Swale Borough Council elections

Local government elections in Kent, England

Map showing the composition of Swale Borough Council after the 2023 election. Conservatives in blue, Labour in red, Liberal Democrats in yellow, Green Party in green, Swale Independents in orange, and independents in light grey.

Swale Borough Council elections are held every four years to elect Swale Borough Council in Kent, England. Since the last boundary changes in 2015 the council has comprised 47 councillors representing 24 wards.[1] Until 2011 one third of the council was elected every year, followed by one year without election.

## Council elections

[edit]

Summary of the council composition after recent council elections, click on the year for full details of each election. Boundary changes took place for the 2002 election, leading to the whole council bring elected in that year and reducing the number of seats by two.[2]

Composition of the council[3] Year  | Conservative | Labour | Liberal Democrats[a] | Swale Ind. | Green | UKIP | Independents
& Others  | Council control
after election

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

|  |  |  |  |  |
Local government reorganisation; council established (50 seats)
1973 | 17  | 25 | 3  | –  | –  | –  | 5  |  | No overall control
1976 | 27 | 19  | 3  | –  | 0  | –  | 1  |  | Conservative
New ward boundaries (49 seats)
1979 | 26 | 21  | 1  | –  | 0  | –  | 1  |  | Conservative
1980 | 25 | 21  | 2  | –  | 0  | –  | 1  |  | Conservative
1982 | 28 | 17  | 3  | –  | 0  | –  | 1  |  | Conservative
1983 | 31 | 13  | 4  | –  | 0  | –  | 1  |  | Conservative
1984 | 27 | 12  | 8  | –  | 0  | –  | 2  |  | Conservative
1986 | 23 | 14  | 12  | –  | 0  | –  | 0  |  | No overall control
1987 | 19 | 13  | 17  | –  | 0  | –  | 0  |  | No overall control
1988 | 21 | 13  | 14  | –  | 0  | –  | 1  |  | No overall control
1990 | 19 | 16  | 14  | –  | 0  | –  | 0  |  | No overall control
1991 | 18  | 19 | 12  | –  | 0  | –  | 0  |  | No overall control
1992 | 20 | 14  | 14  | –  | 0  | –  | 1  |  | No overall control
1994 | 17  | 12  | 19 | –  | 0  | 0  | 1  |  | No overall control
1995 | 14  | 14  | 20 | –  | 0  | 0  | 1  |  | No overall control
1996 | 6  | 19  | 23 | –  | 0  | 0  | 1  |  | No overall control
1998 | 7  | 19  | 22 | –  | 0  | 0  | 1  |  | No overall control
1999 | 9  | 17  | 23 | –  | 0  | 0  | 0  |  | No overall control
2000 | 15  | 12  | 22 | –  | 0  | 0  | 0  |  | No overall control
New ward boundaries (47 seats)[4]
2002 | 25 | 10  | 12  | –  | 0  | 0  | 0  |  | Conservative
2003 | 25 | 11  | 11  | –  | 0  | 0  | 0  |  | Conservative
2004 | 26 | 11  | 10  | –  | 0  | 0  | 0  |  | Conservative
2006 | 28 | 10  | 8  | –  | 0  | 0  | 1  |  | Conservative
2007 | 26 | 10  | 6  | –  | 0  | 0  | 5[b] |  | Conservative
2008 | 26 | 9  | 5  | –  | 0  | 0  | 7  |  | Conservative
2010 | 33 | 10  | 3  | –  | 0  | 0  | 1  |  | Conservative
2011 | 32 | 13  | 1  | –  | 0  | 0  | 1  |  | Conservative
New ward boundaries (47 seats)[5]
2015 | 32 | 4  | 0  | –  | 0  | 9  | 2  |  | Conservative
2019 | 16 | 11  | 5  | 10  | 2  | 1  | 2  |  | No overall control
2023 | 12  | 15 | 5  | 11  | 3  | 0  | 1  |  | No overall control
|  |  |  |  |  |  |

## Borough result maps

[edit]

* 2002 results map

* 2003 results map

* 2004 results map

* 2006 results map

* 2007 results map

* 2008 results map

* 2010 results map

* 2011 results map

* 2015 results map

* 2019 results map

* 2023 results map

## By-election results

[edit]

By-elections occur when seats become vacant between council elections. Below is a summary of recent by-elections;[6] full by-election results can be found by clicking on the by-election name.

By-election | Date | Incumbent party | Winning party

|
|
|

Eastern by-election | 25 January 2001  |  | Conservative |  | Conservative
Minster Cliffs by-election | 25 September 2008  |  | Sheppey First  |  | Conservative
Sheerness East by-election | 25 September 2008  |  | Sheppey First  |  | Labour
Teynham and Lynsted by-election | 2 October 2008  |  | Conservative |  | Conservative
Kemsley by-election | 8 March 2012  |  | Conservative |  | Conservative
Sheppey Central by-election | 16 October 2014  |  | Conservative |  | UKIP
Milton Regis by-election | 3 August 2017  |  | UKIP |  | Labour
Sheppey East by-election | 3 May 2018  |  | Conservative |  | Conservative
Sheerness by-election | 6 May 2021  |  | Labour |  | Conservative
Priory by-election | 30 September 2021  |  | Independent |  | Liberal Democrats
Minster Cliffs by-election | 14 September 2023  |  | Conservative |  | Swale Ind.
Abbey by-election | 14 December 2023  |  | Liberal Democrats |  | Liberal Democrats
Priory by-election | 3 September 2024  |  | Liberal Democrats |  | Liberal Democrats
Murston by-election | 21 November 2024  |  | Swale Ind. |  | Swale Ind.
Milton Regis by-election | 19 December 2024  |  | Labour |  | Reform UK

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Includes totals for the predecessors of the Liberal Democrats, the Liberal Party and SDP (both of which participated in the Alliance).
2. ^ Including 4 Sheppy First

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "The Swale (Electoral Changes) Order 2012", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2012/2985, retrieved 29 September 2023
2. ^ "Swale". BBC News Online. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
3. ^ "Composition calculator". Colin Rallings & Michael Thrasher. The Elections Centre, Plymouth University. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
4. ^ legislation.gov.uk - The Borough of Swale (Electoral Changes) Order 2001. Retrieved on 4 October 2015.
5. ^ legislation.gov.uk - The Swale (Electoral Changes) Order 2012. Retrieved on 3 November 2015.
6. ^ "Local Authority Byelection Results". Retrieved 26 March 2015.

## External links

[edit]

* Swale Borough Council

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Council elections in Kent

Kent County Council|

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Ashford Borough Council|

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Canterbury City Council|

* 1973
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Dartford Borough Council|

* 1973
* 1976
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* 1987
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* 1995
* 1999
* 2003
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Dover District Council|

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

Folkestone & Hythe District Council|

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

Gravesham Borough Council|

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

Maidstone Borough Council|

* 1973
* 1976
* 1979
* 1980
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1998
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* 2000
* 2002
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* 2004
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2018
* 2019
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

Medway Council|

* 1997
* 2000
* 2003
* 2007
* 2011
* 2015
* 2019
* 2023

Sevenoaks District Council|

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

Swale Borough Council|

* 1973
* 1976
* 1979
* 1980
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2010
* 2011
* 2015
* 2019
* 2023

Thanet District Council|

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

Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council|

* 1973
* 1976
* 1979
* 1980
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1991
* 1995
* 1999
* 2003
* 2007
* 2011
* 2015
* 2019
* 2023

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council|

* 1973
* 1976
* 1979
* 1980
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1998
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* 2000
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* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2018
* 2019
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

Rochester-upon-Medway City Council|

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

Gillingham Borough Council|

* 1973
* 1976
* 1979
* 1980
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* Abolished

* See also: Wards
* Boundary changes

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