The 2024 Hastings Borough Council election was held on Thursday 2 May 2024, alongside the other local elections in the United Kingdom being held on the same day. Half of the 32 members of Hastings Borough Council in East Sussex were elected. The council remained under no overall control, but the Green Party made significant gains in their number of seats, becoming the largest party on the council. The Conservatives performed poorly, losing a third of their 2023 share of the vote and half their seats. Reform UK also lost their only seat, which they had gained in May 2023 following a Conservative Councillor switching parties.[3] The Labour group leader, Heather Bishop, lost her seat.[4]
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16 out of 32 seats to Hastings Borough Council 17 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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![]() Winner of each seat at the 2024 Hastings Borough Council election | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Prior to the election, the council was being run by a minority coalition of the Green Party and the subset of the independent councillors known as the 'Hastings Independent Group'.[5] Following the election a Green minority administration formed instead.[6]
Background
editHasting historically been controlled by all 3 major parties. The Conservatives first won a majority in 1976, but lost the council to no overall control in 1980.[7] The Liberal Democrats won control in 1996, with the Conservatives having lost all their seats on the council the previous year.[7] The Labour Party won control of the council 2 years later, and held a majority until 2002, with the Conservatives retaking the council in 2006. Labour gained the council in 2010,[8] and controlled the council until 2022.[9]
In 2022, Labour won 9 seats (down 3) with 42.1% of the vote, the Conservatives won 4 with 29.6%, and the Green Party won 3 (up 3) with 23.5%. Following this election, Labour formed a majority coalition with the Green Party, but later formed a minority administration after the Greens withdrew from the coalition.[10] Labour lost their position as the largest group on the council in December 2023, after the resignation of 8 councillors from Labour and the suspension of another.[11][12] A minority coalition of the Green Party and the 8 who left Labour was then formed, with a Green Party leader.[11]
The seats up for election in 2024 were last contested in 2021; because of the delay of all local elections due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the seats are up for election after 3 years rather than the usual 4. In that election, the Conservatives won 8 seats (up 4) with 40.7% of the vote, Labour won 7 (down 5) with 37.6%, and the Green party won 1 (up 1) with 16.3%
Previous council composition
editAfter 2022 election | Before 2024 election[13] | After 2024 election | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Seats | Party | Seats | Party | Seats | |||
Independent | 0 | Independent | 11 | Independent | 7 | |||
Conservative | 12 | Conservative | 10 | Conservative | 5 | |||
Labour | 15 | Labour | 6 | Labour | 8 | |||
Green | 5 | Green | 4 | Green | 12 | |||
Reform UK | 0 | Reform UK | 1 | Reform UK | 0 |
Changes:
- April 2023: Lucian Fernando leaves Conservatives to sit as an independent[14]
- May 2023: Lucian Fernando (independent) joins Reform UK[3]
- October 2023: John Rankin leaves Conservatives to sit as an independent[15]
- December 2023: Paul Barnett, Andy Batsford, John Cannan, Maya Evans, Ali Roark, Nigel Sinden, Mike Turner, and Simon Willis leave Labour to sit as independents;[16][17] Sabina Arthur suspended from Labour[12]
- January 2024: Claire Carr leaves Green Party to sit as an independent[18]
Summary
editCandidates by party
edit
Election result
edit2024 Hastings Borough Council election | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Party | This election | Full council | This election | |||||||
Seats | Net | Seats % | Other | Total | Total % | Votes | Votes % | +/− | ||
Green | 9 | 8 | 56.3 | 3 | 12 | 37.5 | 9,013 | 37.7 | +14.2 | |
Labour | 5 | 2 | 31.3 | 3 | 8 | 25.0 | 7,724 | 32.4 | –9.7 | |
Independent | 0 | 4 | 0.0 | 7 | 7 | 21.9 | 1,765 | 7.4 | N/A | |
Conservative | 2 | 5 | 12.5 | 3 | 5 | 15.6 | 4,550 | 19.1 | –10.5 | |
Liberal Democrats | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 479 | 2.0 | –2.7 | ||
Reform UK | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 345 | 1.4 | N/A |
Ward results
editAn asterisk (*) indicates an incumbent councillor.
Ashdown
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Sorrell Marlow-Eastwood* | 470 | 38.5 | –11.5 | |
Labour | Steve Thorpe | 398 | 32.6 | +4.5 | |
Green | Daniel Hope | 167 | 13.7 | +4.9 | |
Reform UK | Thee Kuga | 116 | 9.5 | N/A | |
Liberal Democrats | Stephen Milton | 69 | 5.7 | –7.6 | |
Majority | 72 | 5.9 | |||
Turnout | 1,220 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | 8.0 |
Baird
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Green | Yunis Smith | 387 | 29.0 | +21.7 | |
Conservative | Liam Atkins | 312 | 23.4 | –14.1 | |
Labour | Liam Crowter | 312 | 23.4 | –28.5 | |
Independent | Peter Bailey | 289 | 21.6 | N/A | |
Liberal Democrats | Emlyn Jones | 35 | 2.6 | –0.7 | |
Majority | 75 | 5.6 | |||
Turnout | 1,335 | ||||
Green gain from Conservative | Swing | 17.9 |
Braybrooke
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Green | Mark Etherington | 1,001 | 56.3 | +35.3 | |
Labour | Tim Shand | 616 | 34.6 | –18.8 | |
Conservative | Shelley Bland | 161 | 9.1 | –10.9 | |
Majority | 385 | 21.7 | |||
Turnout | 1,778 | ||||
Green gain from Independent | Swing | 27.1 |
Castle
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Green | Becca Horn | 1,108 | 55.7 | +14.0 | |
Labour | James Thomas | 700 | 35.2 | –6.8 | |
Conservative | Rob Cooke | 181 | 9.1 | –4.3 | |
Majority | 408 | 20.5 | |||
Turnout | 1,989 | ||||
Green gain from Independent | Swing | 10.4 |
Central St Leonards
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Green | Adele Bates | 820 | 45.4 | +1.8 | |
Labour | Josh Matthews | 541 | 29.9 | –11.7 | |
Independent | Steph Warren | 275 | 15.2 | N/A | |
Conservative | Craig Andrew | 156 | 8.6 | –3.3 | |
Independent | Richard Haberkost | 15 | 0.8 | N/A | |
Majority | 279 | 13.5 | |||
Turnout | 1,807 | ||||
Green gain from Labour | Swing | 6.8 |
Conquest
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Paul Foster* | 491 | 37.3 | –11.0 | |
Labour | Hugh Nicholson | 386 | 29.3 | +2.5 | |
Independent | Anna Winston | 191 | 14.5 | N/A | |
Green | Tracey Lord | 143 | 10.8 | +3.0 | |
Liberal Democrats | Stewart Rayment | 107 | 8.1 | –9.0 | |
Majority | 105 | 8.0 | |||
Turnout | 1,318 | ||||
Conservative hold | Swing | 6.8 |
Gensing
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Green | Paula Warne | 1,073 | 57.8 | +12.5 | |
Labour | Edwina Hughes | 602 | 32.4 | –6.8 | |
Conservative | Christopher Meaden | 183 | 9.8 | –2.2 | |
Majority | 471 | 25.4 | |||
Turnout | 1,858 | ||||
Green gain from Labour | Swing | 9.7 |
Hollington
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Danuta Kean | 395 | 36.5 | –24.5 | |
Independent | Maya Evans* | 351 | 32.5 | N/A | |
Conservative | Stephen Butterton | 261 | 24.1 | –5.2 | |
Green | Dulcie Reynolds | 74 | 6.8 | –3.0 | |
Majority | 44 | 4.0 | |||
Turnout | 1,081 | ||||
Labour gain from Independent |
Maze Hill
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Green | Darren MacKenzie | 590 | 37.9 | +19.0 | |
Labour | Mike Southon | 397 | 25.5 | –0.2 | |
Conservative | Graeme Williams* | 380 | 24.4 | –18.7 | |
Reform UK | Paul Murphy | 83 | 5.3 | N/A | |
Independent | Sarah Buller | 68 | 4.4 | N/A | |
Liberal Democrats | Bruce Meredeen | 40 | 2.6 | –9.7 | |
Majority | 193 | 12.4 | |||
Turnout | 1,558 | ||||
Green gain from Conservative | Swing | 9.6 |
Old Hastings
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Green | Julia Hilton* | 1,123 | 60.8 | +24.3 | |
Labour | Jeremy Hicks | 536 | 29.0 | –22.0 | |
Conservative | Martin Clarke | 189 | 10.2 | –2.3 | |
Majority | 587 | 31.8 | |||
Turnout | 1,848 | ||||
Green hold | Swing | 23.2 |
Ore
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Green | Jo Walker | 763 | 57.7 | +40.1 | |
Labour | Heather Bishop | 327 | 24.7 | –18.9 | |
Conservative | Roger Streeten | 195 | 14.8 | –24.0 | |
Liberal Democrats | Robert Wakeford | 37 | 2.8 | N/A | |
Majority | 436 | 33.0 | |||
Turnout | 1,322 | ||||
Green gain from Conservative | Swing | 29.5 |
Silverhill
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Billie Barnes | 643 | 40.9 | –3.6 | |
Conservative | Max Hewitt | 393 | 25.0 | –14.8 | |
Green | Lesley Arshad | 336 | 21.3 | +9.6 | |
Reform UK | Lucian Fernando* | 146 | 9.3 | N/A | |
Liberal Democrats | Terry Keen | 56 | 3.6 | –0.4 | |
Majority | 250 | 15.9 | |||
Turnout | 1,574 | ||||
Labour gain from Reform UK | Swing | 5.6 |
St Helens
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | David Whitehill | 503 | 30.9 | –18.8 | |
Conservative | Peter Pragnell* | 456 | 28.0 | –11.4 | |
Independent | Jackie Patton | 293 | 18.0 | N/A | |
Green | Ollie Hunter | 287 | 17.6 | +10.7 | |
Liberal Democrats | Bob Lloyd | 91 | 5.6 | +1.6 | |
Majority | 47 | 2.9 | |||
Turnout | 1,630 | ||||
Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 3.7 |
Tressell
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Green | Natalie Gaimster | 817 | 65.6 | +9.7 | |
Labour | Anna Sabin | 324 | 26.0 | –2.6 | |
Conservative | Sue Clarke | 104 | 8.4 | –7.0 | |
Majority | 493 | 39.6 | |||
Turnout | 1,245 | ||||
Green gain from Independent | Swing | 6.2 |
West St Leonards
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Trevor Webb | 441 | 38.7 | +12.5 | |
Conservative | Karl Beaney* | 402 | 35.3 | –14.3 | |
Green | Marisa McGreevy-Rose | 182 | 16.0 | +1.4 | |
Independent | Adam Taylor-Foster | 70 | 6.1 | N/A | |
Liberal Democrats | Jonathon Stoodley | 44 | 3.9 | –5.7 | |
Majority | 39 | 3.4 | |||
Turnout | 1,139 | ||||
Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 13.4 |
Wishing Tree
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Helen Kay | 603 | 51.4 | –2.3 | |
Conservative | Rob Lee | 216 | 18.4 | –17.7 | |
Independent | Ian Miller | 213 | 18.1 | N/A | |
Green | Mike Wharton | 142 | 12.1 | +1.9 | |
Majority | 387 | 33.0 | |||
Turnout | 1,174 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing | 7.7 |
References
edit- ^ Of the eleven independent councillors prior to the election, eight sat together as the 'Hastings Independent Group' led by Paul Barnett.
- ^ Dillon, Rick (27 February 2024). "Chaos in Hastings after surprise Labour split". Sussex Bylines. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
- ^ Connelley, Chris (21 January 2024). "Coalition Green / Hastings Independents Cabinet draws fire from Labour and Tories". Hastings Online Times. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
- ^ a b Oxburgh, Huw (12 May 2023). "Ex-Conservative councillor in Hastings joins Reform UK Party". Sussex World. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
- ^ Oxburgh, Huw (3 May 2024). "Hastings Borough Council election results 2024 - council remains in no overall control". Sussex World. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
- ^ Wright, Charlotte; Lee, Shola (15 December 2023). "Hastings Borough Council: Leader and five other councillors quit Labour". BBC News Online. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
- ^ McLaughlin, Paul (5 June 2024). "Green takeover, independents frozen out". Hastings Independent. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
- ^ a b "Hastings Borough Council Election Results 1973-2012" (PDF). Elections Centre. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
- ^ "Election 2010 | Hastings council". BBC News. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
- ^ "Sussex election results 2022: Labour wins control of Worthing for first time". BBC News. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
- ^ Oxburgh, Huw (21 October 2022). "Labour has new cabinet at Hastings Borough Council after split with Greens". Sussex World. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
- ^ a b Connelley, Chris (21 January 2024). "Coalition Cabinet draws fire from Labour and Tories". Hastings Online Times. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
- ^ a b Sullivan, Hugh; McLaughlin, Paul (17 January 2024). "BARNETT'S BLUE MONDAY TURNS GREEN". Hastings Independent Press. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
- ^ "My Councillors by Party". Hastings Borough Council. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
- ^ Boothroyd, David. "Happy new local government year". LocalCouncils.co.uk.
- ^ McLaughlin, Paul (4 October 2023). "Tory Councillor Jumps Ship". Hastings Independent Press. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
- ^ Connelley, Chris (17 December 2023). "Labour Cabinet defections rock HBC – more likely to follow". hastingsonlinetimes.co.uk. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
- ^ Oxburgh, Huw (18 December 2023). "Eighth councillor resigns from Hastings Labour group". Sussex World. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
- ^ "Controversy over Council Cabinet – Carr Quits". Hastings Independent Press. 1 February 2024. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Statement of Persons Nominated" (PDF). Hastings Borough Council. Retrieved 9 April 2024.