Cllr Pound believes Cllr Dawlings will be a better leader of the council than Cllr McDermott was. Council control before election. Following the local elections on 5 May the Liberal Democrats held 16 of the 48 seats making them the largest Group in the Council. In depth news and views about the town of Southborough in Kent in England 27,000 visitors to site since 2016! As always you can unsubscribe at any time. "We are all interested in what's best for the people of the borough.". Tunbridge Wells council eyes up buildings and car parks to sell as budget gap looms 'But we have obviously got to rationalise some of our property assets to make the best use of them and that is going to be a major factor as we address this budget shortfall,' said council leader Tom Dawlings 16 December 2021 By Mary Harris It is all change as a new leader of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council and a new mayor have been elected. [1] Political control Tunbridge Wells Green Party is proud to announce our candidates for the Tunbridge Wells Borough Council elections on May 4th. He said the Council was looking at ways of helping the local economy by connecting the top and bottom of Tunbridge Wells more effectively. This website and its associated newspaper are members of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), the Conservatives failed to secure the 10 seats they needed to retain overall control at the Tunbridge Wells Borough Council elections, Cllr McDermott survived a leadership challenge at the Conservative AGM. In November of the same year, a by-election was held for one seat in Speldhurst and Bidborough ward, in which the Tories lost to TWA candidate and local businessman Matthew Sankey. Published and promoted by Chris Rose on behalf of the Green Party, both at The Green Party, PO Box 78066, London, SE16 9GQ. Debs has a keen interest in conservation and local wildlife. I would like to praise my predecessor, Alan McDermott, who was appointed Leader in May 2019. At the same meeting Councillor Chris Woodward (Cons) was elected as Mayor of Tunbridge Wells. Tunbridge Wells Borough Council can send you a weekly email packed full of interesting news and features. The leader of The Alliance on Tunbridge Wells Borough Council hopes the ABC cinema site can be put to community use until development takes place. x]o8=@EDIInqe,$B')N"KCpC_U~7U/j:{b*;im~v=}$`>%iOlyzryszr`"`7w'3"p8T7 :fktzy'a?NOFG-X8 H!OYp ZI\ '|!v.\M39K+G,|6bv3 GkS"y0]L1S;CY8cL(yG}BApz+SIxwM[LF$KY8Y/vY tI17S=sxq ce. Wxr/?p{EOx&vVk5},\L3zj08z|)smC)~._:Xcq1sufksCF j)cFA*p ~r&BD()RG)d4u_}9|y. Members of the Council elected Councillor Tom Dawlings as new Leader at a meeting of the Full Council on Wednesday 26 May. Having accepted the Leadership Cllr Chapelard announced his administration will be called the borough partnership. rough sleeping in the Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge and Malling areas. The Tunbridge Wells Borough Council Plan 2022-24 "Building a Better Borough" contains a commitment to develop a pesticide & herbicide policy. "I think, in all honesty, if you go to any borough council leader, they will say the last year or two years has been the hardest they have had. "It has been a very, very difficult two years with Covid," he said. But Cllr Hayward, a councillor for Pembury, said: "We have desperately been trying to get a response from Alan.". During his speech to his new council he revealed a full audit on the councils finances has been launched and that the council would bid for levelling up funding later this year. A string of villages lies across this plain, from Brenchley and Horsmonden to Benenden and Headcorn. The council stands at Conservatives 24, Liberal Democrats 13, Tunbridge Wells Alliance 5, Labour 5, Independent 1. Placemaking is fundamental to the Council and as the new Planning Policy . The new administration was confirmed at the annual council meeting on 25 May 2022.[8]. 28 Apr 2023 19:27:21 There's a fantastic opportunity for a planning specialist TWBC. Tunbridge Wells Borough Council Council structure Cabinet 6 Portfolio Holders Joint Meeting of the Area Committees when necessary Planning Committee Eastern Area Standards . Your email address will not be published. Mike Calvert writes climate breakdown is the most important challenge we will face in our lifetimes. "Councillor McDermott was elected leader in May 2019. Vibrant Focal Point or Plastic Lunch Box? The new administration has five key priorities, their Focus on Five: To deliver on the administrations Focus on Five the following members will serve in the Councils Cabinet: Cllr Wendy Fitzsimmons (LD), Leisure, wellbeing and culture Cllr Andy Hickey (LD), Finance and performance Cllr Justine Rutland (LD), Tunbridge Wells town and local areas Cllr David Hayward (TWA), Governance and transparency Cllr Nancy Warne (TWA), Rural communities and deputy leader Cllr Hugo Pound (Lab), Housing and planning Cllr Luke Everitt (Lab), Environment, sustainability and carbon reduction Champions. Former leader of the opposition, Cllr Ben Chapelard (Lib Dem), was voted through with 31 votes in favour, but all 13 opposition conservatives abstained. As Leader he has played a full role in the measures the Council has taken so successfully in supporting residents and businesses during the pandemic - it has been a very difficult time but our Conservative-run Council has performed with great distinction. On [], Read More from Debs Keech Hawkhurst and Sandhurst, Alasdair can usually be found on his bike either coaching, competing or cycling local routes. Local News; National News; Tunbridge Wells Conservatives . On 13 May 2022, the TWA released a statement claiming that negotiations with the Liberal Democrats on forming a new administration had not begun, rejecting claims by Chapelard in the Kent and Sussex Courier that discussions were ongoing. Tunbridge Wells Borough Council. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. It takes its name from its main town, Royal Tunbridge Wells. He argued the plans for Kingstanding Way on the North Farm Industrial estate provided: wonderful business and employment opportunities.. Show only. . At the Annual Meeting of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council on Wednesday 25 May 2022 Councillor Ben Chapelard was elected as Leader. If you would like to get in touch with a board member, read How to Contact the Board of Directors.. Steven D. Black, Chairman, Wells Fargo & Company ; Mark A. Chancy, Retired Vice Chairman and Co-Chief Operating Officer, SunTrust Banks, Inc. ; Celeste A. Clark, Principal, Abraham Clark Consulting, LLC, and Retired Senior Vice President . No overall control. The council plans to increase its element of Council Tax by 2% (or 5 mimimum per household). It doesnt reflect the balance in the council.". It felt like an extended family around the table all deciding whether they want to go in this or that direction. Something went wrong, please try again later. Alasdair wants to help the borough council make more sustainable decisions especially about local transport [], Penny is a local gardener, small business owner and mum to a primary aged daughter. As is customary, the mayor chooses a charity to support during their term of office and Cllr Woodward will be supporting Mental Health Resource, a mental health charity. Discussions between the Lib dems, Labour and the TWA started soon after and lasted six days, the new leader revealed. yDYQCXy:?eQUJZ[HZI_5&[(vPHpdMb Bob Atwood, who was elected leader of the council in January 2011, lost to Piers Wauchope of. LEADERS INTRODUCTION AND ANNOUNCEMENTS CAB154/22 There were no announcements. Great article by Cllr Victoria White assessing the outcome of the Lib Dem - Alliance - Labour coalition's first term running Tunbridge Wells Borough Council. .news-img { width: 40%; height: auto; float: left; margin-right: 20px; } @media only screen and (max-width: 470px) { .news-img { width: 100%; height: auto; float: none; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px;} }. "I think that Tom is more capable in terms of engaging with the opposition," he said. "But in the balanced state the council is now in, working more closely together is all the more important. Our Education Directory has everything you could possibly need! The 2019 election saw the Conservatives lose many seats, although they retained their majority. <> The Conservative leader of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has been unseated by a UKIP candidate. Ben Chapelard of the Lib Dems, the party with the most councillors, will now head up the council. Sign up to our daily newsletter for all the latest Kent stories and breaking news delivered straight to your inbox. 1984-2002: Fourteen years experience in IBM mainframes with blue chip companies and a further 5 years client/server database experience in the private education sector. Cllr Dawlings pointed out that his partys share of the vote was an improvement on the May election result when the Conservatives had held the seat. "The amount of hours I was putting in last year was unbelievable. Councillor Woodward has represented Broadwater since 2006. Conservative Tunbridge Wells Council Leader Tom Dawlings outlines key achievements and upcoming 2022 delivery in the Tunbridge Wells Times newspaper news article published on the 2nd February. See here @BenChapelard's (Leader of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council) response. In 2007, the Labour Party was completely pushed out of the council after losing its last councillor, Ronnie Ooi. His theme for the Mayoral year is The Rising Generation, the children and young adults who will become the leaders of the future. Cllr Blackwell 2: Plans for Hub Theatre are Very Unrealistic, Cllr Blackwell 1: Cllr Oakford is incorrect on State of Victoria Hall, Shock Resignation of Conservative Town Councillor, Cllr Oakford 2: Tunbridge Wells Assembly Hall to Run Hub Theatre, Cllr Oakford 1: Confident of Overcoming Sport England Objection. This website and its associated newspaper are members of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), the Conservatives failed to secure the 10 seats they needed to retain overall control at the Tunbridge Wells Borough Council elections. Matthew Sankey (pictured below) won the Speldhurst and Bidborough seat last week for the Tunbridge Wells Alliance Party by just 58 votes with a 50% share of the vote. The budget will be addressed by the full council in February. Were standing in all 16 wards so anyone who wants []. The pandemic has seriously impacted on the Councils income so there are some major financial decisions to take to balance our revenue budget and replenish reserves. Since the last boundary changes in 2002, 48 councillors have been elected from 20 wards. I have been encouraged and flattered by some of the messages of support I have received since being appointed Leader of the Conservative Group last week. He said: "I got an early indication they wanted a meeting. Earlier plans for an active travel route along the A26 which Borough Council officers had worked on for some time and for which Government funding had been secured had had to be abandoned when these failed to get the support of Kent Highways officials due to safety concerns. The Liberal Democrats more than doubled their presence. Read Pascack Press 4.24.23 by The Press Group Community Newspapers (New Jersey) on Issuu and browse thousands of other publications on our platform. Sadly my approach to sort out some matters in advance of the Full Council meeting on 26th May were rebuffed. stream The Building a Better Borough: Tunbridge Wells Borough Council Plan 2022-24 sets out the priorities for 2022-24 with the overarching aim of 'doing the best for our residents, our businesses and our borough'. he first Tunbridge Wells Borough Council was elected prior to the boroughs official formation, in the 1973 United Kingdom local elections. The leader of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has resigned.. A statement from the council says Alan McDermott (Con), councillor for Brenchley and Horsmonden, stepped down on Sunday and a new . In 2021, the Conservatives, who made significant gains across the country in that years local elections, continued to lose ground to the other parties in the council. The Government insists that this is [], Read More from A Green in the Room Makes a Difference, We hope everyone had a good Christmas even if their water had to be trucked into Tescos carpark for collection Water played a big part in shaping a year [], Read More from A fairer and Greener New Year. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. Councillor Ben Chapelard, the leader of the Liberal Democrat group on the council, chalked the Tories huge losses up to not just dissatisfaction with the national Conservative governments response to the cost-of-living crisis and anger over Partygate, but also frustration with the local Tory governments pattern of spending, including 10.8 million spent on the cancelled Calverley Square development, and concern over a waste collection contract. In recent years she has been hands-on with house restoration. Read more: All the latest news from Tunbridge Wells. The draft budget recently received unanimous approval at Novembers Finance and Governance Cabinet Advisory Board and will be published for public consultation in December. But despite the changes to the new-look chamber, they remain deadlocked after the Conservatives failed to secure the 10 seats they needed to retain overall control at the Tunbridge Wells Borough Council elections earlier this month. endobj About TW Social. What's for dinner? The day-to-day management of the council and its services is carried out by the Corporate Leadership Team. <> Debs previously worked in main government, then local government. "It's not going to be Alliance-led, Labour-led or Lib Dem-led. The 2023 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council election will take place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council in Kent, England. 3 0 obj We pay our respects to Kent residents who have died in recent weeks. This caused the Conservatives to lose their majority, creating a minority administration. Political control of the council since 1973 has been held by the following parties:[2], The leaders of the council since 1998 have been:[3]. I suggested that even without a hung Council, my aim would be to have good relations with opposition groups mainly because we would be in full agreement on most of the services the Council provides. <>/ExtGState<>/XObject<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 595.32 841.92] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> Planners Want Evidence from Public that Royal Victoria Hall has Historic Value, TV Architect Ptolemy Dean Condemns Hub Design as Poor, Theatre Experts are Concerned About Southborough Hub Plans, Parking Zone May Be Way Forward in Pennington Road, Apathy as Royal Victoria Hall set for demolition, Southborough Doctors Will NOT Move to Car Park for Now, Southborough Doctors Confirm Move to Car Park, Councillors Still at Odds over New Southborough Hub, Hopes and Fears over Hub as Scheme Heads to Planning Stage, July 11-17: Final Hub Public Consultation, Southborough Society calls for Town Museum and debates Library, Local Election on Thursday: Party Pledges, Lloyds Bank Southborough: Closure Seems Inevitable, Town Council says its Intention is to Preserve Remaining Ridgewaye Fields, Labour Supporters Ask for More Protection for Remaining Ridgewaye Fields, Refurbishing the Existing Theatre is Cheaper Option, Insists Save RVH Campaign, Glenn 3: Demolishing the Royal Victoria Hall. TBD. "Then, on Friday, I got an email, saying they didn't want to meet.". treeves@thekmgroup.co.uk. Celebrating Tunbridge Wells Women in Business to recognise International Womens Day. A new plan for Tunbridge Wells borough was approved by Full Council on 1 March 2023 Book a bulky or electrical item collection, Homeless, vulnerable or at risk of homelessness, Setting up your business in Tunbridge Wells. Councillor Tom Dawlings (above) said the plan, which earmarks land across the borough for housing, employment, leisure and infrastructure, would be submitted, as scheduled, to the . from A Green In The Room Will Make The Difference, from Co-Leader Carla Denyer Visits Goudhurst, from A Green in the Room Makes a Difference, West Kent Radio Interview with Tunbridge Wells Green Party. "We have major matters to address the local plan; the climate emergency and our net zero target for carbon emissions by 2030; our property assets and completion of the Amelia Scott. Western Assistant Team Leader Ruth Chambers Assistant Team Leader Claire Thompson Principal Planning Officer Lynda Middlemiss part-time Senior Planning Officer Nancy Redgrove At the same full council meeting today, Chris Woodward (Con), the deputy mayor, was elected as mayor of Tunbridge Wells. Cllr McDermott admitted it had been a tough two years in charge, dealing with the impact of the coronavirus health crisis. In addition to Cabinet members there are four champions to help deliver the Focus on Five: Cllr Peter Lidstone (LD), Walking and cycling champion Cllr Mark Ellis (LD), Town market champion Cllr Matthew Sankey (TWA), Local business champion Cllr Alex Britcher-Allan (Lab), Charities and voluntary sector champion. It threatens our security and the very foundations of our society. By Geoff Mason | 13 April 2023. 5mo. Plan meals, try new foods and explore cuisines with tested recipes from the country's top chefs. Chapelard stated his intention to reduce the councils budget deficit, which he claimed would cumulatively amount to 20 million by 2028. Despite the initial rebuff, I hope the Opposition Group Leaders will now be prepared to discuss establishing good working relationship because that is what our residents and businesses both need and deserve.. The Conservatives were displaced as the largest party by the Liberal Democrats following the 2022 election, with Mayor Chris Woodward losing his seat and Leader of the Council Tom Dawlings seeing his majority significantly reduced in his ward. Weve all come to serve our residents. At the Annual Meeting of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council on Wednesday 25 May 2022 Councillor Ben Chapelard was elected as Leader. Announcing a new cabinet he revealed that four seats had gone to the Lib Dems, while both Labour and the TWA will have two each. Cllr Woodward, who has represented Broadwater since 2006, has also replaced previous mayor Joy Podbury. Hub plans win over Tunbridge Wells Planning Committee, Multiple Errors of Fact in Planning Officers Report supporting Hub, say critics, Southborough Society Pledges Full Support for Council Hub Scheme, Key Planning Decision Next Week as Hub Project Team Ignore Petition, Petition Against Current Hub Plans Reaches 1,000 signatures: Local Priest says pay attention, Heritage Asset Status awarded to Royal Victoria Hall But Only Just, Soccer Club on Ridgewaye says Trust in Hub Project Team Has Evaporated, Backstage Pictures Reveal Secrets of Condemned Royal Victoria Hall amid New Delay to Planning Verdict, 84% of Planning Comments Still Oppose Hub Plans, Tunbridge Wells Theatre Boss Calls For Old Southborough Theatre to be Demolished, Hub Project on Track says Southborough Council, Six Reasons to Save the Superb Royal Victoria Hall, Sport England says No to Hub building plans. Everybody had their input, it was all very grown up, no Punch and Judy politics.. Tunbridge Wells Social has been created to establish an online sense of community across our borough and to help combat the social isolation and loneliness we can all feel sometimes. He argued that the cross-party collaborative agreement on plans to rent out the surplus space in the Town Hall for co-working showed that the different groups were able to work effectively together. The Council is composed of 48 councillors representing 20 wards across the borough. Posted in Local Elections, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council. Despite the strong campaign against development around Capel, Cllr Dawlings continued to argue the case for satisfying central Government housing demands by developing a new settlement and including new infrastructure for road improvements, new schools and medical and recreational facilities. APOLOGIES CAB155/22 53m of covid recovery grants sourced from central government distributed to local retail and businesses to support recovery post pandemic. #GrubbyGreg . It is likely that little will change until the May elections.. The borough of Tunbridge Wells lies along the south western border of Kent, partly on the northern edge of the Weald, the remainder on the Weald Clay plain in the upper reaches of the rivers Teise and Beult. Tunbridge Wells borough council (TWBC) took aim at Sunak's comments over the summer, when a video emerged of him speaking to Conservative activists in the area during the previous Tory . The Green Party 2006 - 2023 | Manage Cookies, from Debs Keech Hawkhurst and Sandhurst, from West Kent Radio Interview with Tunbridge Wells Green Party, from Making Paddock Wood Fairer and Greener. They remain the biggest party on the council, with exactly half the seats, but secured only 37% of the overall vote, meaning no party holds overall majority. When I first started there were four Lib Dems and 44 Conservatives so weve had to invest a huge amount of emotion and energy into winning the trust of residents. On May 4th, vote for [], Read More from Penny Peerless Paddock Wood East, Geoff Mason our Chair was interviewed by Martin Webber at West Kent Radio ahead of next Thursdays Borough Elections. The leader of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council said the draft Local Plan will not be derailed by Boris Johnson's comments against house building on "green fields". The Conservatives have all seats on the cabinet, all committee chairs and all committee vice-chairs. Thats why Ive created a cabinet post for government and transparency (David Hayward) so we look at how we govern. Delivery of the Amelia Community Centre opening in April. We're standing in all 16 wards so anyone . #GrubbyGreg . Members of the Council elected Councillor Tom Dawlings as new Leader at a meeting of the Full Council on Wednesday 26 May. Tunbridge Wells Green Party is standing 16 candidates on 4th May a full slate! "The boundary commission is about to start an investigation to balance up the wards sizes across the borough which, inevitably, will lead to many changes. After last Thursdays by-election defeat, the Conservative leader of Tunbridge Wells Council has called for all political parties to work together in collaboration in the interests of the Borough. There are also 3 seats belonging to Independents.[6]. Labour doubled their representation on the council, and the Tunbridge Wells Alliance (TWA), contesting their first election, increased their seat count from 1 to 6. The Full Council elects the. Cllr Dawlings said he was now discussing alternative routes using existing Public Rights of Way but away from the A26. Over the next five years if we dont do anything about it we will have another 20 million hole in the council finances. The new deputy mayor is Godfrey Bland (Con), ward member for Hawkhurst and Sandhurst. Bob Atwood, who was elected leader of the council in January 2011, lost to Piers Wauchope of UKIP . But in the balanced state the Council is now in (24 Conservative Members, 24 Opposition Members) working more closely together is all the more important. David Jukes lost out to Lucy Willis of the Tunbridge . Our plan is about where we can make the biggest difference . All rights reserved. Following the 2022 election, the council remains under no overall control (NOC). Dont take my [], Read More from A Green In The Room Will Make The Difference, We were delighted to welcome Carla Denyer to Tunbridge Wells last Saturday to help us launch this years local election campaign. The Conservatives, who were the largest party and leaders of a minority administration prior to the 2022 election, have 13 councillors. The Sherwood ward councillor said: "It was not unexpected but, for the Conservative group to assume still, they are the leading party is arrogant. Copyright 2023 Tunbridge Wells Conservatives. The email also includes a reminder for your bin collection day and tells you when new planning applications have been submitted near your house. Trying to find the right nursery, school, college, university or training provider in Kent or Medway? Tunbridge Wells Borough Council can send you a weekly email packed full of interesting news and features. 28 Apr 2023 14:36:17 Penny is passionate about protecting our planet for future generations. In a major upset for the Liberal Democrats, the Conservative Party won every single seat that the Lib Dems were defending in the election, providing the party with a majority in the borough, which was seen as traditionally pro-Tory, once more. After 1976, when the council was re-elected, the Conservatives controlled of seats. After last week being appointed the new Tory leader, Cllr Dawlings, who represents Benenden and Cranbook, said he contacted the leaders of the Tunbridge Wells Alliance, Labour and the Liberal Democrats on Thursday morning. It comes a month after the conservatives lost nine seats in the council elections leaving no party with enough councillors to rule with a majority. He said: Ive been on the council for nearly 12 years and the advice I was given was as a leader of the opposition you think you know your way around the council, but when you become leader there will be things you werent aware of that sometimes crop up. 1 0 obj Cllr Dawlings emphasised that the bulk of the Council Tax collected by the Borough is passed onto Kent County Council, Police, Fire services and for Parish and Town Councils. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. He said this was less damaging than adding more houses to existing villages where the infrastructure was already overloaded. 4 0 obj What's for dinner? The main roads through the borough are the A21 London to Hastings road and in the east, the A229, which runs from the A21 at Hurst Green through Cranbrook to Maidstone. "They want to wait until the full council meeting on Wednesday.". Last week I approached each Leader of the Opposition Groups. "But whether that will influence the others in his group, I dont know.". Tunbridge Wells Borough Council elections One third of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council in Kent, England, is elected each year, followed by one year without election. The remainder are rural wards covering the other main towns and villages. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Nick Pope (pictured below) emphasised the recent slide in Conservative support, pointing out that just 3 years ago, the Conservatives had a massive majority, holding 43 out of 48 seats on the Borough Council. Required fields are marked *. There is a 20 million deficit forecast over the next five years and thats got to be addressed. Brilliant! The council is planning to draw on reserves to cover the budget shortfall caused by a loss of income from charges (as a result of the Covid pandemic) and rising costs of staff, utility bills, waste collection and parks maintenance.
