour hold Swing +3.6

2007–2011

Thanet Villages By-Election 4 June 2009[12][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Bob Grove 937 47.3 +4.0
Conservative Peter Landi 596 30.1 −6.5
Liberal Democrats Louisa Latham 316 15.9 +15.9
Labour Rebecca Scobie 133 6.7 −13.4
Majority 341 17.2
Turnout 1,982 41.0
Independent hold Swing +5.3
Dane Valley By-Election 3 December 2009[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Sandra Hart 318 34.2 −3.9
Liberal Democrats Bill Furness 260 28.0 +28.0
Conservative Ingrid Spencer 222 23.9 −19.7
Independent Wendy Allan 130 14.0 −4.4
Majority 58 6.2
Turnout 930 17.0
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

2015-2019

Newington by-election 21 January 2016[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Karen Constantine 288 37.7 +1.3
UKIP Duncan Smithson 229 30.0 −14.2
Conservative Adam Dark 156 20.4 +0.5
Independent Alan Hodder 49 6.4 +6.4
Green Ian Driver 20 2.6 +2.6
Liberal Democrats Jordan Williams 12 1.6 +1.6
Independent Grahame Birchall 10 1.3 +1.3
Majority 59 7.7
Turnout 764
Labour gain from UKIP Swing
Newington by-election 30 June 2016[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UKIP Roy Potts 295 40.2 −4.0
Labour David Green 281 38.3 +1.9
Conservative Adam Dark 125 17.0 −2.5
Liberal Democrats Matthew Brown 33 4.5 +4.5
Majority 14 1.9
Turnout 734
UKIP hold Swing
Northwood by-election 18 August 2016 (2 seats)[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UKIP Lynda Piper 488
UKIP George Rusiecki 394
Labour Helen CrittendenKaz Peet 356
Labour Kaz Peet 325
Conservative Charlie Leys 282
Conservative Marc Rattigan 246
Independent Colin Grostate 136
Liberal Democrats Jordan Williams 64
Liberal Democrats John Finnegan 48
Party for a United Thanet Grahame Birchall 44
UKIP hold Swing
UKIP hold Swing
Margate Central by-election 3 August 2017[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ian Venables 454 57.5 +23.7
Conservative Reece Pugh 190 24.1 +3.6
UKIP Liz Plewis 52 6.6 −25.2
Liberal Democrats John Finnegan 33 4.2 +4.2
No description Dean McCastree 24 3.0 +3.0
Green Bernard Kirkham 23 2.9 −8.6
Independent Pip Rees 13 1.6 +1.6
Majority 264 33.4
Turnout 790 21.3
Labour gain from UKIP Swing
Thanet Villages by-election 11 January 2018[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Reece Pugh 620 49.3 +23.4
Liberal Democrats Angie Curwen 313 24.9 +24.9
Labour Pauline Farrance 206 16.4 +5.9
Green Natasha Ransom 66 5.3 −6.9
Independent Sonia Smyth 52 4.1 +4.1
Majority 307 24.4
Turnout 1,257
Conservative hold Swing
Birchington South by-election 26 July 2018[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Linda Wright 651 63.0 +35.4
Labour Helen Whitehead 265 25.7 +12.5
Liberal Democrats Hannah Lloyd-Bowyer 117 11.3 +5.7
Majority 386 37.4
Turnout 1,033
Conservative gain from UKIP Swing

2019-2023

Cliffsend and Pegwell by-election 13 February 2020[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Marc Rattigan 516 50.8 +14.1
Green Charlotte Barton 290 28.5 +10.4
Labour David Green 109 10.7 −4.4
Independent Grahame Birchall 101 9.9 −5.8
Majority 226 22.2
Turnout 1,016
Conservative hold Swing
Central Harbour by-election 6 May 2021[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Tricia Austin 776 41.1 +11.3
Labour David Green 631 33.4 −2.0
Conservative John Davis 480 25.4 +11.9
Majority 145 7.7
Turnout 1,887
Green gain from Labour Swing
Dane Valley by-election 6 May 2021[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Wallin 491 39.4 +15.7
Labour Martin Boyd 461 37.0 +11.4
Thanet Ind. Mark Websper 294 23.6 +11.3
Majority 30 2.4
Turnout 1,246
Conservative gain from Thanet Ind. Swing
Newington by-election 6 May 2021[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Trevor Shonk 265 37.2 +14.0
Labour Mary King 260 36.5 −14.4
Green Katie Gerrard 144 20.2 −5.6
Independent Grahame Birchall 43 6.0 +6.0
Majority 5 0.7
Turnout 712
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Cliftonville East by-election 22 July 2021[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Charlie Leys 723 74.5 +14.8
Labour Don Challinger 211 21.7 −1.0
Women's Equality Kanndiss Riley 37 3.8 −13.8
Majority 512 52.7
Turnout 971
Conservative hold Swing
Thanet Villages by-election 11 November 2021[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Abi Smith 638 60.0 +36.8
Conservative Guy Wilson 358 33.7 +9.0
Liberal Democrats Jeremy de Rose 67 6.3 −15.7
Majority 280 26.3
Turnout 1,063
Green hold Swing
Nethercourt by-election 24 March 2022[27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Anne-Marie Nixey 505 55.5 +16.8
Conservative John Davis 230 25.3 −1.7
Thanet Ind. Claire Tilbrook 175 19.2 +19.2
Majority 275 30.2
Turnout 910
Labour hold Swing

2023-2027

Thanet Villages by-election 1 May 2025[28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Peter Evans 781 37.8 +37.8
Conservative Ash Ashbee 433 21.0 –17.2
Thanet Ind. Ian Driver 407 19.7 +19.7
Green Will Jarman 204 9.9 –24.4
Liberal Democrats Deborah Holmes 116 5.6 –1.2
Labour Bryan Harrod 107 5.2 –8.7
Independent Grahame Birchall 17 0.8 +0.8
Majority 348 16.8
Turnout 2,092 31.4 +4.4
Registered electors 6,674
Reform gain from Conservative
Garlinge by-election 30 October 2025[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Darren Oxborrow 348 44.6 +44.6
Conservative Kerry Boyd 250 32.0 +10.6
Labour Bryan Harrod 62 7.9 −12.3
Green Deb Shotton 61 7.8 −1.3
Liberal Democrats Matthew Brown 36 4.6 +4.6
Independent Ian Driver 24 3.1 +3.1
Majority 98 12.5
Turnout 781
Registered electors 3,696
Reform gain from Thanet Ind.

Notes

  1. ↑ Includes totals for the predecessors of the Liberal Democrats, the Liberal Party and SDP (both of which participated in the Alliance).
  2. ↑ Including 7 Thanet Independents
  3. ↑ Including 3 Thanet Independents

References

  1. ↑ "The Statutory Instruments Regulations 1947", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2001/3556, retrieved 1 October 2023
  2. ↑ legislation.gov.uk - The District of Thanet (Electoral Changes) Order 2001. Retrieved on 4 October 2015.
  3. ↑ "Election 2015: UKIP takes control of its first council, in Thanet". BBC News. 9 May 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
  4. ↑ "UKIP loses control of Thanet council over Manston issue". BBC News. 13 October 2015. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
  5. ↑ Phibbs, Harry (5 November 2015). "Thanet councillor defects from UKIP to the Conservatives". ConservativeHome. Archived from the original on 7 June 2021. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  6. ↑ "UKIP has lost its majority on Thanet District Council". Kent Live. 21 July 2017. Retrieved 24 July 2017.
  7. ↑ "District Council Election - Thursday, 5th May, 2011". Thanet District Council. Retrieved 15 December 2011.
  8. ↑ "Clive Hart elected as Labour leader for Thanet council". BBC News Online. 9 December 2011. Retrieved 15 December 2011.
  9. ↑ "English local elections 2007: Thanet". BBC News Online. 4 May 2007. Retrieved 15 December 2011.
  10. ↑ "Declaration of result of poll" (PDF). Thanet District Council. Retrieved 4 December 2009.
  11. ↑ "Declaration of result of poll" (PDF). Thanet District Council. Retrieved 4 December 2009.
  12. ↑ "Local elections round-up". Local Government Association. Retrieved 4 December 2009.
  13. ↑ "Thanet District Council - Thanet Villages Ward - By-election - Thursday, 4th June, 2009". Thanet District Council. 4 June 2009. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  14. ↑ "Labour wins Dane Valley election". this is kent.co.uk. 4 December 2009. Retrieved 4 December 2009.
  15. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Newington Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  16. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Newington Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  17. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Northwood Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  18. ↑ Homer, Madeline. "Election of a District Councillor for Margate Central on Thursday 3 August 2017" (PDF). Thanet District Council. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
  19. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Thanet Villages Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  20. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Birchington South Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  21. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Cliffsend and Pegwell Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  22. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Central Harbour Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  23. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Dane Valley Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  24. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Newington Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  25. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Cliftonville East Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  26. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Thanet Villages Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  27. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Nethercourt Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  28. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Thanet Villages Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
  29. ↑ "Local Elections Archive Project — Garlinge Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
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