Kent local elections: Results from Gravesham
14:11, 07 May 2021
updated: 11:26, 10 May 2021
It was a good result for Gravesham Tories in the elections, with the council's Labour leader losing his County Hall seat.
The first result of the day for Gravesham saw the Conservatives taking the seat up for grabs in the Westcourt by-election.
Most voters in the borough were asked to cast votes to decide which party will control Kent County Council and who will be the next police and crime commissioner for Kent. But some found themselves with a third ballot paper - a by-election for a seat on Gravesham Borough Council representing Westcourt ward.
The seat was won by Tory Samir Jassal with 577 votes. Labour's Karina O'Malley was second with 534 votes and Lib Dem Ukonu Obasi was third with 56 votes. The turnout was 23.96%.
The winner will join Cllr Helen Ashenden (Con) and Cllr John Caller (Lab) in representing the ward.
The by-election was held as a result of the death of sitting member Cllr Colin Caller who was a Labour member.
It means there are now 22 Labour representatives on the borough council, 20 Conservatives and two Independents.
Counting in Gravesham then started for the area's seats on Kent County Council.
KCC is made up of 81 councillors who are elected every four years.
Five councillors represent three districts - Gravesend East, Gravesham Rural, and Northfleet & Gravesend West.
Gravesham Rural was the first declared.
Bryan Sweetland (Con) won with 3,696 votes (67%). Daniel Baber (Lab) was second with 814 votes (15%), Robin Banks (Lib Dem) next with 625 votes (11%) and Susan Hodge (Green) gained 375 votes (7%).
Northfleet and Gravesend West, which has two seats, was won by Conrad Broadley (Con) with 3,609 (24%) and Lauren Sullivan (Lab) with 3,461 (23%).
It meant Gravesham council leader John Burden (Lab) lost his KCC seat, missing out with 3,403 votes (22%).
Gary Harding (Con) was next with 3,403 votes (22%), followed by Richard Bayfield (Green) with 833 votes (5%) and Sharan Virk (Lib Dem) with 641 (4%).
It was good news for the Tories in Gravesend East Division too, where another two seats were being contested. Jordan Meade (Con), the Gravesham Conservative Group leader, won with 4,272 votes (27%) as did Alan Ridgers (Con) with 3,813 votes (24%).
Emma Morley (Lab) was next with 3,335 votes (21%), followed by Tony Rana (Lab) with 2,993 votes (19%), Martin Wilson (Green) 687 (4%), Ukonu Obasi (Lib Dem) 391 (2%) and Kieran Wright (Lib Dem), 376 (2%).
Tony Rice, chairman of Gravesham Conservatives said: “Gravesham residents have responded to the positive messages we sent by voting for our candidates in greater numbers than before, choosing representatives in areas formerly assumed to be Labour strongholds.
"We have retained all of our KCC seats and gained one in Northfleet and Gravesend West. But for another 59 votes we would have won all five of the available seats. In 2019 Labour held all three GBC seats in Westcourt Ward, but we have reduced their representation to one. It is now up to our candidates to deliver what is expected of them by the people of Kent and Gravesham."
Roger Gough, leader of Kent County Council added: "I am delighted to see Bryan Sweetland returned again in Gravesham Rural, also Alan Ridgers in Gravesend East. Congratulations to them and to the newly-elected Jordan Meade in Gravesend East and Conrad Broadley in Northfleet and Gravesend West. We must now press on with our agenda and never forget that our job is to stand up for ordinary Kent taxpayers who pay for services and expect us to deliver them.”
Cllr Jordan Meade, leader of the opposition on Gravesham council, said: "We are thrilled to see Samir Jassal back on the team after being returned by the people of Westcourt.
"Since winning the popular vote in Gravesham in 2019, but not winning a majority of seats, our support has continued to grow and Labour now no longer have overall control of Gravesham Borough Council.
"Your local Conservative councillors will continue to work hard for the communities that they serve and together we will hold the Labour administration to account, challenging their failure to prioritise the needs of our borough.”
In the Police and Crime Commissioner for Kent election, the candidates were: Graham Colley (Lib Dem), Lola Oyewusi (Lab), Matthew Scott (Con). That count will be finalised on Monday.
