The long-running campaign for Tonbridge to establish its own town council has reached a significant milestone following the publication of the latest public consultation results. The findings, released today by Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, suggest a clear mandate for the new local government body.
This second stage of consultation, held throughout November and December 2025, garnered 897 responses. It followed an initial exercise where nearly three-quarters of participants voiced support for the council’s creation. The more recent survey focused on the finer details of how the council should function, including warding, councillor numbers, and the potential for a town mayor.
Public Preferences and Governance Recommendations
The data reveals a strong preference for a representative structure:
- Warding: 69% of respondents believe the town area should be divided into specific wards.
- Mayoral Role: 62% of people supported the idea of Tonbridge having its own mayor.
- Councillor Numbers: Opinion was more divided on the size of the council, with 41% preferring 13 councillors and 37% opting for 18.
Following these results, a cross-party working group has put forward formal recommendations. Despite the narrow margin in the survey, the group is recommending a total of 18 town councillors. This figure was chosen to ensure proportional representation across the six proposed wards and to offer better flexibility for meeting attendance compared to smaller parish models.
The recommendations also include naming the unparished parts of Hildenborough as the “Oast” ward.
The Road to 2027
The final decision now rests with the full borough council, which is scheduled to vote on these recommendations on 24 February 2026. If approved, the borough council will draft a legal order to define the boundaries and election cycles, which must then be ratified by Parliament.
Damian Roberts, Electoral Registration Officer at Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, thanked the community for their involvement, noting that the primary objective was to ensure residents had their say in the process. If the plans proceed as expected, the first elections for the new Tonbridge Town Council would take place in May 2027.
The Bean’s View
The Tonbridge Bean views this progress as a fantastic next step for our town. For too long, Tonbridge has lacked the dedicated local voice that a town council provides, and it is heartening to see the project moving towards the finish line.
While the exact number of councillors has been a point of debate, opting for 18 makes practical sense. With six wards in total, having three councillors per ward ensures a balanced workload and robust representation for a town of our size. It has been a long road for the supporters who have championed this cause, but the progress made so far is a testament to the community’s desire for greater local autonomy. The Tonbridge Bean will be watching the vote in February with interest.
Do you have something you want to tell the Tonbridge Bean about our town? Write to us at tonbridgebean@gmail.com with your thoughts and photos!
Have you subscribed?
Get our weekly newsletter, including a curated list of events for the weekend, straight to your inbox.
Bringing you all the latest news and events in Tonbridge.
Leave a Reply