Liberal Democrats Retain Eastbourne Council Seats

The Liberal Democrats have retained two council seats in Eastbourne, following a pair of by-elections.

On Thursday (May 1), voters in the town’s Langney and Upperton wards went to the ballot box to elect their new Eastbourne Borough Council representatives.

The seats had been left vacant following the resignations of former ward councillors Anita Mayes in Langney and Robin Maxted in Upperton. Both former councillors had been elected as Liberal Democrats in May 2023.

Kara Bishop, the former CEO of St Wilfrid’s Hospice, was elected in Langney, taking more than 50 per cent of the total votes.

Tom Nevill, best known locally as a transport campaigner, was elected in Upperton. He received a little over 49 per cent of the total vote share.

The results bring the total number of Liberal Democrat councillors from 17 to 19, with the council’s eight remaining seats all held by Conservatives.

The full results for each ward can be found below.

Langney

Kara Bishop, Liberal Democrat: 1,013 (elected)

Lee Comfort, Labour: 55

Ian Charles Garbutt, UK Independence Party: 21

Stephen Brendon Lorch, Reform UK: 645

Rosie Jessica Moon, Conservative: 246

Dave Poole, Independent: 30

Turnout: 26.14 per cent.

Upperton

Nick Appleby, Reform UK: 482

Colin Andrew Horscroft, UK Independence Party: 15

Tom Nevill, Liberal Democrat: 1,371 (elected)

Margaret Elizabeth Robinson, Labour: 144

Mark Thomson, Independent: 109

Tim Whelan, Conservative: 671

Turnout: 36.23 per cent.