2015 UK local government election
Map of the results of the 2015 Rother District Council election. Conservatives in blue, independents in light grey, Liberal Democrats in yellow and Labour in red. The 2015 Rother District Council election took place on 7 May 2015 to elect members of Rother District Council in East Sussex, England. The whole council was up for election and the Conservative Party stayed in overall control of the council.[1]
Background At the last election in 2011 the Conservatives remained in control of the council with 27 councillors, while the Liberal Democrats took 5 seats, independents 4 seats and the Labour Party won 2 seats.[2] By the time of the 2015 election three of the Conservative councillors for Bexhill had resigned from the Conservatives to sit as independents.[3] [4] Deirdre Williams and Paul Lendon left the party in July 2012 and then in May 2014 Joanne Gadd also became an independent councillor.[3] [4]
Election result The Conservatives increased their majority on the council after winning 31 seats, up from 24 before the election.[5] This came at the expense of the independents who were reduced in number from seven to four.[5] The Liberal Democrats also dropped three seats to have two councillors, with the group leader Kevin Dixon defeated by 65 votes in Battle.[5] The Labour group leader Sam Souster was also defeated in Rye, leaving the party with only one councillor.[5]
Rother local election result 2015[6] Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/− Conservative 31 7 0 +7 81.6 48.8 39,720 -4.4% Independent 4 0 3 -3 10.5 12.2 9,910 +3.8% Liberal Democrats 2 0 3 -3 5.3 13.2 10,720 -7.8% Labour 1 0 1 -1 2.6 15.2 12,340 -0.6% UKIP 0 0 0 0 0 8.7 7,105 +8.7% Green 0 0 0 0 0 1.9 1,556 +0.3%
Ward results Battle Town (2 seats)[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Liberal Democrats Kathryn Field 1,481 Conservative Martin Noakes 1,199 Liberal Democrats Kevin Dixon 1,134 Labour Andrew Shepherd 469 Turnout 4,283 69.9 +21.9 Liberal Democrats hold Swing Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Bexhill Central (2 seats)[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Joy Hughes 824 Conservative Abul Azad 735 Labour Paul Courtel 709 Labour Ruairi McCourt 603 UKIP Michael Phillips 558 Independent Paul Plim 355 Independent Mark Plews 347 Liberal Democrats John Tunbridge 226 Independent Andrew Crotty 79 Turnout 4,436 63.2 +25.5 Conservative hold Swing Conservative hold Swing
Bexhill Collington (2 seats)[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Independent Tony Mansi 1,309 Independent Doug Oliver 1,220 Conservative Michael Ensor 973 Conservative Colin Darker 847 UKIP Alison Phillips 417 Green John Gray 282 Labour Kate Bird 280 Turnout 5,328 78.1 +20.6 Independent hold Swing Independent hold Swing
Bexhill Kewhurst (2 seats)[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Brian Kentfield 1,675 Conservative Martin Kenward 1,281 UKIP Lynne Hehir 957 Labour Yvonne Cleland 663 Turnout 4,576 71.1 +19.4 Conservative hold Swing Conservative hold Swing
Bexhill Old Town (2 seats)[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Gillian Johnson 618 Conservative Jacqueline Potts 611 UKIP James Taylor 510 Liberal Democrats Vivienne Bond 383 Labour Roger McCarthy 367 Liberal Democrats Diane Smith 262 Green Linda Hills 229 Independent Saleh Uddin 222 Independent Sandy Melvin 219 Turnout 3,421 65.6 +22.9 Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Bexhill Sackville (2 seats)[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Ian Hollidge 742 Conservative Patrick Douart 709 Independent Deirdre Williams 680 Independent Yolanda Laybourne 626 UKIP Sheila Allen-Rodgers 563 Labour Paul Theaker 543 Turnout 3,863 64.6 +18.7 Conservative gain from Independent Swing Conservative hold Swing
Bexhill Sidley (2 seats)[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Labour Maurice Watson 702 Conservative Jimmy Carroll 694 Conservative Becky Bowley 644 Labour Alan Bearne 619 UKIP Barry Last 573 Independent Helen Bridger 304 Independent Keith Bridger 261 Turnout 3,797 57.1 +18.1 Labour hold Swing Conservative hold Swing
Bexhill St. Marks (2 seats)[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Independent Stuart Earl 1,312 Conservative Thomas Graham 1,148 Independent Joanne Gadd 808 Conservative Brett Mclean 671 UKIP Andrew Ellis 608 Labour Timothy Fox 318 Turnout 4,865 74.0 +19.3 Independent hold Swing Conservative gain from Independent Swing
Bexhill St. Michaels (2 seats)[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Independent Charles Clark 1,134 Conservative Simon Elford 789 UKIP Richard Corner 613 Independent Laura Fermor 499 Labour Conor Hill 410 Turnout 3,445 63.3 +20.8 Independent hold Swing Conservative hold Swing
Bexhill St. Stephens (2 seats)[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Richard Carroll 914 Conservative Bridget George 884 UKIP Pat Lee 754 Labour Richard Sage 563 Independent Paul Lendon 535 Liberal Democrats Graham Martin-Royle 379 Turnout 4,029 66.9 +25.7 Conservative gain from Independent Swing Conservative hold Swing
Brede Valley (2 seats)[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Carl Maynard 1,818 Conservative Jonathan Johnson 1,685 Labour Elaine Lee 455 Labour Cheryl Creaser 443 Liberal Democrats Ian Stone 428 Liberal Democrats Robert Wakeford 228 Turnout 5,057 74.2 +25.3 Conservative hold Swing Conservative hold Swing
Crowhurst[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Gary Curtis 771 49.2 −2.5 Liberal Democrats Tracy Dixon 307 19.6 −17.5 Labour Brian Basham 260 16.6 +5.4 UKIP Tony Smith 228 14.6 +14.6 Majority 464 29.6 +15.0 Turnout 1,566 75.3 +22.7 Conservative hold Swing
Darwell (2 seats)[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Emily Rowlinson 1,419 Conservative Eleanor Kirby-Green 1,213 UKIP Eddie Smith 574 Liberal Democrats Mary Varrall 564 Green Andrew Wedmore 510 Labour Christopher Husbands 347 Turnout 4,627 68.7 +20.0 Conservative hold Swing Conservative hold Swing
Eastern Rother (2 seats)[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Sally-Ann Hart 1,441 Conservative Paul Osborne 1,392 Labour Nick Warren 705 Labour Paul Carey 694 Liberal Democrats Rachel Hills 332 Turnout 4,564 71.4 +21.6 Conservative hold Swing Conservative hold Swing
Ewhurst and Sedlescombe[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Tony Ganly 1,131 75.7 −1.9 Liberal Democrats Angus Gilloughley 363 24.3 +1.9 Majority 768 51.4 −3.8 Turnout 1,494 72.5 +20.9 Conservative hold Swing
Marsham (2 seats)[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Roger Bird 1,421 Conservative Christopher Saint 1,271 Labour Bob Ball 718 Labour Johnathan Lee 679 Liberal Democrats Derek Greenup 308 Liberal Democrats Gill Stone 204 Turnout 4,601 77.5 +23.5 Conservative hold Swing Conservative hold Swing
Rother Levels (2 seats)[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Martin Mooney 1,566 Conservative Ian Jenkins 1,372 Liberal Democrats Susan Schlesinger 792 UKIP Ian Slora 750 Turnout 4,480 74.2 +22.8 Conservative hold Swing Conservative hold Swing
Rye (2 seats)[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative David Ampthill 1,108 Conservative Gennette Stevens 1,019 Labour Sam Souster 886 Labour Ray Prewer 656 Liberal Democrats Sonia Holmes 377 Turnout 4,046 68.0 +17.8 Conservative hold Swing Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Salehurst (2 seats)[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Liberal Democrats Sue Prochak 1,318 Conservative Graham Browne 1,184 Liberal Democrats Stephen Hardy 1,063 Conservative Gaynor Gough 850 Labour Bob Collins 251 Turnout 4,666 72.9 +21.9 Liberal Democrats hold Swing Conservative hold Swing
Ticehurst and Etchingham (2 seats)[6] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative Robert Elliston 1,560 Conservative Mary Barnes 1,541 Liberal Democrats George Hearn 571 Green Don Nicholls 535 Turnout 4,207 73.5 +23.3 Conservative hold Swing Conservative hold Swing
By-elections between 2015 and 2019
Battle Town by-election A by-election was held in Battle Town on 16 July 2015 after the resignation of Conservative councillor Martin Noakes due to ill health.[7] [8] The seat was gained for the Liberal Democrats by Kevin Dixon with a 409-vote majority over Conservative Hazel Sharman.[8]
Battle Town by-election 16 July 2015[9] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Liberal Democrats Kevin Dixon 751 57.8 +10.8 Conservative Hazel Sharman 342 26.3 −11.8 UKIP Tony Smith 107 8.2 +8.2 Labour Timothy MacPherson 100 7.7 −7.2 Majority 409 31.5 Turnout 1,300 32.4 −37.5 Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
Collington by-election A by-election was held in Collington on 27 October 2016 after the resignation of independent councillor Tony Mansi for health reasons.[10] The seat was won by independent candidate Deirdre Earl-Williams.
Collington by-election 27 October 2016[11] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Independent Deirdre Earl-Williams 818 60.0 +60.0 Conservative Andrew Burton 393 28.8 −1.0 Labour Sara Watson 87 6.4 −2.2 UKIP Michael Phillips 66 4.8 −8.0 Majority 425 31.2 Turnout 1,364 Independent hold Swing
Darwell by-election A by-election was held in Darwell on 27 October 2016 after the resignation of Conservative councillor Emily Rowlinson.[12] The seat was won by Conservative candidate John Barnes.
Darwell by-election 27 October 2016[13] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Conservative John Barnes 359 43.5 +1.9 Liberal Democrats Mary Varrall 259 31.4 +14.9 Labour Antonia Berelson 79 9.6 −0.6 Green Andrew Wedmore 69 8.4 −6.5 UKIP Edward Smith 60 7.3 −9.5 Majority 100 12.1 Turnout 826 Conservative hold Swing
St Marks by-election A by-election was held in St Marks on 10 January 2019 after the death of independent councillor Stuart Earl.[14] The seat was won by independent candidate Kathy Harmer.
St Marks by-election 10 January 2019[15] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Independent Kathy Harmer 1,000 60.7 +60.7 Conservative Gino Forte 521 31.6 −2.3 Labour John Walker 79 4.8 −4.6 UKIP John Zipser 48 2.9 −15.1 Majority 479 29.1 Turnout 1,648 Independent hold Swing
References ^ "Local election results 2015 in full". The Guardian . 15 May 2015. Retrieved 1 August 2015 . ^ "England council elections". BBC News Online . 10 May 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2015 . ^ a b "Second councillor quits Tory ranks". Bexhill-on-Sea Observer . 13 July 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2015 . ^ a b "cllr was at odds with the "lack of democracy" ". Bexhill-on-Sea Observer . 24 May 2014. Retrieved 2 August 2015 . ^ a b c d "Local election - Blue is the colour for Rother". Rye & Battle Observer . 9 May 2015. Retrieved 2 August 2015 . ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u "District Election". Rother District Council. Retrieved 1 August 2015 . ^ "RDC councillor quits weeks after election". Rye & Battle Observer . 29 May 2015. Retrieved 2 August 2015 . ^ a b "Kevin Dixon wins Battle town by-election". Rye & Battle Observer . 17 July 2015. Retrieved 2 August 2015 . ^ "Declaration of result of poll". Rother District Council. Retrieved 2 August 2015 . ^ "Bexhill councillor resigns for health reasons". Sussex Express . 28 September 2016. Retrieved 4 June 2022 . ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Collington Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk . Retrieved 4 June 2022 . ^ "Meet the Darwell ward by-election candidates". Sussex Express . 21 October 2016. Retrieved 4 June 2022 . ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Darwell Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk . Retrieved 4 June 2022 . ^ "Funeral arrangements for much-loved Bexhill councillor, Stuart Earl". Sussex Express . 30 October 2018. Retrieved 4 June 2022 . ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — St Marks Ward". www.andrewteale.me.uk . Retrieved 4 June 2022 .