Photo: Des Blenkinsopp · CC BY-SA 2.0Labour holds a majority on Medway Council
Gillingham is run by Medway Council. Labour has a majority on Medway Council. Gillingham is split between 3 parliamentary constituencies.
£2,320
Band D, a year, the middle band every council sets its tax from.
Where it goes →How Gillingham’s politics has changed since 2021
A majority on Medway Council
Labour holds a majority on Medway Council: 31 of its 59 seats as elected. The Conservatives hold 21, independents 4 and Reform UK 3. Who’s in charge ↓
Council tax
A Band D bill in Gillingham is £2,319 for 2026–27; Medway Council keeps 83% of it. The council area’s Band D has risen 59% 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
Seats by party as elected. A party needs 30 of Medway’s 59 seats to run the council alone.
- Labour31
- Conservative21
- Independent4
- Reform UK3
Latest election: May 2023.
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, no parish tier
Gillingham has two tiers of council: the county runs the big services, the district the local ones.
Every main council service: schools, social care, roads, bins, planning, housing and libraries.
99% of Gillingham’s residents
Website ↗Bins and recycling, planning, housing, environmental health, leisure, and collecting council tax.
Who runs Gillingham: same source as Who runs Gillingham, above.
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.
99% of Gillingham is unparished: there is no parish or town council, so the council runs local matters itself and no parish precept is added to the bill.
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 council to Westminster
Every elected tier that speaks for Gillingham, from the most recent elections.
- 1Council wards10 wards · 25 councillorsLabour 15 · Conservative 11 · all 26
- 2Police and crime commissionerKent Police · elected May 2024Matthew Scott
- 3House of CommonsSplit between 3 constituencies
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.
25 councillors for 10 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.
- Liubov NestorovaLabour and Co-operative · February 2025 · by-election
- Dan McDonaldLabour and Co-operative · May 2023
- Naushabah KhanLabour and Co-operative · May 2023
- Louwella PrenterLabour and Co-operative · May 2023
- Adam PriceLabour and Co-operative · May 2023
- Douglas Kudakwashe HamandisheLabour and Co-operative · May 2023
- Lia MandaracasLabour and Co-operative · May 2023
- Roger BarrettConservative · May 2023
- Howard DoeConservative · May 2023
- Gary HackwellConservative · May 2023
- Chrissy StampLabour and Co-operative · May 2023
- Tracy CoombsLabour and Co-operative · May 2023
- Marian Angelov NestorovLabour and Co-operative · May 2023
- George Harry PerfectConservative · May 2023
- Wayne Ronald SpringConservative · May 2023
- Kwashie Amartei AnangConservative · May 2023
- Barry KempConservative · May 2023
- Mark JoyConservative · May 2023
- Hazel Louise BrowneLabour and Co-operative · May 2023
- Mark PrenterLabour and Co-operative · May 2023
- Jim GilbourneConservative · May 2023
- Andrew William John LawrenceConservative · May 2023
- Habib TejanConservative · May 2023
- Vince MapleLabour and Co-operative · May 2023
- Nina GurungLabour and Co-operative · May 2023
- Damola AnimashaunLabour and Co-operative · May 2023
Show as a table
| Ward | Seats | Elected | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gillingham SouthMedway · all in Gillingham · 18,098 residents3 seats · February 2025, May 2023 | 3 | Liubov Nestorovaby-electionDan McDonaldNaushabah KhanLouwella Prenter | February 2025, May 2023 |
| Gillingham NorthMedway · all in Gillingham · 14,782 residents3 seats · May 2023 | 3 | Adam PriceDouglas Kudakwashe HamandisheLia Mandaracas | May 2023 |
| Rainham South EastMedway · all in Gillingham · 13,314 residents3 seats · May 2023 | 3 | Roger BarrettHoward DoeGary Hackwell | May 2023 |
| WatlingMedway · mostly in Gillingham · 13,074 residents3 seats · May 2023 | 3 | Chrissy StampTracy CoombsMarian Angelov Nestorov | May 2023 |
| Rainham NorthMedway · mostly in Gillingham · 12,384 residents3 seats · May 2023 | 3 | George Harry PerfectWayne Ronald SpringKwashie Amartei Anang | May 2023 |
| Rainham South WestMedway · all in Gillingham · 9,899 residents2 seats · May 2023 | 2 | Barry KempMark Joy | May 2023 |
| TwydallMedway · all in Gillingham · 9,559 residents2 seats · May 2023 | 2 | Hazel Louise BrowneMark Prenter | May 2023 |
| Hempstead & WigmoreMedway · all in Gillingham · 9,366 residents2 seats · May 2023 | 2 | Jim GilbourneAndrew William John Lawrence | May 2023 |
| St Mary's IslandMedway · all in Gillingham · 4,078 residents1 seat · May 2023 | 1 | Habib Tejan | May 2023 |
| Chatham Central & BromptonMedway · 19% in Gillingham · 3,323 residents3 seats · May 2023 | 3 | Vince MapleNina GurungDamola Animashaun | May 2023 |
Councillors can resign, change party or sit as independents between elections; a by-election winner replaces someone not named here. Medway 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).
Medway council election, May 2023
Results in the wards that make up Gillingham, as declared. Percentages are of votes cast for candidates in each ward; where a ward elects several councillors, each voter has that many votes.
10 wards voted. Every seat in the town’s wards was up.
No election is scheduled yet for Gillingham’s wards in Democracy Club’s list. Councils publish a notice of election about five weeks before polling day.
Who can I vote for? ↗6,687 votes for candidates · 3 seats, so 3 votes each
6,086 votes for candidates · 3 seats, so 3 votes each
7,773 votes for candidates · 3 seats, so 3 votes each
Every ward’s result (7 more)
9,112 votes for candidates · 3 seats, so 3 votes each
8,192 votes for candidates · 3 seats, so 3 votes each
4,384 votes for candidates · 2 seats, so 2 votes each
3,200 votes for candidates · 2 seats, so 2 votes each
4,946 votes for candidates · 2 seats, so 2 votes each
1,073 votes for candidates
5,908 votes for candidates · 3 seats, so 3 votes each
Candidates and results: Democracy Club (CC BY 4.0), from councils’ declared results; polling dates from Democracy Club’s EveryElection.
Gillingham is split between 3 constituencies
The constituencies’ MP and the 4 July 2024 general election, the whole constituency’s result.
Labour, MP since 4 July 2024
93% of Gillingham’s residents live in this constituency.
Turnout 56% (England 60%).
Majority 3,972 of 41,140 votes (9.7%): the 181st-narrowest of 543 in England.
Labour, MP since 4 July 2024
7% of Gillingham’s residents live in this constituency.
Turnout 57% (England 60%).
Majority 2,930 of 42,598 votes (6.9%): the 129th-narrowest of 543 in England.
Labour, MP since 4 July 2024
1% of Gillingham’s residents live in this constituency.
Turnout 52% (England 60%).
Majority 355 of 40,998 votes (0.87%): the 17th-narrowest of 543 in England.
41,140 votes for candidates · majority 3,972
Labour, MP since 4 July 2024.
turnout in July 2024: 41,140 votes from 73,523 registered voters. England: 60%.
Majority 3,972 of 41,140 votes (9.7%): the 181st-narrowest of 543 in England.
Rochester and Strood
42,598 votes for candidates · majority 2,930
Labour, MP since 4 July 2024.
turnout in July 2024: 42,598 votes from 74,257 registered voters. England: 60%.
Majority 2,930 of 42,598 votes (6.9%): the 129th-narrowest of 543 in England.
Sittingbourne and Sheppey
40,998 votes for candidates · majority 355
Labour, MP since 4 July 2024.
turnout in July 2024: 40,998 votes from 79,067 registered voters. England: 60%.
Majority 355 of 40,998 votes (0.87%): the 17th-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.
Gillingham’s Band D council tax is £2,319 a year
Where a Band D bill goes, what it has cost over the years, and what the councils plan to spend per resident.
Medway Council keeps £1,934.33 of a Band D bill (83%); the rest goes to the Kent police and crime commissioner and the Kent Fire and Rescue Authority.
Band D since 1998
Medway’s Band D bill has risen 59% in ten years, from £1,463.73 in 2016–17, against England’s average (56%). It was £635.44 in 1998–99.
Your bill by band
A Band D home in the unparished part of Medway, 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
| Medway | Gillingham’s councils | Kent | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult social care | £419 | £492 | £487 |
| Children’s social care | £288 | £266 | £290 |
| Roads and transport | £23 | £49 | £41 |
| Housing (not council homes’ rents) | £40 | £41 | £61 |
| Bins, street cleaning, environment | £130 | £132 | £119 |
| Libraries, leisure, culture | £74 | £49 | £44 |
| Planning and development | £22 | £29 | £26 |
| Public health | £78 | £61 | £78 |
| Running the council | £59 | £74 | £59 |
| Other | £0 | £6 | £19 |
| Total, schools apart | £1,132 | £1,200 | £1,234 |
Net budgeted service spending, MHCLG Revenue Account budget 2026–27, per resident (ONS mid-2025 estimates). 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 Gillingham 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.
medway.gov.uk ↗Anyone can comment while an application is open for consultation.
medway.gov.uk ↗The rules, nomination papers and guidance for council candidates.
Electoral Commission ↗Questions about how Gillingham is run
Does Gillingham have a town council?
No. Gillingham is unparished, so there is no town or parish council and no parish precept.
Who is the MP for Gillingham?
Gillingham is split between 3 constituencies: Gillingham and Rainham (Naushabah Khan, Labour), Rochester and Strood (Lauren Edwards, Labour) and Sittingbourne and Sheppey (Kevin McKenna, Labour). Parliament’s Find your MP service matches a postcode to its MP.
How many councillors does Gillingham have?
25 ward councillors represent Gillingham’s 10 wards.
When are the next elections in Gillingham?
No election is scheduled yet in Democracy Club’s list for Gillingham’s wards. The next UK general election must be held by August 2029.
How much is council tax in Gillingham?
Band D council tax in Gillingham is £2,320 for 2026–27. Your bill depends on your home’s band, from A (6/9 of Band D) to H (18/9).
Who controls Medway Council?
Labour has a majority: 31 of 59 seats as elected. The council’s website lists who leads it now.
Who won the 2023 council election in Gillingham?
In Gillingham’s wards on 4 May 2023, Labour 14 · Conservative 11 of the 25 seats up. Labour had the largest share of votes, 48.9%.
Is Sittingbourne and Sheppey a marginal seat?
Kevin McKenna (Labour) won it by 355 votes in July 2024, 0.87% of votes cast: the 17th-narrowest result of 543 in England.
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.