Thanet District Council’s 30-strong group of Labour councillors has confirmed Cllr Rick Everitt as its leader and Cllr Helen Whitehead as its deputy leader.

The Newington and Margate Central representatives, who have led the Labour group at TDC since 2019, were returned unopposed to their roles at the group’s annual general meeting in Ramsgate on Sunday.  They will now be put forward by the group to lead the new council at its first meeting on Thursday, May 18th.

Labour took a 40% share of the vote in last Thursday’s district elections, an increase of ten points on 2019, while the Conservative share fell from 38% to 33%, a swing from Conservative to Labour of 7.5%. Labour has a majority of four on the new council, which had been in no overall control since 2011, apart from a spell under UKIP leadership from 2015.

Among ten Labour gains from the 20 won in 2019, the party took some seats for the first time since the current wards were established 20 years ago, including a 16% swing to remove Conservative leader Ash Ashbee in Westbrook ward. Labour gained three seats in Broadstairs, two of them in Viking ward and another in Beacon Road ward, making four in total in the town.

The former Thanet Independent Group leader Stuart Piper was swept away in Ramsgate’s Northwood ward, finishing seventh behind three Labour winners and three defeated Conservatives, while Labour town councillor David Donaldson won a district seat in Westgate.

Labour will also be the largest party on Broadstairs Town Council, with six seats, and now has 13 out of 16 on Ramsgate Town Council. The party even picked up a parish council seat in Birchington, won by village resident Colin Brown.

Cllr Everitt said: “For Labour  the fact the count was held in Dreamland this time was rather fitting, but for the Tories it was a bit of a nightmare.

“Results across Kent show that we clearly benefited from the growing impatience for this hopeless Conservative government to be replaced by a new Labour administration under Keir Starmer. Labour is ready for power nationally as well as locally.

“However, we never win easily in Thanet and these results are a tribute to the hard work of the best set of candidates we have had in my experience. MP Craig Mackinlay is on notice from the people of Thanet that he can expect to leave Westminster next year, especially now we have Polly Billington lined up to replace him. The results in the likely new parliamentary constituency of Thanet East were spectacular for Labour.

“In the meantime, we will get to work on delivering real change for residents over the next four years. The council will have clear and stable leadership at last, but we understand that not everyone voted Labour and we will continue to work with other parties where we can.”

Prospective parliamentary candidate Polly Billington said: “The voters of Thanet have put their trust in Labour locally to run their services for the whole community and do what is possible as a council to help with the cost of living pressures so many residents are facing and the challenges that local businesses are experiencing.

“This is an important step towards winning the trust and confidence of voters to run the country. Labour is ready for government – I look forward to winning the support of Thanet voters so that together we can get rid of this failed Tory government and build a better future.”

Labour group councillors 2023 in Ramsgate
Labour group councillors 2023 in Ramsgate
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