Ex Mayor gets Dick out.

Ex Mayor of Folkestone Cllr Jackie Meade (Lab) May 2019/May20 ousted incumbent Kent County Council Tory Cllr Dick Pascoe, and took the Folkestone East seat in the KCC elections held on Thursday May 6th 2021, by 192 votes.

So Dick is now out, his only seat in local politics is that of Town Cllr in Hawkinge, as he lost his district seat in 2019 to a Labour Cllr.

Folkestone West ward was won by Dylan Jeffrey (Con) beating the Labour Candidate Cllr Laura Davison (District) by a comfortable 313 votes.

Nearly but not quite.

In a closely run battle for Cheriton, Sandgate & Hythe East, the incumbent Councillor Rory Cassian Love – born at the Royal Victoria Hospital, raised in Hythe and attended Tonbridge School – hung on by the skin of his teeth, taking the seat by just 21 votes, to prevent Cllr Tim Prater becoming a triple hatter, Parish, District and County.

We congratulate Tim for giving Rory a good run for his money.

Hythe West  was previously held by the Green Party’s inimitable Martin Whybrow, turned blue.

Andy Weatherhead, who has been all things to all men and women – Independent, UKIP, Trade Unionist and now Conservative took the seat by a comfortable majority from his nearest rival, Green Party Candidate Cllr Georgina Treloar. One hope’s the Green will come to realize there must be more to them than just the environment.

Georgina was an excellent candidate, however, it was fighting on a single issue which we believe let her and her party down.

The most emphatic win of the day goes to the incumbent KCC Cllr Anthony John Robert Hills or more commonly known to locals on the Marsh – Tony Hills. Tony held his seat by a whooping 2,328 votes from his nearest rival – Tony Cooper (Lab & Co-op).

Tony Hills moved to Romney Marsh over 30 years ago after falling in love with the place as a child on visits to his grandmother.

Tony moved from Richmond Upon Thames, where in a previous life he worked in Marketing  & Design manager. Tony has only one fault according to many, and that is being an Arsenal supporter.

So, the Tories take four out of the six seats and Labour rather than the Greens one.

We just hope Dick Pascoe won’t be a sore loser as he was back in 2019 when he lost his district seat and asked people to “bombard” the new incumbent Cllr with constituency issues as quickly as possible.

The vote for Elham Valley did not happen due to the Labour election agent Mr Chris Deane passing away prior to the vote. We send our condolences to his family and friends.

All those candidates that remain validly nominated for the Elham Valley election will not need to complete fresh nomination papers at the new election that will be held within 35 days* of Thursday 06 May 2021.

To all candidates rwgardless if you won or lost, well done for taking part. It takes a lot of hard effort, blistered feet and damaged hands.   Without you there is no democracy. Without you there is no choice.

Finally a big thank you to all those who ran a smooth counting session. Without you, there can be be no result and no democratic mandate. Thank you.

The Shepway Vox Team

Journalism for the People NOT the Powerful