Following the elections on Thursday 2nd May 2024, the names of the winning candidates were announced for Swanage Town Council, Dorset Council Swanage ward, and the Dorset police and crime commissioner role.
There were two seats up for grabs for the Swanage ward of Dorset Council with Gary Suttle and Bill Trite both Local Conservatives retaining the seats. Labour Party candidate Debby Monkhouse, well known for her campaigning on local health issues, was a close contender but just missed out.
Councillors Bill Trite (left) and Gary Suttle (right) congratulate each other after retaining their Swanage seats on Dorset Council
Gary Suttle loses town council seat
Both Gary and Bill have been councillors for more than 30 years, serving on Swanage Town Council, the old Purbeck District Council and more recently on Dorset Council, so it was a surprise that while Gary will continue as a Swanage representative on Dorset Council, he lost his long held seat on Swanage Town Council.
Overall, Swanage Town Council now has six Local Conservative councillors, four Labour councillors and two Independents, of which 50 percent are women.
This compares to the previous council which comprised 10 Local Conservative councillors and two Labour councillors.
Megan Coward, voted in as an Independent, is the youngest ever Swanage Town councillor at the age of 21.
Swanage Town Hall is an impressive historic building along Swanage’s High Street
Swanage Town Council, Swanage North ward results
Elected
- William Stanley Trite (Bill Trite) – Local Conservatives: 779 votes (retained seat)
- Christine Hazel Foster (Tina Foster) – Local Conservatives: 728 votes (retained seat)
- Christopher John Moreton (Chris Moreton) – Local Conservatives: 726 votes (retained seat)
- Sarah Elizabeth Amy Silverton (Sarah Brookes) – Independent: 725 votes
- Megan Imogen Coward – Independent: 656 votes
- John Peter Lejeune – Local Conservatives: 606 votes
Not elected
- James John Mercer – Labour Party: 588 votes
- Ian James McDavid – Independent: 581 votes
- Paul Raymond Chaston – Local Conservatives: 561 votes
- John Stuart Kaiser – Local Conservatives: 554 votes
- Woodley Robert Harding (Woody Harding) – Labour Party: 551 votes
- Matthew John Piper (Matt Piper) – Liberal Democrats: 546 votes
Swanage Town Council, Swanage South ward results
Elected
- Deborah Susan Monkhouse (Debby Monkhouse) – Labour Party: 760 votes (retained seat)
- Julia Dorrington (Jules Dorrington) – Labour Party: 655 votes
- Sarah Margaret Vile – Labour Party: 652 votes
- Clifford Frank Victor Sutton (Cliff Sutton) – Labour Party: 634 votes
- Michael Peter Bonfield (Mike Bonfield) – Local Conservatives: 627 votes (retained seat)
- Christopher James Tomes (Chris Tomes) – Local Conservatives: 575 votes (retained seat)
Not elected
- Gary Maurice Suttle – Local Conservatives: 548 votes
- Philip Michael Eades – Independent: 511 votes
- Caroline Freda May Finch – Local Conservatives: 479 votes
- Christopher John Wood (Chris Wood) – Independent: 451 votes
- Helen Mary McDavid – Independent: 444 votes
- Heidi Jane Lucas – Local Conservatives: 426 votes
- Michael Alan Whitwam (Mike Whitwam) – Local Conservatives: 342 votes
Dorset Council is based in Dorchester
Dorset Council election
The Conservatives lost control of Dorset Council to the Liberal Democrats. While it was anticipated that there would be Lib Dem gains, following the downward popularity slide of the Tories and the campaigning efforts of the Lib Dems, it was quite a moment for the Lib Dems to take ‘true blue’ Dorset.
However, exactly how much change this will bring remains to be seen, as out of the 82 seats up for election, only 28 are new councillors. 54 seats have been retained by members who have previously served as councillors for Dorset Council. The lack of any unallocated spending money (in common with all English councils) is likely to frustrate new initiatives.
Dorset Council party share
- Liberal Democrats: 42 seats
- Conservatives: 30 seats
- Greens: 4 seats
- Independent for Dorset/Independent other: 4 seats
- Labour: 2 seats
Dorset Council – Swanage ward results
Elected
- Gary Maurice Suttle – Local Conservatives: 1,262 votes
- William Stanley Trite (Bill Trite) – Local Conservatives: 1,148 votes
Not elected
- Deborah Susan Monkhouse (Debby Monkhouse) – Labour Party: 1,084 votes
- Christopher John Bradey (Chris Bradey) – Labour Party: 789 votes
- Philip Michael Eades – Independent: 686 votes
- Helen Mary McDavid – Independent: 460 votes
- Matthew John Piper (Matt Piper) – Liberal Democrats: 283 votes
- Kia Robert Pope – Green Party: 215 votes
- Gillian Mary Calvin Thomas (Gill Calvin Thomas) – Liberal Democrats: 192 votes
Elsewhere in Purbeck, winning Dorset Council candidates were:
- South East Purbeck ward: Ben Wilson – Liberal Democrat (replacing Local Conservative Cherry Brooks)
- Wareham ward: Beryl Ezzard – Liberal Democrat (retained seat) and Ryan Holloway – Liberal Democrat (retained seat)
- West Purbeck ward: Michael Baker – Liberal Democrat (replacing Local Conservative Peter Wharf) and Laura Beddow – Local Conservative (retained seat)
David Sidwick with Dorset chief constable Amanda Pearson after being re-elected as the police and crime commissioner
Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner election
In the police and crime commissioner (PCC) for Dorset elections, Conservative David Sidwick was re-elected for a second term of office.
Dorset PCC results
- David John Sidwick – Conservative Candidate, More Police, Safer Streets: 57,994
- Howard Richard Legg – Liberal Democrat: 34,774
- Marianne Storey – Independent: 32,237
- David Stokes – Labour and Co-operative Party: 26,884
Dorset Police chief constable Amanda Pearson said:
“I would like to offer my congratulations to David Sidwick in being re-elected as the Police and Crime Commissioner for Dorset.
“We look forward to continuing the progressive and productive relationship we have developed in the last three years and will be ready to assist in the further delivery of the Commissioner’s Police and Crime Plan.”
