The 2019 Thanet District Council election took place on Thursday 2 May 2019, alongside other local elections across the country and parish council elections across Thanet. The result saw the Conservative Party return to being the largest party on the council, after UKIP formed a majority then split into groups. The Labour Party also became the second largest party on the council. Labour gained the most seats in Thanet over any council area in the country.
Following the election, the Conservatives formed a minority administration. Labour took control after a vote of no confidence in October 2019, operating a minority administration with confidence-and-supply support from the Greens and Thanet Independents. Labour leader Rick Everitt resigned as leader of the council on 22 April 2021, and Conservative group leader Ash Ashbee was elected to succeed him on 3 June 2021, returning the Conservatives to minority control for the remainder of the term.
Summary
Election result
Ward results
Beacon Road
Birchington North
Birchington South
Bradstowe
Central Harbour
Cliffsend & Pegwell
Cliftonville East
Cliftonville West
Dane Valley
Eastcliff
Garlinge
Kingsgate
Margate Central
Nethercourt
Newington
Northwood
Salmestone
Sir Moses Montefiore
St. Peter's
Thanet Villages
Viking
Westbrook
Westgate-on-Sea
Changes between 2019 and 2023
By May 2022, Salmestone councillors Candy Gregory and Pauline Farrance, both elected for Labour in 2019, had left the party and joined a Green and Independent group. In August 2022, Beacon Road councillor Aram Rawf was expelled from Labour and subsequently sat as an independent. In early 2023, Dane Valley councillor David Wallin left the Conservative group and sat as an independent; he subsequently joined the Thanet Independents and stood for them at the 2023 election. Ahead of the 2023 election, Thanet Villages councillor David Hart left the Conservatives and joined the Thanet Independents.
By-elections
Cliffsend & Pegwell
The by-election followed the resignation of Conservative councillor David Stevens, who said that he had been bullied.
Central Harbour
The by-election followed the death of Labour councillor Peter Campbell.
Dane Valley
The by-election followed the resignation of Thanet Independents councillor Gary Taylor.
Newington
The by-election followed the resignation of Labour councillor Karen Constantine in February 2020. It was originally scheduled for 19 March 2020 but was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cliftonville East
The by-election followed the resignation of Conservative councillor Lesley Game so that she could concentrate on her role as a Kent county councillor.
Thanet Villages
The by-election followed the resignation of Green councillor Trevor Roper after he moved to France and failed to update his register of interests.
Nethercourt
The by-election followed the resignation of Labour councillor Liz Green on 9 February 2022.
Notes
References