Dover falls to no overall control after defection

Dover District Council has fallen to no overall control after one of the ruling Labour group's councillors defected.

Charles Woodgate, who had been a Labour party member for 30 years, quit the group to join the Conservatives.

Woodgate's move leaves the Dover Labour Group with 16 of the 32 council seats, placing the council in no overall control.

The Labour leader of the council, Kevin Mills, called the defection "surprising" and said he hadn't heard from Councillor Woodgate before his defection. The national Labour Party has been asked to comment.

Speaking to the BBC, Mills said: "It's frustrating to have to oversee a council in no overall control."

"Regardless, Dover's Labour administration will get on with the change people voted for when they elected us."

Following his defection, Woodgate said his decision was motivated by "Labour's poor national performance", which he described as "disappointing".

Woodgate, who represents the Aylesham, Eyethorne and Shepherdswell ward, said his move would be "challenging" for some of his constituents due to ties to the former mining communities.

However, he said that his former Labour colleagues should "wake up and smell the coffee" when it comes to how the party is perceived.

The opposition Conservative leader of the council, Trevor Bartlett, welcomed the defection.

"It's great we've been able to welcome Councillor Woodgate to our party," he said.

Bartlett warned of further defections, telling the BBC: "We know there are some who are unhappy with the current direction of travel for Labour and I'd welcome conversations with any councillor who wanted to join the local Dover Conservatives."

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