Rother Council - Wards and Councillors

District council · South East · 38 seats in 21 wards · All seats elected every four years · Next election 6 May 2027

Rother Council is run by an Independent / Liberal Democrats / Labour / Green coalition. The council has 38 councillors in 21 wards. Seats by party: Conservative 12, Lib Dem 9, Other 8, Labour 6, Green 3. The next election is on 6 May 2027.

A government plan to replace the councils in this area with two unitary councils was paused for review on 7 September 2026. Elections due in May 2027 will go ahead on existing council boundaries. Source

Control

Seats by party

Independent / Liberal Democrats / Labour / Green Coalition

38 seats - 20 for a majority

Labour 6Conservative 12Lib Dem 9Green 3Other 8

Seat changes since the 4 May 2023 election Conservative +2 Lib Dem +2 Labour −2 Other −2

Vote share at the 4 May 2023 election (38 seats, all wards)

ShareSeats won

Conservative29.9%10

Other29.2%10

Lib Dem19.9%7

Labour13.0%8

Green8.1%3

Next election

6 May 2027

all 38 seats up, then every four years

Largest party

Conservative 12

8 short of the 20 needed for a majority

Closest result

Eastern Rother

Conservative won the last seat by 15 votes over Green, 4 May 2023

Latest by-election

Rye & Winchelsea

Reform gain from Labour, 7 May 2026 (3 since 2021)

Constituencies

2 overlap

2024Now

Voted Leave in 2016

58%

GB 52%

Wards

Who holds each ward

LabourConservativeLib DemGreenIndependentOther

Coloured by the party holding most of the ward's seats today; where seats are split evenly, by the party with the higher share at the last election.

All 21 wards

Councillors and last results

Select a ward for its full results, candidates and last by-election.

Ward and councillors	Last election
Bexhill Central Ruairi McCourt, Christine Bayliss	4 May 2023 Labour 53.7% lead 35.4 pts
Bexhill Collington Doug Oliver, Ashan Jeeawon	4 May 2023 Rother Association of Independent Councillors 60.9% lead 31.2 pts
Bexhill Kewhurst Brian Drayson, Andrew Hayward	4 May 2023 Rother Association of Independent Councillors 37.7% lead 8.0 pts
Bexhill Old Town & Worsham Polly Gray, Mark Legg	4 May 2023 Green 33.6% lead 10.1 pts
Bexhill Pebsham & St Michaels Gareth Delany, Charles Clark	4 May 2023 Independent 39.0% lead 16.8 pts
Bexhill Sackville Hazel Timpe, Terry Byrne	4 May 2023 Rother Association of Independent Councillors 43.7% lead 17.0 pts
Bexhill Sidley Fazlul Chowdhury, Sam Coleman	4 May 2023 Labour 43.9% lead 11.2 pts
Bexhill St Marks Jimmy Stanger, Connor Winter	4 May 2023 Independent 24.1% lead 4.0 pts
Bexhill St Stephens Arren Rathbone Ariel, Richard Thomas	4 May 2023 Green 32.8% lead 0.8 pts
Brede & Udimore Neil Gordon	4 May 2023 Conservative 58.3% lead 24.6 pts
Burwash & the Weald John Barnes, Eleanor Kirby-Green	4 May 2023 Conservative 38.1% lead 4.3 pts
Catsfield & Crowhurst Nicola McLaren	4 May 2023 Lib Dem 48.4% lead 15.3 pts
Eastern Rother Lizzie Hacking, Paul Osborne	4 May 2023 Conservative 41.2% lead 2.8 pts
Hurst Green & Ticehurst Mary Barnes, Teresa Killeen	4 May 2023 Lib Dem 53.8% lead 7.6 pts
North Battle, Netherfield & Whatlington Kathryn Field, Sue Burton	4 May 2023 Lib Dem 45.5% lead 6.4 pts
Northern Rother Tony Ganly, Tony Biggs	4 May 2023 Conservative 50.9% lead 1.8 pts
Robertsbridge Susan Prochak	4 May 2023 Lib Dem 73.1% lead 46.2 pts
Rye & Winchelsea Daniel Bradley, Cheryl Creaser	4 May 2023 Labour 32.3% lead 5.4 pts
Sedlescombe & Westfield Carl Maynard, Beverley Coupar	4 May 2023 Independent 54.1% lead 8.2 pts
South Battle & Telham Vikki Cook	4 May 2023 Lib Dem 64.8% lead 29.6 pts
Southern Rother Andrew Mier, Tim Grohne	4 May 2023 Lib Dem 40.4% lead 6.5 pts

Bexhill Central

Christine Bayliss LabourRuairi McCourt Labour

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Labour53.7%

Conservative18.3%

Independent15.2%

Independent7.2%

UKIP5.6%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Christine Ann Bayliss Elected	Labour	732
Ruairi Anthony McCourt Elected	Labour	579
Nurul Amin	Conservative	250
Paul Leonard Webb	Conservative	224
Andrew J Crotty	Independent	208
Andy Voyce	Independent	98
Colin Sullivan	UKIP	76

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Bexhill Collington

Ashan Jeeawon Rother Association of Independent CouncillorsDoug Oliver Rother Association of Independent Councillors

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Rother Association of Independent Councillors60.9%

Conservative29.7%

UKIP9.3%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Doug Oliver Elected	Rother Association of Independent Councillors	1,148
Ashan Jeeawon Elected	Rother Association of Independent Councillors	1,055
Bridget Ann Hollingsworth	Conservative	560
Balwinder Singh Khaira	Conservative	397
Jill Moray Davies	UKIP	176

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Bexhill Kewhurst

Andrew Hayward Rother Association of Independent CouncillorsBrian Drayson Rother Association of Independent Councillors

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Rother Association of Independent Councillors37.7%

Conservative29.7%

Lib Dem24.7%

UKIP7.9%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Brian John Drayson Elected	Rother Association of Independent Councillors	671
Andrew Peter Hayward Elected	Rother Association of Independent Councillors	637
Gillian Johnson	Conservative	528
Martin Kenward	Conservative	469
Bill Goddard	Lib Dem	440
Alison Phillips	UKIP	140

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Bexhill Old Town & Worsham

Mark Legg LabourPolly Gray Green

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Green33.6%

Labour23.5%

Rother Association of Independent Councillors20.3%

Conservative17.7%

UKIP5.0%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Polly Janet Gray Elected	Green	535
Mark Colby Legg Elected	Labour	374
Chris Madeley	Rother Association of Independent Councillors	323
Barbara Clark	Conservative	282
Hannah Jean Louise Fisher	Conservative	190
Michael Phillips	UKIP	79

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Bexhill Pebsham & St Michaels

Charles Clark IndependentGareth Delany Labour

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Independent39.0%

Labour22.2%

Conservative20.2%

Independent13.9%

UKIP4.7%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Charles Clark Elected	Independent	754
Gareth Robert Michael Delany Elected	Labour	429
Jay Brewerton	Conservative	391
Charlie Rustem	Independent	268
Geoffrey Raymond Robertson	Conservative	180
John Frank Dicker	UKIP	90

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Bexhill Sackville

Hazel Timpe Rother Association of Independent CouncillorsTerry Byrne Rother Association of Independent Councillors

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Rother Association of Independent Councillors43.7%

Conservative26.7%

Labour21.3%

UKIP8.3%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Hazel Linda Timpe Elected	Rother Association of Independent Councillors	643
Terry Byrne Elected	Rother Association of Independent Councillors	629
Shaji Thomas	Conservative	392
Brian Basham	Labour	313
Christopher James David Rawdon-Mogg	Conservative	293
Sheila Patricia Allen-Rodgers	UKIP	122

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Bexhill Sidley

Fazlul Chowdhury LabourSam Coleman Labour

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Labour43.9%

Conservative32.7%

Independent18.1%

UKIP5.3%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Sam Coleman Elected	Labour	507
Fazlul Haque Chowdhury Elected	Labour	420
Jim Carroll	Conservative	377
Sharon Joy Blagrove	Independent	209
Brett Reginald McLean	Conservative	203
John Kamil Zipser	UKIP	61

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Bexhill St Marks

Connor Winter ConservativeJimmy Stanger Lib Dem

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Independent24.1%

Rother Association of Independent Councillors20.1%

Conservative18.1%

Independent Network15.5%

Lib Dem9.2%

Labour9.1%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Connor Jack Winter Elected	Independent	630
Jimmy Stanger Elected	Rother Association of Independent Councillors	527
Tony Foster	Conservative	474
Nigel Jacklin	Independent Network	406
Nathaniel Robert Jack Lake	Conservative	315
Wendy Ann Dash	Lib Dem	241
Peter Victor Hillier-Palmer	Labour	239
Justin Webster Pierce	Labour	191
Christine Zipser	UKIP	99

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Bexhill St Stephens

Arren Rathbone Ariel GreenRichard Thomas Lib Dem

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Green32.8%

Lib Dem32.0%

Conservative27.0%

UKIP8.1%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Arren Rathbone Ariel Elected	Green	561
Richard Thomas Elected	Lib Dem	548
Abul Kalam Azad	Conservative	462
Richard Carroll	Conservative	425
Gillian Elaine Ammoun	UKIP	139

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Brede & Udimore

Neil Gordon Conservative

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023

Conservative58.3%

Lib Dem33.7%

Labour8.0%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Neil Gordon Elected	Conservative	414	58.3%
Martin Paul Griffiths	Lib Dem	239	33.7%
XXXX Margaret Sandra	Labour	57	8.0%

Burwash & the Weald

Eleanor Kirby-Green ConservativeJohn Barnes Conservative

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Conservative38.1%

Lib Dem33.8%

Independent28.0%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Anthony John Lane Barnes Elected	Conservative	610
Eleanor Mary Kirby-Green Elected	Conservative	605
Mary Elizabeth Varrall	Lib Dem	541
Heather Beryl Love	Independent	448

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Catsfield & Crowhurst

Nicola McLaren Lib Dem

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023

Lib Dem48.4%

Conservative33.1%

Labour18.5%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Chas Pearce Elected	Lib Dem	403	48.4%
Gary Clifford Curtis	Conservative	275	33.1%
Tim MacPherson	Labour	154	18.5%

Last by-election, 26 June 2025

Lib Dem36.6%

Reform27.4%

Conservative22.2%

Labour13.8%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Nicola Hazel McLaren Elected	Lib Dem	267	36.6%
Bernard Peter Brown	Reform	200	27.4%
Joe Carter	Conservative	162	22.2%
Tim MacPherson	Labour	101	13.8%

Eastern Rother

Lizzie Hacking ConservativePaul Osborne Conservative

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Conservative41.2%

Green38.4%

Labour20.4%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Lizzie Hacking Elected	Conservative	605
Paul Norman Osborne Elected	Conservative	578
Dominic Mark Wistow Manning	Green	563
Catherine Laura Glover	Green	466
Linda June Whymark	Labour	300

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Hurst Green & Ticehurst

Mary Barnes ConservativeTeresa Killeen Lib Dem

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Lib Dem53.8%

Conservative46.2%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Teresa Mary Killeen Elected	Lib Dem	740
Mary Barnes Elected	Conservative	635
Stephen Philip Hardy	Lib Dem	611
Graham Stephen Browne	Conservative	603

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

North Battle, Netherfield & Whatlington

Kathryn Field Lib DemSue Burton Green

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Lib Dem45.5%

Green39.1%

Conservative12.7%

UKIP2.7%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Kathryn Margaret Field Elected	Lib Dem	1,092
Sue Burton Elected	Green	939
Mark Beaumont	Conservative	305
Kirsty Alexandra Curtis	Conservative	266
Bernard Walter Mabon	UKIP	65

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Northern Rother

Tony Biggs ConservativeTony Ganly Conservative

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Conservative50.9%

Independent49.1%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Tony Ganly Elected	Conservative	881
Tony Biggs Elected	Conservative	880
Peter Jonathan Vine-Hall	Independent	851

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Robertsbridge

Susan Prochak Lib Dem

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023

Lib Dem73.1%

Conservative26.9%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Sue Prochak Elected	Lib Dem	519	73.1%
Paul Redstone	Conservative	191	26.9%

Rye & Winchelsea

Cheryl Creaser ConservativeDaniel Bradley Independent

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Labour32.3%

Lib Dem26.9%

Conservative23.1%

Rother Association of Independent Councillors17.8%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Cheryl Creaser Elected	Labour	608
Simon Bede McGurk Elected	Labour	606
Guy Gillan Harris	Lib Dem	506
Gennette Florence Stevens	Conservative	435
Jayne Stevens	Conservative	371
Chris Hoggart	Rother Association of Independent Councillors	335

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Last by-election, 7 May 2026

Reform27.3%

Green25.7%

Labour20.6%

Conservative18.9%

Lib Dem7.5%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Dan Bradley Elected	Reform	531	27.3%
Dominic Mark Wistow Manning	Green	500	25.7%
Amanda Kate Carman Pollard	Labour	402	20.6%
David Peter Cooke	Conservative	368	18.9%
Derek William Greenup	Lib Dem	146	7.5%

Sedlescombe & Westfield

Beverley Coupar Lib DemCarl Maynard Conservative

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Independent54.1%

Conservative45.9%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Beverley Coupar Elected	Independent	843
Carl Raymond Maynard Elected	Conservative	714
Kate Elizabeth Ludden	Conservative	647

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

South Battle & Telham

Vikki Cook Lib Dem

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023

Lib Dem64.8%

Conservative35.2%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Vikki Cook Elected	Lib Dem	388	64.8%
Bernard Peter Brown	Conservative	211	35.2%

Southern Rother

Andrew Mier Lib DemTim Grohne Conservative

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Lib Dem40.4%

Conservative33.9%

Labour25.7%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Andrew Stanley Mier Elected	Lib Dem	770
Tim Oliver Grohne Elected	Conservative	645
James Richard William Bradley	Conservative	569
Nick Warren	Labour	489
Sue Learoyd-Smith	Labour	402

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Councillors

Changed party since the election

4 councillors now sit for a different party from the one they were elected for.

Ward	Councillor	Elected as	Now
Bexhill St Marks	Connor Winter	Independent 2023	Conservative
Bexhill St Marks	Jimmy Stanger	Rother Association of Independent Councillors 2023	Lib Dem
Rye & Winchelsea	Cheryl Creaser	Labour 2023	Conservative
Sedlescombe & Westfield	Beverley Coupar	Independent 2023	Lib Dem

By-elections

Every council by-election since 2021

3 by-elections since July 2021, 1 of them gains.

Date	Ward	Result	Winner's share
7 May 2026	Rye & Winchelsea	Reform gain from Labour	27.3%
26 June 2025	Catsfield & Crowhurst	Lib Dem hold	37.0%
22 June 2022	Brede	Conservative hold

Parliament

Parliamentary constituencies

Constituency	Share of council	2024 winner	Projected now
Bexhill and Battle	84%	Conservative	Conservative 36%
Hastings and Rye	16%	Labour	Labour 34%

Share of the council: the proportion of its census neighbourhoods (2021 LSOAs) in each seat. The projection is PollCheck's demographic model at current polling, not a forecast.

People

Who lives in Rother

93,116 residents in 42,100 households

Voted Leave in 2016

58% 6 above GB

Degree or higher

30% 4 below GB

No qualifications

19% 1 above GB

Own their home

73% 12 above GB

Rent from a council or housing association

10% 7 below GB

Rent privately

16% 4 below GB

Aged 15 to 34

20% 11 below GB

Aged 65 and over

38% 16 above GB

GB figure. 2021 Census (Scotland: 2022): age as a share of residents aged 15 and over, qualifications of residents aged 16 and over, housing as a share of households. Leave: 2016 EU referendum, Electoral Commission results by counting area.

Similar

Councils most like this one

North NorfolkLiberal Democrats (Majority)New ForestConservative (Majority)DorsetLiberal Democrats (Majority)ArunLiberal Democrats / Labour / Green / Independent Coalition TorridgeIndependent

Closest on the measures above: the 2016 Leave vote, age, qualifications and housing. Maps show which party holds each ward.

Sources

Sources and method

Seat totals and control: PollCheck council control tracker. Councillors: Open Council Data (CC BY-SA 4.0). Election results: Democracy Club (CC BY 4.0), with some vote counts from DCLEAPIL, Leman (2025) (CC BY-SA 4.0), and corrections checked against councils' official declarations. Ward boundaries: Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Census: Office for National Statistics and National Records of Scotland.

Councillor lists and DCLEAPIL-derived vote counts on this page are available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

In wards electing more than one councillor, a party's share counts only its leading candidate (the Rallings and Thrasher method). Independents count individually. The lead is the gap between the top two parties' shares.