Claudine Russell

MBC Councillor for Marden and Yalding
Leader of the Conservative Group
KCC County Councillor Cranbrook Division

Claudine Russell is one of the three Conservative Councillors for the Maidstone Borough Council ward of Marden and Yalding, elected in May 2021.

Claudine has lived in Marden for 18 years. She lives on a working farm with her husband and two children, running a horse livery providing local jobs, including apprenticeships.  Claudine has worked in both the private and the public sector and gained valuable transferrable skills from both roles.  

Most recently, Claudine started and chaired the Marden Planning Opposition group and through the Save Marden campaign lobbied against large scale development and organised many public events.

Claudine is passionate about ensuring villages only have suitable, sustainable growth of an appropriate scale, in the right areas and making full use of brownfield sites. She believes that we should strive to retain village characteristics and preserve the beautiful landscape of the Low Weald.

Claudine was elected as a Kent County Councillor for Cranbrook division on the 1st May 2025.

News

Councillor Russell Raises Concerns Over Planning Reforms

Councillor Russell brought a Member Agenda Item to committee raising concerns about proposed government planning reforms that could remove councillors’ ability to call planning applications before the Planning Committee.The committee agreed the recommendations, with support from members across polit

Cllr Russell highlights farming rural crime

Cllr Russell initiated a round table discussion about farming rural crime with our MPs Helen Grant MP and Helen Whately MP , Matthew Scott, PCC for Kent , the police rural task force, reps from the NFU , local borough councillors, our county councillor and most importantly local farmers. She s

Cllr Russell "Lights Up" Maidstone

Cllr Russell, Lead member for Leisure and Arts, lit up Maidstone with a fantastic parade in the town centre stretching from County Hall to Jubilee Square. The event was free of charge to attend and was able to be put on thanks to the UK Share Prosperity Fund grant.  Residents lined the streets

Cllr Claudine Russell calls for action over water pressure problems

Residents all along Battle Lane in Marden are fighting an annual summer battle with South East Water to ensure that they have enough water pressure in their homes.  For the last 3 years residents have continuously been fobbed off by South East Water who have claimed that the low pressure is due