title: Medway Council elections
text: # Medway Council elections
  
  Medway Council is the local authority for the unitary authority of Medway in Kent, England. It was created on 1 April 1998 replacing Gillingham and Rochester-upon-Medway.
  
  ## Political control
  
  The first election to the council was held in 1997, initially operating as a shadow authority until formally taking over from the two outgoing councils on 1 April 1998. Since 1997 political control of the council has been held by the following parties:
  
  | Party in control | Years |
  | - | - |
  | Labour | 1997–1998 |
  | No overall control | 1998–2003 |
  | Conservative | 2003–2023 |
  | Labour | 2023-present |
  
  ### Leadership
  
  The leaders of the council since 2000 have been:
  
  | Councillor | Party | From | To |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | Rodney Chambers | Conservative | May 2000 | 27 May 2015 |
  | Alan Jarrett | Conservative | 27 May 2015 | |
  | Vince Maple | Labour | 04 May 2023 | |
  
  ## Council elections
  
  * 1997 Medway Council election (New ward boundaries)
  * 2000 Medway Council election
  * 2003 Medway Council election (New ward boundaries reduced the number of seats by 25)
  * 2007 Medway Council election
  * 2011 Medway Council election
  * 2015 Medway Council election
  * 2019 Medway Council election
  * 2023 Medway Council election
  
  ## By-election results
  
  ### 1998-2003
  
  Gillingham South By-Election 19 February 1998 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Liberal Democrats | Dayantha Liyanage | 656 | 54.3 | +6.7 |
  | | Labour | Pamela Holman | 372 | 30.8 | +0.8 |
  | | Conservative | Roy Hunter | 180 | 14.9 | -7.5 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 284 | 23.5 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,208 | 27.0 | |
  | | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
  
  ### 2007-2011
  
  Rochester South and Horsted By-Election 8 May 2008 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Conservative | Trevor Clarke | 1,847 | 48.7 | +7.2 |
  | | Labour | Adam Price | 819 | 21.6 | -5.0 |
  | | Liberal Democrats | Viv Parker | 767 | 20.2 | +3.6 |
  | | BNP | Brian Ravenscroft | 257 | 6.8 | +6.8 |
  | | Green | Simon Marchant | 104 | 2.7 | +2.7 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,028 | 27.1 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,794 | 41.0 | |
  | | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
  
  This by-election was triggered by the resignation of Conservative Councillor John Ward
  
  Luton & Wayfield By-Election 3 September 2009 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Conservative | Tashi Bhutia | 1,042 | 36.9 | +10.8 |
  | | Labour | Sam Whittington | 1,038 | 36.7 | -12.3 |
  | | Liberal Democrats | Gary Allanach | 223 | 7.9 | +7.9 |
  | | UKIP | Robin Johnson | 200 | 7.1 | +7.1 |
  | | BNP | Brian Ravenscroft | 186 | 6.6 | +6.6 |
  | | Independent | Brian Cartwright | 87 | 3.1 | -21.9 |
  | | Green | Sarah D'Angelo | 51 | 1.8 | +1.8 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 4 | 0.2 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,827 | 29.8 | |
  | | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
  
  This by-election was triggered by the resignation of Labour Councillor Dennis McFarlane
  
  River Ward By-Election 12 August 2010 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Conservative | David Craggs | 617 | 45.8 |
  | | Labour | John Jones | 544 | 40.4 |
  | | Liberal Democrats | Garry Harrison | 104 | 7.7 |
  | | Green | Steven Keevil | 45 | 3.3 |
  | | BNP | Brian Ravenscroft | 39 | 2.8 |
  | | English Democrat | Ron Sands | 33 | 2.4 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 73 | 5.3 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,382 | |
  | | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | |
  
  This by-election was triggered by the resignation of Labour Councillor Bill Esterson
  
  River Ward By-Election 21 October 2010 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | John Jones | 695 | 45.5 |
  | | Conservative | Andrew Mackness | 631 | 41.3 |
  | | Liberal Democrats | Garry Harrison | 92 | 6.0 |
  | | UKIP | Anthony Cook | 42 | 2.8 |
  | | Green | Steven Keevil | 36 | 2.4 |
  | | English Democrat | Ron Sands | 31 | 2.0 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 64 | 4.2 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1527 | 25.7 |
  | | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | |
  
  This by-election was triggered by the resignation of Conservative Councillor David Craggs
  
  ### 2011-2015
  
  Peninsula By-Election 20 November 2014 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | UKIP | Christopher Irvine | 2,850 | 48.3 | +48.3 |
  | | Conservative | Ron Sands | 1,965 | 33.3 | -20.9 |
  | | Labour | Pete Tungate | 716 | 12.1 | -8.6 |
  | | Green | Clive Gregory | 314 | 5.3 | -2.1 |
  | | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Sams | 60 | 1.0 | -5.3 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 885 | 15.0 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,905 | | |
  | | UKIP gain from Conservative | UKIP gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
  
  ### 2015-2019
  
  Strood South by-election 20 October 2016 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Conservative | Josie Iles | 724 | 38.4 | +3.4 |
  | | Labour | Isaac Igwe | 521 | 27.7 | +3.4 |
  | | UKIP | Karl Weller | 480 | 25.5 | -13.2 |
  | | Green | Steve Dyke | 74 | 3.9 | N/A |
  | | Liberal Democrats | Isabelle Cherry | 62 | 3.3 | N/A |
  | | English Democrat | Mike Russell | 23 | 1.2 | N/A |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 203 | 10.7 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,884 | 16.74 | |
  | | Conservative gain from UKIP | Conservative gain from UKIP | Swing | | |
  
  The by-election was triggered by the resignation of UKIP Councillor Catriona Brown-Reckless
  
  Rainham Central by-election 3 November 2016 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Conservative | Jan Aldous | 1,448 | 61.1 |
  | | UKIP | Mark Mencattelli | 389 | 16.4 |
  | | Labour | Simon Allen | 320 | 13.5 |
  | | Liberal Democrats | Paul Chaplin | 137 | 5.8 |
  | | Green | George Meegan | 61 | 2.6 |
  | | English Democrat | Mike Russell | 14 | 0.6 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,059 | 44.7 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,369 | 24.0 |
  | | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
  
  The by-election was triggered by the death of Conservative Councillor Mike O'Brien
  
  Rochester West by-election 8 March 2018 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | Alex Paterson | 1,212 | 47.5 | +26.5 |
  | | Conservative | Alan Kew | 1007 | 39.5 | -4.0 |
  | | Liberal Democrats | Martin Rose | 119 | 4.7 | +1.0 |
  | | Green | Sonia Hyner | 107 | 4.2 | -6.1 |
  | | UKIP | Rob McCulloch Martin | 104 | 4.1 | -16.2 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 205 | 8.0 | -5.0 |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,549 | 33 | |
  | | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
  
  The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Conservative Councillor Kelly Tolhurst
  
  ### 2019-2023
  
  Princes Park by-election 26 August 2021 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Conservative | Robert George Benedict Lammas | 961 | 67.1 | +19.1 |
  | | Labour | John Gower Strevens | 313 | 21.9 | -5.6 |
  | | Green | Sonia Lesley Hyner | 52 | 3.6 | N/A |
  | | Independent | Matthew Bernard Durcan | 51 | 3.6 | N/A |
  | | Liberal Democrats | John Edward Castle | 49 | 3.4 | N/A |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 648 | 45.2 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,432 | 18.8 | |
  | | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
  
  Strood North by-election 26 August 2021 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | Zöe Angela Van Dyke | 913 | 37.0 | +6.4 |
  | | Conservative | Mark Paul Joy | 728 | 29.5 | -2.5 |
  | | Green | Catriona Margaret Jamieson | 565 | 10.5 | +1.0 |
  | | Independent | Christopher Stuart Spalding | 216 | 8.8 | N/A |
  | | Liberal Democrats | Alan Edward Wells | 39 | 1.6 | N/A |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 185 | 7.5 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,466 | 23.5 | |
  | | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
  
  Rochester East by-election 16 December 2021 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Labour | Lauren Edwards | 870 | 63.3 | +15.2 |
  | | Conservative | Brian Griffin | 388 | 28.2 | +8.6 |
  | | Green | Bernard Hyde | 69 | 5.0 | -9.2 |
  | | Liberal Democrats | Sarah Manuel | 48 | 3.5 | -2.8 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 482 | 35.1 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,375 | | |
  | | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
  
  Peninsula by-election 8 December 2022 :
  
  | Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | | Independent | George Crozer | 1,038 | 46.6 | +46.6 |
  | | Conservative | Harold Ogunfemi | 371 | 16.7 | -9.2 |
  | | Green | Julian Sutton | 255 | 11.5 | +1.5 |
  | | Independent | Chris Spalding | 230 | 10.3 | +10.3 |
  | | Labour | David Hodges | 215 | 9.7 | -0.4 |
  | | Independent | Sharon Jackson | 89 | 4.0 | +4.0 |
  | | Liberal Democrats | Ben Rist | 29 | 1.3 | +1.3 |
  | Majority | Majority | Majority | 667 | 30.0 | |
  | Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,227 | | |
  | | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
  