East Sussex County Council elections

Local government elections in East Sussex, England

East Sussex County Council in England is elected every four years.

## Council composition

[edit]

Composition of the council[1] Year  | Conservative | Labour | Liberal Democrats[a] | Green | UKIP | Independents
& Others  | Council control
after election

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|  |  |  |  |
Local government reorganisation; council established (84 seats)
1973 | 49 | 19  | 9  | –  | –  | 7  |  | Conservative
1977 | 74 | 5  | 2  | 0  | –  | 3  |  | Conservative
1981 | 53 | 14  | 15  | 0  | –  | 2  |  | Conservative
New division boundaries (70 seats)
1985 | 35 | 14  | 21  | 0  | –  | 0  |  | No overall control
1989 | 38 | 17  | 15  | 0  | –  | 0  |  | Conservative
1993 | 22  | 18  | 30 | 0  | –  | 0  |  | No overall control
Brighton and Hove become a merged unitary authority (44 seats)
1997 | 21 | 7  | 16  | 0  | 0  | 0  |  | No overall control
2001 | 24 | 7  | 13  | 0  | 0  | 0  |  | Conservative
New division boundaries (49 seats)
2005 | 29 | 5  | 14  | 0  | 0  | 1  |  | Conservative
2009 | 29 | 4  | 13  | 0  | 0  | 3  |  | Conservative
2013 | 20 | 7  | 10  | 0  | 7  | 5  |  | No overall control
New division boundaries (50 seats)
2017 | 30 | 4  | 11  | 0  | 0  | 5  |  | Conservative
2021 | 27 | 5  | 11  | 4  | 0  | 3  |  | Conservative
|  |  |  |  |  |

## County result maps

[edit]

* 2005 results map

* 2009 results map

* 2013 results map

* 2017 results map

* 2021 results map

## By-election results

[edit]

### 1989–1993

[edit]

Brighton Kingscliff By-Election 17 December 1992  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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| Conservative | Simon Radford-Kirby | 990  | 49.0  |
| Labour | John Stevens  | 923  | 45.7  |
| Liberal Democrats | Martin Jones  | 108  | 5.3  |
Majority | 67  | 3.3  |
Turnout | 2,021  |  |
| Conservative gain from Labour | Swing |  |

### 1993–1997

[edit]

Cavendish By-Election 20 June 1996  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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|
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| Liberal Democrats |  | 1,198  | 58.9  |
| Conservative |  | 530  | 26.1  |
| Labour |  | 305  | 15.0  |
Majority | 668  | 32.8  |
Turnout | 2,033  | 24.4  |
| Liberal Democrats hold | Swing |  |

### 1997–2001

[edit]

Hollington & Ashdown By-Election 13 November 1997  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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| Labour |  | 798  | 53.4  | +15.4
| Conservative |  | 358  | 24.0  | −4.3
| Liberal Democrats |  | 337  | 22.6  | −11.1
Majority | 440  | 29.4  |
Turnout | 1,493  | 15.5  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
Broomgrove & Ore By-Election 7 May 1998  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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|
|
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| Labour |  | 885  | 59.5  | +15.7
| Liberal Democrats |  | 343  | 23.1  | −6.9
| Conservative |  | 259  | 17.4  | −5.5
Majority | 542  | 36.4  |
Turnout | 1,487  |  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
Hellingly By-Election 6 May 1999  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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|
|
|

| Liberal Democrats |  | 1,786  | 54.8  | +12.5
| Conservative |  | 1,476  | 45.2  | +2.1
Majority | 310  | 9.6  |
Turnout | 3,262  |  |
| Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing |  |
Peacehaven By-Election 21 October 1999  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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|
|
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| Conservative |  | 1,027  | 43.9  | +5.4
| Labour |  | 773  | 33.0  | +1.2
| Liberal Democrats |  | 542  | 23.1  | −6.5
Majority | 254  | 10.9  |
Turnout | 2,342  | 22.7  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |

### 2001–2005

[edit]

Bexhill East By-Election 9 September 2004  Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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|
|
|

| Conservative | Martin Kenward  | 1,117  | 61.6  | +19.6
| Liberal Democrats |  | 695  | 38.4  | +14.7
Majority | 422  | 23.2  |
Turnout | 1,812  | 23.7  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |

### 2005–2009

[edit]

Pevensey and Westham By-Election 29 September 2005[2] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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|
|
|

| Conservative | Simon Radford-Kirby | 1,293  | 70.0  | +20.1
| Liberal Democrats | Cynthia Dewick  | 406  | 22.0  | −10.6
| Labour | Robert Walker  | 147  | 8.0  | −9.5
Majority | 887  | 48.0  |
Turnout | 1,846  | 25.7  |
| Conservative hold | Swing | +15.4%  |
Bexhill King Offa By-Election 12 June 2008[3] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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|
|
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| Conservative | Michael Ensor  | 2,825  | 62.3  | +23.1
| Liberal Democrats | John Kemp  | 1,191  | 26.3  | −4.3
| Labour | Timothy Macpherson  | 518  | 11.4  | −18.8
Majority | 1,634  | 36.0  |
Turnout | 4,534  | 25.0  |
| Conservative hold | Swing |  |

### 2013–2017

[edit]

Old Hastings and Tressell By-Election 9 July 2015[4] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
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| Labour | Tania Charman  | 961  | 56.5  | +7.3
| Conservative | Robert Cooke  | 368  | 21.6  | +6.0
| UKIP | Sebastian Norton  | 174  | 10.2  | −12.3
| Green | Andrea Needham  | 149  | 8.8  | +0.5
| Liberal Democrats | Stewart Rayment  | 48  | 2.8  | −1.6
Majority | 593  | 34.9  |
Turnout | 1,700  |  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |
St Helens and Silverhill By-Election 5 May 2016[5] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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|
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| Labour | Judy Rogers  | 1,441  | 46.2  | +5.4
| Conservative | Martin Clarke  | 1,253  | 40.2  | +6.7
| Green | Julie Hilton  | 214  | 6.9  | +3.3
| Liberal Democrats | Stewart Rayment  | 212  | 6.8  | +3.3
Majority | 188  | 6.0  |
Turnout | 3,120  |  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |

### 2017–2021

[edit]

Bexhill West By-Election 10 January 2019[6] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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|
|
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| Independent | Deirdre Earl-Williams  | 1,761  | 51.9  | +51.9
| Conservative | Martin Kenward  | 1,071  | 31.6  | −1.7
| Liberal Democrats | Richard Thomas  | 261  | 7.7  | +2.1
| Labour | Jacque Walker  | 111  | 3.3  | −3.8
| Green | Polly Gray  | 107  | 3.2  | +3.2
| UKIP | Geoffrey Bastin  | 81  | 2.4  | −1.2
Majority | 690  | 20.3  |
Turnout | 3,392  |  |
| Independent hold | Swing |  |

### 2021–2025

[edit]

Heathfield and Mayfield By-Election 27 July 2023[7] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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| Green | Anne Cross  | 1,373  | 61.5  | +43.0
| Conservative | Neil Waller  | 858  | 38.5  | −20.7
Majority | 515  | 23.0  |
Turnout | 2,231  |  |
| Green gain from Conservative | Swing |  |
Meads By-Election 3 August 2023[8] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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|
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| Liberal Democrats | Brett Wright  | 1,649  | 50.1  | +10.1
| Conservative | Nicholas Taylor  | 1,361  | 41.3  | −4.3
| Labour | David Mannion  | 157  | 4.8  | −1.1
| Green | Claire Martin  | 127  | 3.9  | −2.2
Majority | 288  | 8.7  |
Turnout | 3,294  |  |
| Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing |  |

## See also

[edit]

* 1985 East Sussex County Council election
* 1989 East Sussex County Council election
* 2005 East Sussex County Council election (boundary changes increased the number of seats by 5)[9]
* 2009 East Sussex County Council election
* 2013 East Sussex County Council election
* 2017 East Sussex County Council election (boundary changes increased the number of seats by 1)[10]
* 2021 East Sussex County Council election
* 2026 East Sussex County Council election (delayed due to local government reorganisation)

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Includes totals for the predecessors of the Liberal Democrats, the Liberal Party and SDP (both of which participated in the Alliance).

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Composition calculator". Colin Rallings & Michael Thrasher. The Elections Centre, Plymouth University. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
2. ^ "Pevensey & Westham Electoral Division" (PDF). Wealden District Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 October 2007. Retrieved 31 August 2009.
3. ^ "Declaration of Result of Poll 12 June 2008". Rother District Council. Retrieved 31 August 2009.
4. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Old Hastings and Tressell Division". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
5. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — St Helens and Silverhill Division". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
6. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Bexhill West Division". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
7. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Heathfield and Mayfield Division". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
8. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project — Meads Division". www.andrewteale.me.uk. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
9. ^ "Local election results: East Sussex". BBC News Online. Retrieved 31 August 2009.
10. ^ "The East Sussex (Electoral Changes) Order 2016", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2016/1225, retrieved 20 February 2024

## External links

[edit]

* East Sussex County Council
* East Sussex election results
* By-election results Archived 29 March 2010 at the Wayback Machine

* v
* t
* e

Council elections in East Sussex

East Sussex County Council|

* 1889
* 1892
* 1895
* 1898
* 1901
* 1904
* 1907
* 1910
* 1913
* 1919
* 1922
* 1925
* 1928
* 1931
* 1934
* 1937
* 1946
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* 1985
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Brighton and Hove City Council|

* 1996
* 1999
* 2003
* 2007
* 2011
* 2015
* 2019
* 2023

Eastbourne Borough Council|

* 1973
* 1976
* 1979
* 1980
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1990
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* 1992
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
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* 2000
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* 2004
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* 2007
* 2011
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Hastings Borough Council|

* 1973
* 1976
* 1979
* 1980
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1998
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* 2004
* 2006
* 2008
* 2010
* 2012
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Lewes District Council|

* 1973
* 1976
* 1979
* 1983
* 1987
* 1991
* 1995
* 1999
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* 2011
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* 2023

Rother District Council|

* 1973
* 1976
* 1979
* 1983
* 1987
* 1991
* 1995
* 1999
* 2003
* 2007
* 2011
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* 2023

Wealden District Council|

* 1973
* 1976
* 1979
* 1983
* 1987
* 1991
* 1995
* 1999
* 2003
* 2007
* 2011
* 2015
* 2019
* 2023

Brighton Borough Council|

* 1973
* 1976
* 1979
* 1983
* 1984
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1994
* 1995
* Abolished

Hove Borough Council|

* 1973
* 1976
* 1979
* 1983
* 1987
* 1991
* 1995
* Abolished

* See also: Wards
* Boundary changes

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