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News | Election


downsmail.co.uk WillLibDems re-take council?


THE LiberalDemocratswere anticipated to retain control ofMaidstone Borough Council, pro- viding they could rekindle a dealwith independents and Labour.


But aswewent to press, the To-


ries were trying to find a way to seize control, helped in part by Cllr Chris Garland’s return to the Conservatives after a brief defec- tion to the independents. There were few shocks onMay


2, and the Tory vote held up well in the face of problems at West- minster over Brexit. But they failed to retain Fant,


which went to Labour, and did not unseat Independent Maid- stone Gordon Newton in Downswood & Otham. In North ward, where the Lib


Dem candidate failed to submit nomination papers on time, the fight turned out to be a three-way tussle between Labour,Conserva- tives andGreens. The strong third place result for the Green Party probably cost Labour the seat, which the Tories took with a 90 votemajority. Labour nowhas all three Fant seats. John Perry, Tory group leader


said: “All things considered, this was a tidy enough result for us - it could have been catastrophic. Peo-


Results in your area


Allington – Cynthia Robertson Lib Dem


Bearsted – Val Springett Con Boxley – Ann Brindle Con


Coxheath & Hunton – Richard Webb Lib Dem


Detling & Thurnham - Nick De Wiggondene-Sheppard Con


Downswood & Otham– Gordon Newton IndMaidstone East - David Naghi Lib Dem Fant –Margaret Rose Lab


Harrietsham & Lenham – Tom Sams Ind


High Street –Dinesh Khadka Lib Dem Leeds – Gill Fort Con Loose – Susan Grigg Lib Dem


Marden & Yalding – Annabelle Blackmore Con North – Robert Eves Con Shepway N –Marion Ring Con South – Brian Clark Lib Dem Staplehurst - Louise Brice Con


S Valence & Langley- Wendy Young Con TURNOUT: 32%


10 Maidstone June 2019


ple turned out because they care about local issues and their com- munities. “We’re grateful that so many


stuck with us. But this wasn’t going to be our election. It is galling to be the biggest party and be prevented fromforming an ad- ministration. “Next year will be a different


matter.” ConservativeGaryCooke failed


to takeDownswood&Otham, de- spite havingworked the patch for months before polling day. Cllr Newton (Independent


Maidstone) polled 434 to the To- ries’ 182. After victory, Cllr Newton said


his success was in part due to his dog Bonnie, a rescue mongrel, who accompanies him on litter-


Greens look to future


THE Green Party said its 12% vote share showed a surge in support for an alternative voice in local politics. The Greens came third in


North ward – where the Lib Dems failed to stand a candi- date because of a paperwork error – but only narrowly be- hind Labour. The seatwaswon by Conservative Robert Eves. Green candidate Steve Cheeseman said: “It was heart-


breaking to narrowly miss out in North ward, but I’m really pleased to have increased our vote share somassively. “This clearly shows that there


is a desire formore Green poli- cies and a different style of pol- itics.


I will continue to


campaign in the area, with a viewtowinning next time.” Stuart Jeffery, secretary of


Maidstone Greens, said: “This was an outstanding election.”


Coalition claim‘nonsense’


CLAIMS the Conservatives have been in a “coalition” with the Lib- eralDemocrats onMBC have been described as “total nonsense”. Lib Dem councillor Dan Daley


suggested that because the Tories acceptedcommittee chairmanships in the last period of administration from2018-19, therewas analliance. Cllr Daley, who represents


Allington, claimed: “For a number of years there has been no overall control (of MBC) but by virtue of the Conservatives chairing com-


mittees, we have got a coalition in a sense. It is a coalition.” Tory opposition group leader


John Perry said: “It is a LiberalDe- mocrat-ledauthority - they are run- ning the show. Dan can’t wriggle out of it that way.We are not in a coalition.Our aimis towinenough seats to have an overallmajority.” Fellow Tory member Jonathan


Purle said: “It is total nonsense. Take a look around you -what you see is down to the Lib Dems. We are not in charge - they are.”


pickingwalks.He joked: “I some- times think that people knowBon- nie better than me. I am pleased with the result.” The pair are pic- tured. Cllr Newton’s re-election also


means that Independent Maid- stone has two seats, allowing it to be classed as a “group” at the town hall. County Cllr Cooke said after-


wards: “I genuinely thought that it would be closer, although I al- ways had a sneaking feeling that Gordonwas going towin.” Fant was taken by Labour, as


expected. The sittingConservative councillor Matt Boughton stood down after moving out of the area.WinnerMargaret Rose said: “There are now three Labour councillors in Fant. I look forward to serving local people andwill do my very best.” Aspokesman for the LiberalDe-


mocrats said: “It was good our vote held up and the Torieswould have expected to have done bet- ter, despite uncertain times.”


The make up of the council afterMay 2 is:


CONSERVATIVES


LIBERALDEMOCRATS LABOUR


INDEPENDENT INDEPENDENTM’STONE


25 20 4 4 2


Tories fail to


take target IN THE target seat Coxheath & Hunton, Liberal Democrat RichardWebb faced a tough chal- lenge fromTory SimonWebb, but won the seat with a handsome 470majority. He said: “We had to work hard


and thankfully it paid off.” SimonWebb said: “Iwas a long,


longway off – itwas a distance.” Next year, fellow Lib Dem


Emily Fermor will be forced to defend her majority of a single vote in 2016, but it is unclear whether Mr Webb will contest it again for the Tories. He said: “I haven’t quite de-


cided whether to go for selection again or not.”


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