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Candidates Tonbridge

Thursday, 3 April 2025 16:01

By Martin Webber

The Green Party will be defending two seats in Tonbridge at the final Kent County Council elections on May 1st.

Unlike most seats, the electoral division of Tonbridge elects the top two candidates.  Last time the Green Party's Mark Hood took 27% and the Green Party's Paul Stepto took 23% and were both elected. 

After that two Conservatives took 20% each, with Labour candidates getting 3% each.  The Liberal Democrats did not stand in the last vote in 2021.

Voters in Tonbridge have five parties to choose from.

Mark Hood (pictured below) and Paul Stepto are both standing again, but may find victory more difficult now the Liberal Democrats are back collecting votes.

West Kent Radio asked the Tonbridge Liberal Democrats why they were standing this time when they gave a free run to the Greens in the last county election. The Liberal Democrat's Garry Bridge told us: "It is important that people have the chance to vote Liberal Democrat if they want to."

In the elections in 2017, the two Conservatives in Tonbridge were elected with 27% of the vote each.  Their nearest rival was a Liberal Democrat with 8%. 

This time the candidates in TONBRIDGE division (with 2 to be elected) are:
Matt Botten & Gary Longley, Reform UK;
Garry Bridge & Frances Hoskins, Lib Dem;
Mark Hood & Paul Stepto, Green Party;
Callum Lake & Catherine Tuke, Labour;
Jennifer Lewis & Frixos Tombolis, Conservatives

Residents in Hildenborough vote for one candidate only in the MALLING WEST division out of:
Sam Gallon, Green Party;  Kathleen Garlock, Labour;
Harry Rayner, Cons;   Christopher Scott, Lib Dem;
Callum Wrighton, Reform UK.

Back in 2021, Malling West was won by the Conservatives with 65% of vote with Green second on 14%.

Residents in Hadlow vote for one candidate only in the MALLING RURAL EAST division:
Timothy Bishop, Lib Dem;   Helen Brown, Reform UK;
Sarah Hudson, Cons;  David Nicholls, Green;
Jack Tyrrell, Labour

Back in 2021, Malling Rural East was won by Sarah Hudson (pictured below) of Conservatives with 65% of the vote with Green Party second on 14%.

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