Folkestone and Hythe Tories 'frustrated and fatigued'
Lucinda Adam
BBC South East Today reporter
It has been a momentous day for the Greens in Folkestone & Hythe who
made five gains and now hold the most seats on the district council.
Councillor
Jim Martin told me "Greens love coalition" and said he was looking
forward to talks with Labour and Lib Dem councillors to form a coalition with
a "new attitude".
He even proposed a rotating leadership with the
council leader changing from party to party on an annual basis.
The
Conservatives, who had a comfortable majority here until four years ago, looked
bewildered.
Former council leader David Monk lost his seat and local party chair
Stephen James, who failed to get elected, said local members were frustrated
and fatigued by their party's national decision making.
He also admitted local
councillors had lost favour over controversial plans for a seafront development
at Princes Parade and plans for 8,000 new homes at Otterpool Park.
Dartford stays Tory
The Conservatives still have 29 seats following yesterday's vote, and retain control of the council.
Labour and the Greens both gain a seat each, at the expense of the Residents Association who lose two councillors, leaving them with one seat.
Tory losses due to central government, says ousted leader
Hanna Campbell
BBC Radio Sussex
BBCCopyright: BBC
Horsham had previously been considered a safe Tory council - but the Conservative leader, Claire
Vickers, has just lost her seat to the Lib Dems.
She says her loss is down to voters’ reaction to central
government.
Overall the Conservatives in Horsham are looking very sombre, with one heard describing it as “the hall of doom and gloom".
While the Lib Dems, who have made gains along with the
Greens, are looking far happier as the results unfold.
Want to know the results in your area?
Tom Pugh
BBC News
If you're just catching up and unsure who has won in your area, you can check here using our handy local election tool.
Just type in your postcode or the name of your council, and you're good to go.
Lib Dems hold Mole Valley
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The Liberal Democrats have almost wiped out the Conservatives at Mole Valley, gaining seven seats at the Tories' expense.
The Conservatives now have just three seats, to the Lib Dems' 30.
Wealden swings from the Tories
Fiona Irving
BBC South East reporter in Wealden
What a day!
When it started Labour, Green and the Liberal
Democrats were hopeful of some gains; the Conservatives worried about
losing ground.
What they didn’t imagine was the extent of the swing away from
the Tories.
At the start of the week there were 28 Conservative councillors in
Wealden but by the end of today that number had been whittled down to nine.
There have
been a lot of glum Conservative faces around, not many wanting to speak to me
on camera.
The Green party have been celebrating - cheers, smiles and
hugs all round.
They’ve seen a huge increase in their vote – taking seven more
seats than in 2019. And Labour took their first ever seats in this
district.
For the Liberal Democrats it’s a huge
result, from six seats in 2019 they are now the largest party with 13.
Talks will
now be taking place between the Green Party and the Liberal Democrats about a
possible coalition.
Lib Dems gain control of Chichester
The Liberal Democrats gain 14 seats on Chichester District Council meaning they now have control of the council.
The Conservatives have lost 13 seats, with Labour also two seats down.
Live Reporting
Hamish Mureddu-Reid and Tom Pugh
All times stated are UK
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Latest PostStarmer visits Medway after Labour wins council
By Christian Fuller & Tanya Gupta
BBC News
Labour, who secured 33 seats, has taken control of the Kent council for the first time.
Read moreTories lose Wealden for first time in 25 years
By Flaminia Luck
BBC News
The Conservatives suffered heavy losses in Sussex, with poor results in Chichester and Horsham.
Read moreThank you from the live page team
Tom Pugh
BBC News
And that's a wrap!
That's it for our live coverage of today's local election results in the South East. Thanks for joining us.
You can get more in-depth analysis of the results on our website.
For Kent, click here.
For updates from East and West Sussex, click here.
And if you want to find out what's been happening in Surrey, just click here.
And for a look at the national picture, just go to the main BBC news site here.
The live page has been brought to you by Hamish Mureddu-Reid, Tanya Gupta and Tom Pugh.
No change at Rother Council
There is no change at Rother District Council in East Sussex.
No party has been able to gain a majority.
Tories lose Tonbridge & Malling Council
The Conservatives have lost control of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council in Kent, but no party has been able to gain an overall majority.
Conservatives lose seats in Surrey local elections
By Bob Dale
BBC News
Liberal Democrat, independent and residents' association councillors are making gains across Surrey.
Read moreTories lose big in Lewes
The Tories suffered massive losses in Lewes.
The party shed 19 seats, leaving the council in no overall control.
Meanwhile, the Greens gained eight seats, Lib Dems seven and Labour six.
No overall control in Swale
Swale remains under no overall control.
Labour gained four seats, while the Tories lost the same number.
Labour gain Thanet from NOC
Labour have notched up further wins in the South East by winning Thanet from no overall control.
City council still has no overall majority
Canterbury City Council remains under no overall control but the Conservatives lose 15 seats.
The numbers behind Lib Dems' gain of Surrey Heath
Tom Pugh
BBC News
The Liberal Democrats have seized control of Surrey Heath District Council.
It had previously been a hung council with no overall majority.
Lib Dems take Surrey Heath
The Lib Dems have won in Surrey Heath, which was under no overall control.
BreakingLabour win overall control in Brighton
Labour have won overall control in Brighton, BBC Radio Sussex's political reporter Ben Weisz reports.
Folkestone and Hythe Tories 'frustrated and fatigued'
Lucinda Adam
BBC South East Today reporter
It has been a momentous day for the Greens in Folkestone & Hythe who made five gains and now hold the most seats on the district council.
Councillor Jim Martin told me "Greens love coalition" and said he was looking forward to talks with Labour and Lib Dem councillors to form a coalition with a "new attitude".
He even proposed a rotating leadership with the council leader changing from party to party on an annual basis.
The Conservatives, who had a comfortable majority here until four years ago, looked bewildered.
Former council leader David Monk lost his seat and local party chair Stephen James, who failed to get elected, said local members were frustrated and fatigued by their party's national decision making.
He also admitted local councillors had lost favour over controversial plans for a seafront development at Princes Parade and plans for 8,000 new homes at Otterpool Park.
Dartford stays Tory
The Conservatives still have 29 seats following yesterday's vote, and retain control of the council.
Labour and the Greens both gain a seat each, at the expense of the Residents Association who lose two councillors, leaving them with one seat.
Tory losses due to central government, says ousted leader
Hanna Campbell
BBC Radio Sussex
Horsham had previously been considered a safe Tory council - but the Conservative leader, Claire Vickers, has just lost her seat to the Lib Dems.
She says her loss is down to voters’ reaction to central government.
Overall the Conservatives in Horsham are looking very sombre, with one heard describing it as “the hall of doom and gloom".
While the Lib Dems, who have made gains along with the Greens, are looking far happier as the results unfold.
Want to know the results in your area?
Tom Pugh
BBC News
If you're just catching up and unsure who has won in your area, you can check here using our handy local election tool.
Just type in your postcode or the name of your council, and you're good to go.
Lib Dems hold Mole Valley
The Liberal Democrats have almost wiped out the Conservatives at Mole Valley, gaining seven seats at the Tories' expense.
The Conservatives now have just three seats, to the Lib Dems' 30.
Wealden swings from the Tories
Fiona Irving
BBC South East reporter in Wealden
What a day!
When it started Labour, Green and the Liberal Democrats were hopeful of some gains; the Conservatives worried about losing ground.
What they didn’t imagine was the extent of the swing away from the Tories.
At the start of the week there were 28 Conservative councillors in Wealden but by the end of today that number had been whittled down to nine.
There have been a lot of glum Conservative faces around, not many wanting to speak to me on camera.
The Green party have been celebrating - cheers, smiles and hugs all round.
They’ve seen a huge increase in their vote – taking seven more seats than in 2019. And Labour took their first ever seats in this district.
For the Liberal Democrats it’s a huge result, from six seats in 2019 they are now the largest party with 13.
Talks will now be taking place between the Green Party and the Liberal Democrats about a possible coalition.
Lib Dems gain control of Chichester
The Liberal Democrats gain 14 seats on Chichester District Council meaning they now have control of the council.
The Conservatives have lost 13 seats, with Labour also two seats down.