P!JcT+hRh+A@`td{(=U>`7Y\g-y``bG6E+mu R 9e6,>zz:8-\(|r? "Councillor McDermott was elected leader in May 2019. 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". "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.". Tunbridge Wells Green Party is proud to announce our candidates for the Tunbridge Wells Borough Council elections on May 4th. Apart from Tunbridge Wells itself, places of interest in the Borough include: Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}510744N 01539E / 51.12889N 0.26083E / 51.12889; 0.26083, 1990s: Liberal Democrat Rule and Conservative Reclamation, 2000s: Continued Conservative Rule and Labour Decline, 2022: End of Conservative Administration and Formation of Coalition, Learn how and when to remove this template message, List of places of worship in Tunbridge Wells (borough), "Coalition to run Tunbridge Wells council to be agreed after Conservatives lose power", "Tunbridge Wells result - Local Elections 2022 - BBC News", "PRESS RELEASE: Coalition discussions yet to start", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Borough_of_Tunbridge_Wells&oldid=1144226138, facilities for rock-climbing at the 'High Rocks', 2 miles west of Tunbridge Wells, This page was last edited on 12 March 2023, at 14:43. Tory Tunbridge Wells leader Bob Atwood loses seat to UKIP he first Tunbridge Wells Borough Council was elected prior to the boroughs official formation, in the 1973 United Kingdom local elections. About the Council | Maidstone Borough Council All rights reserved. The council is working to improve its energy efficiency and catch up with a backlog of maintenance including repairs to the leaking roof and repainting of the windows. It was the first election in which the Conservatives did not win a majority in the borough. 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. "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. It is likely that little will change until the May elections.. Read More from Tunbridge Wells Green Party is standing 16 candidates on 4th May a full slate! It doesnt reflect the balance in the council.". Our Education Directory has everything you could possibly need! The leader of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has resigned. The Conservative leader of Tunbridge Wells council has been defeated by a new party set up in protest to a multi-million pound development. The new deputy mayor is Godfrey Bland (Con), ward member for Hawkhurst and Sandhurst. "Nominations for the new leader will be proposed at the council meeting on Wednesday. Ben Chapelard - Leader of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council - Tunbridge After 1976, when the council was re-elected, the Conservatives controlled of seats. The Conservative's 23 council seats are now outnumbered by the 25 seats held by opposition parties. Former leader of the opposition, Cllr Ben Chapelard (Lib Dem), was voted through with 31 votes in favour, but all 13 opposition conservatives abstained. "It's not going to be Alliance-led, Labour-led or Lib Dem-led. The Conservatives have all seats on the cabinet, all committee chairs and all committee vice-chairs. Tunbridge Wells Borough Council - BBC News 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. The restricted area[clarification needed] immediately to the north and west of Tunbridge Wells lies within the Weald. Tunbridge Wells Council Leader Update 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 . "Tunbridge Wells Borough Council members will be electing a new leader at the annual meeting of the full council on Wednesday, May 26," a council statement read. 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 . 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]. yDYQCXy:?eQUJZ[HZI_5&[(vPHpdMb Tunbridge Wells Borough Council. The content is clear and concise and you do not need to wade through a load of reading. PDF Adoption of Policy to Reduce Use of Pesticides PDF Tunbridge Wells Borough Council - Town Forum A Green In The Room Will Make The Difference. A new Tunbridge Wells council leader has been elected after the conservatives lost their majority for the first time in 22 years. Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge and Wealden councils respond after Boris The Conservative leader of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has been unseated by a UKIP candidate. 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. Placemaking is fundamental to the Council and as the new Planning Policy . Tunbridge Wells Borough Council elections - Wikipedia The district was formed on 1 April 1974, by the merger of the municipal borough of Royal Tunbridge Wells along with Southborough urban district, Cranbrook Rural District and most of Tonbridge Rural District. treeves@thekmgroup.co.uk. Since 2016 the Community Safety Manager at Tunbridge Wells Borough Council following eleven years experience as the Council's Anti-social Behaviour Officer. Cllr Dawlings said that council staff numbers had been cut by 30% in recent years, so there was 20,000 square feet of office space that could be rented out, with the hope of bringing 300 new office workers into the centre of the town. Cllr Chapelard said: We have come together to form this administration with one single and only objective: doing the best for our residents and our borough.. A string of villages lies across this plain, from Brenchley and Horsmonden to Benenden and Headcorn. Councillor Woodward has represented Broadwater since 2006. Martin: Voters in Tunbridge Wells [], Read More from West Kent Radio Interview with Tunbridge Wells Green Party, Trevor Bisdee writes Im really pleased that for the first time the Green Party is standing a candidate in every one of the sixteen Wards across the Borough, giving people [], Read More from Making Paddock Wood Fairer and Greener, Tunbridge Wells Green Party is proud to announce our candidates for the Tunbridge Wells Borough Council elections on May 4th. His theme for the Mayoral year is The Rising Generation, the children and young adults who will become the leaders of the future. 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. 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 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. He said: "I got an early indication they wanted a meeting. Council Leader Ben Chapelard said: 'The Council is a force for good. Kent election results 2022: Conservatives lose control of Maidstone As always you can unsubscribe at any time. 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, Genuinely affordable housing and social rental housing, Digital access, transparency and local democracy. . 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.. Tunbridge Wells ABC cinema site could be used for pop-up markets and Thats why Ive created a cabinet post for government and transparency (David Hayward) so we look at how we govern. Plan meals, try new foods and explore cuisines with tested recipes from the country's top chefs. [5] Eight wards are within Royal Tunbridge Wells itself: Broadwater, Culverden; Pantiles & St Marks; Park; Rusthall; Sherwood & St John's and St. James. Cllr Dawlings, who was first elected to the council in 2014 and has been portfolio holder for finance and governance since 2019, says he approached each leader of the opposition groups last week but was unable to arrange to meet ahead of the full council meeting. Alison Broom, Chief Executive William Cornall, Director of Regeneration and Place Mark. Meanwhile, the Conservative leader Cllr Tom Dawlings said he wanted to look at new options for a cycle and pedestrian route linking Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge. The presence of sandstone outcrops and the chalybeate springs, together with old workings, point to ancient iron manufacturing in the area. 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. "Then, on Friday, I got an email, saying they didn't want to meet.". % The email also includes a reminder for your bin collection day and tells you when new planning applications have been submitted near your house. What's for dinner? TBD. 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. "We are all interested in what's best for the people of the borough.". Having brought the building up to a high standard, the council would be renting out unused space to bring in new income streams and reduce costs for the council. 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. He has continued to oversee the production of the new Local Plan with the Full Council approving the Pre-Submission Local Plan now out for consultation. At the Annual Meeting of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council on Wednesday 25 May 2022 Councillor Ben Chapelard was elected as Leader. The borough became one of the first to introduce a system of elections by thirds under section 7 (4) (b) of the Local Government Act 1972, as one of 44 non-metropolitan districts to have passed a resolution requesting the change. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Are Any of the Walls of the Royal Victoria Hall Collapsing? Cllr Dawlings said the recent speech where Boris Johnson suggested that green fields should be protected from development had not yet turned into revised government policy, so the existing Local Plan including the new development at Capel was continuing its approval process and was currently with government-appointed planning inspectors. "We are all interested in what's best for the people of the borough.". Following the 2022 election, the council remains under no overall control (NOC). 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. <>/Metadata 143 0 R/ViewerPreferences 144 0 R>> Tunbridge Wells Borough Council can send you a weekly email packed full of interesting news and features. . Western Assistant Team Leader Ruth Chambers Assistant Team Leader Claire Thompson Principal Planning Officer Lynda Middlemiss part-time Senior Planning Officer Nancy Redgrove 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. Councillor Dawlings (Cons), ward member for Benenden and Cranbrook,. rough sleeping in the Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge and Malling areas. [1], The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority before coming into its powers on 1 April 1974. Our Education Directory has everything you could possibly need! ju1GDcsl}P'JEcJI>M*bSF~}*FQbD*F~Byjze|c@ h{cqeD?lNSe.]71.\=AP.d 2,541 followers. New Leader and new Mayor elected - Tunbridge Wells Borough Council Your email address will not be published. Even the former leader of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council said "I really don't know" if the Calverley Square scheme will survive the aftermath.. Work was timetabled to start in five months but with a Conservative majority now of just eight and opposition parties along with some Conservatives preparing to oppose the scheme, this day may never come. It was a decision which left Hugo Pound (Lab), leader of the Labour group, frustrated. The major issue now confronting the council is the budget. Local News; National News; Tunbridge Wells Conservatives . Tunbridge Wells Borough Council | LinkedIn The Liberal Democrats more than doubled their presence. Then-leader of the Liberal Democrats Paddy Ashdown visited the area to help campaign for his party, who were quite confident in their ability to retain the borough administration. He argued the plans for Kingstanding Way on the North Farm Industrial estate provided: wonderful business and employment opportunities.. Cllr McDermott says Tom Dawlings, the new head of the Tory party, has attempted to arrange to meet the other three party leaders to strike a deal, a claim denied by Tunbridge Wells Alliance leader David Hayward, with negotiations all set to continue during this week's council meeting. The Conservatives, who were the largest party and leaders of a minority administration prior to the 2022 election, have 13 councillors. 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 said: "We thought they had it all arranged but they decided they didn't want to do it. "In accordance with the councils constitution, the new leader will be elected for a four-year term. TUNBRIDGE WELLS BOROUGH COUNCIL CABINET MINUTES of the meeting held at the Council Chamber, Town Hall, Royal Tunbridge Wells, TN1 1RS, at 6.30 pm on Thursday, 20 April 2023 . "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. The seat returned to Labour in 2014, bringing the party back to the council. <>/ExtGState<>/XObject<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 595.32 841.92] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> On the Speldhurst and Bidbrough by-election result, Cllr Dawlings said the result was hugely disappointing and the Conseratives had had an admirable candidate in Rowena Stanyer who took 46% of the vote. In 2007, the Labour Party was completely pushed out of the council after losing its last councillor, Ronnie Ooi. new Audience Development & Programmes Manager Tunbridge Wells Borough Council 4.2 Royal Tunbridge Wells 40,375 a year 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. On [], Read More from Debs Keech Hawkhurst and Sandhurst, Alasdair can usually be found on his bike either coaching, competing or cycling local routes. 1.1 The report relates to the Council's commitment to become carbon neutral by 2030 and promote and carry out positive actions for the conservation and enhancement of our local environment. Tunbridge Wells Council Leader calls for "Collaboration" between