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Lib Dems feel the pain as Tories strengthen their hold on councils


CONSERVATIVES virtually swept the board in Tonbridge and Malling, increasing their stronghold to 48 of the borough’s 53 seats, in the May local elections. The party inflicted painful losses on the Liberal Democrats, deposing their leader and two other councillors, but conceded one seat to Labour. Lib Dems, whose seats were reduced from


seven to four, suffered the loss of group leader David Thornewell, a councillor for more than 30 years, His Larkfield colleague John Clements, was unseated by the Tories, as was sitting councillor Barry Stone in Dit- ton.


Cllr Thornewell pledged to continue his


work for the area as chairman of East Malling and Larkfield Parish Council, and thought that big new housing developments may have led to changes in local voting pat- terns.


Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council:


AYLESFORD (2 seats): John Balcombe (Con) 1061; David Smith (Con) 978; Julia Taylor (Lab) 362; Stephen Clarke (LD) 332. Turnout 43.28%


BOROUGH GREEN AND LONG MILL (3 seats): Sue Mur- ray (Con) 1522; David Evans (Con) 1422; Tony Sayer (Con) 1256; Tim Shaw 901; Mike Tay- lor (Ind) 783; Paul Spensley (Ind) 454; Victoria Hayman (Lab) 321; Stephen Hayman (Lab) 302; James Hayman (Lab) 300. Turnout 51.34%


BURHAM, ECCLES AND WOULDHAM (2 seats): Roger Dalton (Con) 837; Dave Davis (Con) 808; Marion Mountford (Lab) 362; Timothy Fulwell (LD) 216; Valerie Oxberry (LD) 202. Turnout 41.42%


DITTON (2 seats): Jeanette Bel- lamy (Con) 864; Carol Gale (Con) 805; Barry Stone (LD) 495; Paul Hatcher (LD) 480; Alan Piper (Lab) 254; Daniel Frost (Lab) 223. Turnout 45.78%


EAST MALLING (2 seats): Liz Simpson (LD) 737; Christine Woodger (LD) 541; Richard Brown (Con) 410; Peter McDer- mott (Con) 277; Sarah Palmer (Lab) 214; Stuart Millson (Ind)


Joyce Oliver A NEIGHBOURHOOD collec- tion was made for a woman who had lived on the Clare Park estate, East Mallling, since 1954 when it was first built. Joyce Oliver (83), of Elm Cres-


cent, used to do the same thing for others on the estate who had passed away. Two of her friends, Ruby Cleggett and Pam Nicholls, raised £140 from the door-to- door collection. Widower Harold Oliver put


the money towards a wreath and other expenses. "I and the family are very grateful to them," he said. His wife used to work as a kitchen hand and cleaner at the


18 Malling


Leader MarkWor- rall’s Tories tight- ened their grip on Tonbridge and Malling Council.


Group leader David Thornewell was a high-profile Liberal Democrat casualty.


He said: “Residents have moved in with national political loyalties and we haven’t had time to establish a Liberal Democrat presence in those areas.” Another possible factor had been fears


173. Turnout 37.99%


over increased lorry traffic on Leybourne Way linked to a proposed recycling plant at the former SCA Containerboard site. Labour’s hopes of making significant


gains were thwarted with just one seat being snatched from the Conservatives. The party had hoped to return to its posi-


tion before the previous election when it held five seats in Snodland and two in Ton- bridge. But its only victory was in Snodland with Julian Atkins deposing Conservative councillor LesWithey. The new council comprises Conservatives


48, Lib Dems 4, Labour 1. The average turnout in the 26 wards was 44.83%. In the referendum on whether to change


the UKvoting system, 9,880 votes were cast in the borough in favour of changing to the alternative vote system with 29,700 opting against.


Election results in the Malling area: 70.92%


EAST PECKHAM AND GOLDEN GREEN (2 seats): Liz Holland (Con) 924; Howard Rogers (Con) 784; Tony Dowdeswell (UKIP) 222; Terry Scott (Lab) 220; Adriana Fabin (LD) 153; Ralph Lovesy (LD) 124. Turnout 46.05%


HADLOW, MEREWORTH AND WEST PECKHAM (2 seats): Jill Anderson (Con) 1198; Janet Sergison (Con) 1069; Charles Vernon (LD) 404. Turnout 46.66%


KINGS HILL (2 seats): Christo- pher Brown (Con) 1419; Trevor Robins (Con) 1204; Nigel Hol- land (LD) 237; Kathleen Garlick (Lab) 236; Terence Pullinger (Lab) 236; David Waller (UKIP) 167. Turnout 40.29%


LARKFIELD NORTH (2 seats): Mike Parry-Waller (Con) 654; Russ Taylor (Con) 627; David Thornewell (LD) 576; John Clements (LD) 456; Janet Den- bow (Lab) 222. Turnout 69.38%


LARKFIELD SOUTH (2 seats): Anita Oakley (LD) 580; Timo- thy Bishop (LD) 508; Peter Col- lett (Con) 390; Nigel Day (Con) 320; David Finn (Lab) 204; Mark Forgione (Lab) 188. Turnout


SNODLAND EAST (2 seats): Steven King (Con) 499; Julian Atkins (Lab) 465; David Laverty (Lab) 456; Les Withey (Con) 456; Turnout 34.29%


SNODLAND WEST (3 seats): David Keeley (Con) 963; Anne Moloney (Con) 961; Barbara Brown (Con) 947; Paul Hick- mott (Lab) 870; Iain Laverty (Lab) 670;Wayne Mallard (Lab) 648. Turnout 40.53%


WATERINGBURY (1 seat): Simon Jessel (Con) 493; David Mitchelmore (Lab) 164; Stephen Patt (LD) 131. Turnout 50.28%


WEST MALLING AND LEY- BOURNE (3 seats): Sasha Luck (Con) 1234; Brian Luker (Con) 1147; MarkWorrall (Con) 1137; Yvonne Smyth (LD) 489; Julie Lusher (LD) 402; Jeremy Teas- dale (Lab) 361; Peter Stevens (UKIP) 296; George Demuth (LD) 250. Turnout 48.18%


Maidstone Borough Council:


MARDEN & YALDING (1 seat): Anabelle Blackmore (Con) 1612; Carol Jacques (LD) 425; Edith Davis (Lab) 317; James Shalice (Green) 188. Turnout 44%.


We will remember


former Clare Park School. The couple had been married


for 60 years. Joyce also leaves two sons, Shaun and Ian ('Alfie') and four grandchildren.


Michael Setford MICHAEL Setford (63) had lived in the Mereworth area for more than 40 years. He was born and raised in the Medway Towns but moved after marry- ing Sue. Michael’s career with Mid-


Kent Water saw him based at their Snodland office but, as an engineer and operations direc- tor, he travelled throughout the


area, working on many projects. One he was particularly


proud of was the establishment of Mid-Kent Fisheries, a large- scale operation involving the management of lakes and rivers as fishing resources. The opera- tion covers many local ameni- ties including Leybourne Lakes. As a keen angler himself, Michael had an appreciation of what people wanted. Michael was father to Bianca


and Guy, who said: “My father was really selfless, he did so much for his family and was also heavily involved with


To contact Downs Mail just phone 01622 630330 Town and parish councils:


SNODLAND EAST (6 seats): Dilys Crook (Con) 468; Debbie Alford-Smith (Con) 465; Bar- bara Keeley (Con) 461; Vivien Hickmott (Lab) 460; Julian Atkins (Lab) 456; Alan Keeley (Con) 452; Michael Herbert (Con) 445; Richard Steele (Lab) 438; David Laverty (Lab) 436; Laura Gilmore (Lab) 434; Jeffrey Tucker (Con) 410; Wayne Mal- lard (Lab) 403. Turnout 43.4%


SNODLAND WEST (9 seats): David Keeley (Con) 974; Anne Moloney (Con) 951; Barbara Brown (Con) 949; Chris Block (Con) 861; Peter Misy (Con) 859; Paul Hickmott (Lab) 854; Debra Macey (Con) 850; Barrie Garlick (Con) 836; David Purll (Con) 810; Les Withey (Con) 770; Gillian Hutchinson (Lab) 692;Thomas Perkins (Lab) 681; David Lucas (Lab) 680; Iain Laverty (Lab) 676; Peter Sutton (Lab) 672; Luke Chapman (LD) 311. Turnout 40.48%


WEST PECKHAM(7 seats): Ron Wright 97; Nicky Spensley 90; Mark Yearsley 77; Gilly Kin- loch 77; Mark Freed 76; Harry Wooldridge 75; Clive Talbutt 63; Ian Wright 54; Michael Wooldridge 51. Turnout 56.88%


Mereworth Parish Council and St Lawrence’s Church. He al- ways put others before himself. Along with his love of fishing, he was a keen golfer who played locally.” Michael leaves his widow, children and four grandchil- dren; Aidan, Amber, Amelia and Honor.


Peter Young PETER Young (59) was well known around Allington for 34 years. He loved to help and support people and became a Samaritan. Pete leaves his widow Gill,


his sons and daughter plus their partners, his grandchil- dren and mum Joan.


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