Uckfield Town Council governs the five wards of Uckfield town. The council appoints one councillor who is then known as the Mayor of Uckfield. The current mayor of Uckfield is Councillor Jackie Love.
Uckfield Town Council comprises five wards – North, East, West, New Town, and Ridgewood – electing between two and four town councillors each.http://www.uckfieldtc.gov.uk/controls/DownloadDocument.ashx?docID=uj7387SJBWFNVJQJBM7456wJsj&aID=5516
Clockwise, from the north, it borders the communities of Maresfield, Buxted, Framfield and Little Horsted.
Current composition Group affiliation Members TRUST Independent 9 4 1 Independent 1 Total 15
Election history Uckfield Town Council is composed of up to 15 councillors elected from five wards. The last elections were in 2023, and resulted in the election of 7 TRUST Independent councillors, 3 Labour councillors, 1 Liberal Democrat, and 1 Independent councillor. 3 seats were left vacant and were filled by co-option at the first Full Council meeting.
2023 election The 2023 Uckfield Town Council elections were due to be held alongside the elections for Wealden District Council on 4 May 2023. However, all seats were uncontested, as 3 candidates were nominated for the 3 seats in Uckfield North ward and a further 3 candidates were nominated for the 3 seats in Uckfield East ward. Only 2 candidates for 3 seats were nominated in Uckfield Ridgewood ward, 3 candidates for 4 seats were nominated in Uckfield New Town ward and 1 candidate for the 2 seats in Uckfield West ward. At the first meeting of the new Town Council, Bernadette (Ben) Reed was co-opted as a Councillor for Ridgewood ward, Peter Ullman was co-opted as a Councillor for New Town ward, and Val Frost was co-opted for West ward, filling all 15 seats on the council. Councillors Reed and Frost subsequently joined the Trust Independent group, whilst Peter Ullman joined the Labour group.
Ward Party Town councillors elected 2023North Jackie Love Daniel Manvell Angie SmithEast Michael McClafferty Chris Macve Donna FrenchNew Town Ben Cox Spike Mayhew Duncan BennettWest Diane WardRidgewood Karen Bedwell Peter Selby
2019–2023 by-elections By-election Date Incumbent party Result Candidate ReasonNorth7 July 2022 Daniel ManvellNon-attendance of Colin Snelgrove
2019 election The 2019 Uckfield Town Council elections were held alongside the elections for Wealden District Council on 2 May 2019 on new ward boundaries. 9 seats were up for election, as only 2 candidates for 3 seats were nominated in Uckfield North ward and 2 candidates for 3 seats in Uckfield Ridgwood ward, with incumbent Councillor Keith Everett having submitted his nomination papers, but passing away before the close of nominations. At the first meeting of the new Town Council, Karen Bedwell was co-opted as a Councillor for Ridgewood ward and Colin Snelgrove co-opted as a Councillor for North ward, filling all 15 seats on the council. Both Councillors Bedwell and Snelgrove subsequently joined the Trust Independent group. Diane Ward, who ran as an Independent councillor, also sits with the Trust Independent group.
Ward Party Town councillors elected 2019North Jackie Love Angie SmithEast Paul Sparks Chris Macve Donna FrenchNew Town Helen Firth Ben Cox Spike Mayhew Duncan BennettWest Diane Ward Gary JohnsonRidgewood James Edwards Jez Beesley
2015–2019 by-elections By-election Date Incumbent party Result Candidate ReasonRidgewood31 August 2017 Jez BeesleyResignation of Jacqueline Beckford North12 July 2018 Daniel ManvellResignation of James Anderson
Change of party affiliation 2016 On the 5 July 2016 it was announced that Cllr Spike Mayhew & Cllr Jacqueline Beckford had resigned from the Liberal Democrats. It was reported that they would now be acting as Independent Councillors.http://news.uckfieldfm.co.uk/2016/town-councillors-move-from-lib-dem-to-independent//
Date Ward Result Candidate Reason5 July 2016New Town Spike MayhewChange of party affiliation 5 July 2016Ridgewood Jacqueline BeckfordChange of party affiliation
2015 election The 2015 Uckfield Town Council elections were held alongside the elections for Wealden District Council & the Wealden Parliamentary constituency on 7 May 2015. All 15 seats were up for election.
Ward Party Town councillors elected 2015North James Anderson Louise Eastwood Donna French Jackie Love Chris Macve Paul SparksCentral Helen Firth Paul Meakins Diane WardNew Town Duncan Bennett Mick Dean Spike MayhewRidgewood Jacqueline Beckford Keith Everett Ian Smith
2011–2015 by-elections By-election Date Incumbent party Result Candidate ReasonNorth27 June 2013 Paul SparksResignation of Duncan Bennett Central26 June 2014 Paul MeakinsResignation of Brian Marsh
2011 election In the 2011 elections, 7 seats were won by the Conservatives, 5 by the Liberal Democrats and 3 by independents. Ward Party Town councillors elected 2011North Duncan Bennett Sam Bryant John Collins Louise Eastwood Thelma Rumbelow Alan WhittakerCentral John Carvey Helen Firth Brian MarshNew Town Sarah Hall Jeremy Hallett Jim Molesworth-EdwardsRidgewood Michael Harker Marion Rowland Ian Smith
2007–2011 by-elections By-election Date Incumbent party Result Candidate ReasonNew Town16 April 2009 Jeremy HallettDeath of Barrie Murray http://www.crawleynews.co.uk/Council-election-nominations-closed/story-12602406-detail/story.html/
2007 election In the 2007 elections, 6 seats were won by Independent candidates, 6 by the Liberal Democrats and 3 by the Conservatives. Ward Party Town councillors elected 2007North Leonard Ashby Duncan Bennett Louise Eastwood Thelma Rumbelow Dorothy Sparks Alan WhittakerCentral John Carvey Helen Firth Jim Molesworth-EdwardsNew Town Sarah Hall Barrie Murray Anne ParkerRidgewood Michael Harker Ian Smith Robert Sweetland
2003–2007 by-elections By-election Date Incumbent party Result Candidate ReasonCentral16 September 2004 John McGuckinUnfilled Ridgewood16 September 2004 Michael HarkerUnfilled New Town24 November 2005 Sarah HallUnknown
2003 election In the 2003 elections, 5 seats were won by the Liberal Democrats, 3 by the Conservatives, 2 by Labour & 2 by Independent candidates. 2 seats were unfilled in Central Ward and 1 seat was unfilled in Ridgewood. Ward Party Town councillors elected 2003North Leonard Ashby Duncan Bennett Louise Eastwood Thelma Rumbelow Dorothy Sparks Alan WhittakerCentral Richard VanderpumpNew Town Libby Calton Barrie Murray Ian NottageRidgewood James Molesworth-Edwards Anthony Parker
Mayoral history Year Name Party Notes2021–24Jackie Love 2018–21Spike Mayhew 2015–18Louise Eastwood http://news.uckfieldfm.co.uk/2016/uckfield-town-council-statutory-meeting-re-elects-mayor-and-deputy-mayor-for-second-year/ 2013–15Ian Smith 2010–13John Carvey 2009–10Leonard Ashby 2006–09Louise Eastwood 2001–06Barrie Murray
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