The results of the votes in the Swanage local elections are in, and the town has two new town councillors and a new councillor representing Swanage on Dorset Council.
It was a clean sweep for the Local Conservatives, with all of its candidates elected, beating off opposition from the Labour Party, Reform UK, the Liberal Democrats, and independent candidates.
Newly elected councillors (left to right) Gary Suttle, Chris Tomes, and Phil Burridge
Local Conservatives elected
The elections took place on Thursday 24th July 2025 following the death of town councillor and Dorset Council representative Bill Trite, and the resignation of town councillor Debby Monkhouse. Bill Trite was a Local Conservative councillor, while Debby Monkhouse represented the Labour Party.
Newly elected to Swanage Town Council are Local Conservatives Philip Burridge, previously Swanage’s fire station officer, and Gary Suttle, an accountant who was previously a town councillor for more than 30 years before a surprise election result in 2024 saw him not elected. He is currently one of two Swanage representatives on Dorset Council.
The second Swanage representative on Dorset Council is newly elected Local Conservatives councillor Christopher Tomes. Chris, who works in his family business Costcutter, is already a town councillor.
Swanage went to the polls on Thursday 24th July 2025
Swanage Town Council – Swanage South Ward results
- Philip Derek Burridge / Local Conservatives / 534 votes – Elected
- James John Mercer / Labour Party / 413 votes
- Bryan Mark Taylor / Independent / 349 votes
- Christopher John Wood / Independent / 287 votes
Swanage Town Council – Swanage North Ward results
- Gary Maurice Suttle / Local Conservatives / 900 votes – Elected
- Philip Michael Eades / Independent / 481 votes
- Matthew John Piper / Liberal Democrats / 309 votes
- Gemma Nancy Alison Simmons / Labour Party / 211 votes
Dorset Council – Swanage Ward results
- Christopher James Tomes / Local Conservatives / 1,254 – Elected
- John Peter Lejeune / Reform UK / 748 votes
- Poppy Maltby / Liberal Democrats / 737 votes
- Gemma Nancy Alison Simmons / Labour Party / 400 votes
- Philip Michael Eades / Independents for Dorset / 415 votes
Further information
- Official publication of the results on Dorset Council’s website
