THE Conservatives took even tighter control at Ashford taking 28 of the 43 seats with the Lib Dems increasing enough to take over as the leading opposition from Ashford Independents.

But the shock result was a defeat for the Conservative cabinet member Ian Cooling who lost the Wye seat to Ashford Independent Jack Woodford following a row over the Tory stance on the Wye College development proposals.

Elswhere former Ashford Independent Mayor Malcolm Eke and his partner Carol Brunger were both defeated, and former Mayors Michael Claughton (Con) and Palma Laughton (Ashford Independent) both returned to the council chamber.

The new council has 28 Conservatives, 8 Liberal Democrats, 4 Ashford Independent, 2 Labour and 1 Independent.