Photo: Unknown author · CC BY 2.0No party holds a majority on Folkestone and Hythe District Council
Folkestone is run by Folkestone and Hythe District Council and Kent County Council, with Folkestone parish council for local matters. No party holds a majority on Folkestone and Hythe District Council. Reform UK has a majority on Kent County Council. Its MP is Tony Vaughan (Labour), member for Folkestone and Hythe.
£2,530
Band D, a year, the middle band every council sets its tax from.
Where it goes →How Folkestone’s politics has changed since 2021
No majority on Folkestone and Hythe District Council
The Greens, the largest group, hold 11 of its 30 seats as elected, 5 short of the 16 needed. Labour holds 9, the Conservatives 6, the Liberal Democrats 2 and independents 2. Who’s in charge ↓
Kent in 2025
Kent County Council, which runs schools, social care and roads, has a Reform UK majority at the May 2025 election: Reform UK won 56 of 82 seats. Kent ↓
Council tax
A Band D bill in Folkestone is £2,531 for 2026–27; Folkestone and Hythe District Council keeps 12% of it. The council area’s Band D has risen 54% in ten years, against England’s 56%. Council money ↓
Written from the data on this page: Democracy Club results since May 2021, the UK Parliament Members API and MHCLG council tax.
Who holds the seats on Folkestone’s councils
Seats by party as elected. A party needs 16 of Folkestone and Hythe’s 30 or 42 of Kent’s 82 seats to run the council alone.
- Green11
- Labour9
- Conservative6
- Independent2
- Liberal Democrat2
Latest election: May 2023.
- Reform UK56
- Liberal Democrat12
- Conservative6
- Green6
- Labour2
Latest election: May 2025.
Seats are counted from election results: each ward’s most recent winners until its seats are filled. Councillors who have since changed party or resigned aren’t reflected, and which parties lead the council, and who is leader, comes from the council itself.
Results: Democracy Club (CC BY 4.0), elections since May 2021; seats per ward from its EveryElection.
Two tiers of council, and a parish tier
Folkestone has two tiers of council: the county runs the big services, the district the local ones.
Local matters: allotments, play areas, halls, footpaths and benches; it is consulted on planning and adds a precept to the council tax bill. A town council is a parish council by another name.
91% of Folkestone’s residents · Band D precept £74
The parish council for the part of Folkestone inside Sandgate parish.
Who runs Folkestone: same source as Who runs Folkestone, above.
Bins and recycling, planning, housing, environmental health, leisure, and collecting council tax.
Website ↗Schools, social care, roads and transport, libraries and waste disposal.
Website ↗Who to ask
From GOV.UK’s “Understand how your council works”: in two-tier areas the district or borough runs local services and the county the big ones.
Councils from ONS lookups (wards and councils May 2026, parishes 2025), names and websites from GOV.UK’s local council finder; parish councils from MHCLG’s 2026–27 list of precepting parishes.
From the parish to Westminster
Every elected tier that speaks for Folkestone, from the most recent elections.
- 1Town or parish2 parish councilsFolkestone parish councilSandgate parish council
- 2Folkestone and Hythe District Council6 wards · 14 councillorsLabour 9 · Green 3 · Liberal Democrat 2 · all 14
- 3Kent County Council3 divisions · 3 councillorsJohn BakerMary Elizabeth LawesTim Prater
- 4Police and crime commissionerKent Police · elected May 2024Matthew Scott
- 5House of CommonsFolkestone and Hythe
Party colours are neutral on purpose: they tell parties apart and aren’t the parties’ own. Tap an MP’s name for their contact page on parliament.uk.
14 councillors for 6 wards
Wards with at least 2% of the town’s residents, or half their own inside it. Each shows who won its most recent elections, newest first, until its seats are filled.
- Rebecca ShoobGreen · May 2023
- Polly BlakemoreGreen · May 2023
- Mike BlakemoreGreen · May 2023
- Jackie MeadeLabour · May 2023
- Connor Andrew McConvilleLabour · May 2023
- Adrian Ashley LockwoodLabour · May 2023
- Laura DavisonLabour · May 2023
- Abena Akuffo-KellyLabour · May 2023
- Liz McShaneLabour · May 2023
- Bridget ChapmanLabour · May 2023
- Nicola KeenLabour · May 2023
- Tim PraterLiberal Democrat · May 2023
- Gary FullerLiberal Democrat · May 2023
- Belinda WalkerLabour and Co-operative · May 2023
Show as a table, with Kent County Council’s 3 divisions (3 councillors)
| Ward | Seats | Elected | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheritonall in Folkestone · 13,516 residents3 seats · May 2023 | 3 | Rebecca ShoobPolly BlakemoreMike Blakemore | May 2023 |
| East Folkestoneall in Folkestone · 11,550 residents3 seats · May 2023 | 3 | Jackie MeadeConnor Andrew McConvilleAdrian Ashley Lockwood | May 2023 |
| Folkestone Centralall in Folkestone · 10,312 residents3 seats · May 2023 | 3 | Laura DavisonAbena Akuffo-KellyLiz McShane | May 2023 |
| Folkestone Harbourall in Folkestone · 6,636 residents2 seats · May 2023 | 2 | Bridget ChapmanNicola Keen | May 2023 |
| Sandgate & West Folkestoneall in Folkestone · 5,775 residents2 seats · May 2023 | 2 | Tim PraterGary Fuller | May 2023 |
| Broadmeadall in Folkestone · 4,198 residents1 seat · May 2023 | 1 | Belinda Walker | May 2023 |
Kent County Council: county divisions
| Division | Seats | Elected | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Folkestone West EDall in Folkestone · 28,026 residents1 seat · May 2025 | 1 | John Baker | May 2025 |
| Folkestone East EDall in Folkestone · 18,186 residents1 seat · May 2025 | 1 | Mary Elizabeth Lawes | May 2025 |
| Cheriton, Sandgate & Hythe East EDall in Folkestone · 5,775 residents1 seat · May 2025 | 1 | Tim Prater | May 2025 |
Councillors can resign, change party or sit as independents between elections; a by-election winner replaces someone not named here. Folkestone and Hythe District Council’s website lists who sits now.
Results from Democracy Club’s candidates database (CC BY 4.0; elections since May 2021) and ward seats from its EveryElection, matched to ONS wards (May 2026) and county divisions (May 2025).
Folkestone & Hythe council election, May 2023
Results in the wards that make up Folkestone, as declared. Percentages are of votes cast for candidates in each ward; where a ward elects several councillors, each voter has that many votes.
6 wards voted. Every seat in the town’s wards was up.
No election is scheduled yet for Folkestone’s wards in Democracy Club’s list. Councils publish a notice of election about five weeks before polling day.
Who can I vote for? ↗8,105 votes for candidates · 3 seats, so 3 votes each
5,403 votes for candidates · 3 seats, so 3 votes each
6,883 votes for candidates · 3 seats, so 3 votes each
Every ward’s result (3 more)
2,788 votes for candidates · 2 seats, so 2 votes each
3,489 votes for candidates · 2 seats, so 2 votes each
1,148 votes for candidates
Candidates and results: Democracy Club (CC BY 4.0), from councils’ declared results; polling dates from Democracy Club’s EveryElection.
Folkestone is in Folkestone and Hythe constituency
The constituency’s MP and the 4 July 2024 general election, the whole constituency’s result (it reaches beyond Folkestone).
43,246 votes for candidates · majority 3,729
Labour, MP since 4 July 2024.
turnout in July 2024: 43,246 votes from 70,056 registered voters. England: 60%.
Majority 3,729 of 43,246 votes (8.6%): the 160th-narrowest of 543 in England.
MPs and results: UK Parliament Members API (Open Parliament Licence v3.0); constituencies from ONS (2024 boundaries). Percentages are of valid votes; turnout is votes cast over the electorate.
Folkestone’s Band D council tax is £2,531 a year
Where a Band D bill goes, what it has cost over the years, and what the councils plan to spend per resident.
Folkestone and Hythe District Council keeps £313.92 of a Band D bill (12%); the rest goes to the Folkestone parish council, Kent County Council, the Kent police and crime commissioner and the Kent Fire and Rescue Authority.
Across the whole town the average Band D is £2,530 (parishes differ; weighted by residents).
Band D since 1993
Folkestone and Hythe’s Band D bill has risen 54% in ten years, from £1,653.60 in 2016–17, against England’s average (56%). It was £556.88 in 1993–94.
Your bill by band
A Band D home in Folkestone, 2026–27, before discounts. The Valuation Office Agency’s band search gives any home’s band.
Kent’s councils
Average Band D in each council area, 2026–27, parish precepts included; the 11 nearest of 13. Bars start at £2,200.
Council budgets per resident, 2026–27
Show as a table, with Kent
| Folkestone and Hythe + Kent | Folkestone’s councils | Kent | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult social care | £505 | £492 | £487 |
| Children’s social care | £262 | £266 | £290 |
| Roads and transport | £57 | £49 | £41 |
| Housing (not council homes’ rents) | £43 | £41 | £61 |
| Bins, street cleaning, environment | £156 | £132 | £119 |
| Libraries, leisure, culture | £56 | £49 | £44 |
| Planning and development | £53 | £29 | £26 |
| Public health | £58 | £61 | £78 |
| Running the council | £79 | £74 | £59 |
| Other | £-2 | £6 | £19 |
| Total, schools apart | £1,266 | £1,200 | £1,234 |
Net budgeted service spending, MHCLG Revenue Account budget 2026–27, per resident (ONS mid-2025 estimates). Both tiers added: Folkestone and Hythe per its residents plus Kent per the county’s. Schools are left out: academies are paid for directly by government, so council school budgets depend on how many schools have converted. Kent and England: all their councils together. Police, fire and transport authorities aren’t included.
Band D: MHCLG Band D council tax 2026–27 (each authority’s own figure, excluding parish precepts) and Council Tax statistics for town and parish councils 2026–27; since 1993–94, MHCLG’s area averages including parishes.
Having a say in how Folkestone is run
It takes about five minutes online; the deadline is 12 working days before a poll.
gov.uk ↗Type a postcode to write to each of its councillors and its MP.
WriteToThem ↗GOV.UK sends the report to the council that looks after the road.
gov.uk ↗Council and committee meetings are open to the public, with agendas and minutes online.
folkestone-hythe.gov.uk ↗Anyone can comment while an application is open for consultation.
folkestone-hythe.gov.uk ↗The rules, nomination papers and guidance for council candidates.
Electoral Commission ↗Questions about how Folkestone is run
Which council runs Folkestone?
Folkestone is run by Folkestone and Hythe District Council and Kent County Council. The county council runs schools, social care and roads; the district runs bins, planning and housing.
Does Folkestone have a town council?
Yes: Folkestone has its own parish-tier council (Folkestone parish council; town councils are parish councils by another name), which adds £74 to a Band D bill in 2026–27.
Who is the MP for Folkestone?
Tony Vaughan (Labour) is the MP for Folkestone and Hythe, which covers Folkestone.
How many councillors does Folkestone have?
14 ward councillors represent Folkestone’s 6 wards, and 3 county councillors its county divisions.
When are the next elections in Folkestone?
No election is scheduled yet in Democracy Club’s list for Folkestone’s wards. The next UK general election must be held by August 2029.
How much is council tax in Folkestone?
Band D council tax in Folkestone is £2,530 for 2026–27. Your bill depends on your home’s band, from A (6/9 of Band D) to H (18/9).
Who controls Folkestone and Hythe District Council?
No party has a majority. As elected, Green 11 · Labour 9 · Conservative 6 · Liberal Democrat 2 · Independent 2 of 30 seats; a majority needs 16. The council’s website lists who leads it now.
Who controls Kent County Council?
Reform UK has a majority: 56 of 82 seats as elected.
Who won the 2023 council election in Folkestone?
In Folkestone’s wards on 4 May 2023, Labour 9 · Green 3 · Liberal Democrat 2 of the 14 seats up. Labour had the largest share of votes, 36.5%.
Sources: ONS ward, county division, parish, constituency lookups (Census 2021 output areas; Open Government Licence v3.0) · GOV.UK local council finder · Democracy Club candidates (CC BY 4.0) and EveryElection · UK Parliament Members API (Open Parliament Licence v3.0) · MHCLG Band D council tax, parish precepts and Revenue Account budgets 2026–27 (OGL v3.0) · ONS mid-2025 population estimates. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.