The Conservative party have retained control of Canterbury city council - and taken an extra 8 seats.

Out of the 50 seats which were up for grabs, the Conservatives took 37, the Liberal Democrats took 10 seats and the Labour party took 3.

It is a disappointing result for the Lib Dems, who lost nine seats, but positive for Labour, who gained one seat.

Lib Dem leader Alex Perkins, right, blamed the defeat on national politics and said he was actually “relieved” to have only lost nine seats.

He said: “We swam against a national tide. It was rather like sending your opening batsmen to the crease, only for them to find the moment the first balls are bowled, that their bats have been broken before the game by their team captain.

“If you look at other local authorities in the south east, the Lib Dems have suffered complete wash-outs.

“Because of the coalition and Nick Clegg they’ve become the whipping boys of an angry public.

“So we’re actually quite relieved to have only lost nine seats.

“I’ve no doubt that if this local election had been heard a year ago the result would have been very different.”

Canterbury council leader, Conservative Cllr John Gilbey, left, said he was delighted with the outcome, but added it came as “no real surprise”.

He said: “We did think it was going to be somewhere in this range, but quite frankly we were looking at getting 31 or 32 seats.

“We thought the Lib Dems would struggle. What happened is Labour were coming from a low base and the Lib Dems were heading towards a low base.

“It’s probably why we’ve seen such a dirty election campaign.

“But we’re absolutely delighted with today’s outcome and look forward to the next four years.”

_____________________________________________

The final election results:

Barham Downs: Bill Oakey (Con) - 538

Barton: Jeremy Bellamy (Con) - 887; Paula Vickers (Lib Dem) - 860; Steven Williams (Con) - 809 [Con +2, Lib Dem -2]

Blean Forest: Hazel McCabe (Con) - 626; John Gilbey (Con) - 568 [Con hold]

Chartham and Stone Street: Rosemary Doyle (Con) - 1,119, Robert Thomas (Con) - 929 [Con hold]

Chestfield and Swalecliffe: Jennifer Samper (Con) - 1,912; Ian Thomas (Con) - 1,848; Pat Todd (Con) - 1,831 [Con hold]

Gorrell: Ashley Clark (Con) - 1,151; Alison O'Dea (Con) - 1,046 [Con hold]

Greenhill and Eddington: Rob Bright (Con) - 648; David Hirst (Con) - 603 - [Con +2, Lib Dem - 2]

Harbledown: Michael Dixey (Lib Dem) - 613 [Lib Dem hold]

Harbour: Phil Cartwright (Lab) - 920; John Wratten (Lab) - 901 [Lab hold]

Herne and Broomfield: Evelyn Bissett (Con) - 1,115; Peter Vickery-Jones (Con) - 1,090; Sharron Sonnex (Con) - 1,069 [Con hold]

Heron: Andrew Cook (Con) - 895; Ron Flaherty (Lib Dem) - 824; Joe Howes (Con) - 808 [Con +2]

Little Stour: Brian Staley (Lib Dem) - 560 [Lib Dem hold]

Marshside: Georgina Glover (Con) - 609 [Con hold]

North Nailbourne: Simon Cook (Con) - 569 votes [Con hold]

Northgate: Alan Baldock (Lab) - 528; Darren Ellis (Con) - 504 [Con -1, Lab +1]

Reculver: Jennie Edwards (Con) - 1,665; Gillian Reuby (Con) - 1,625; Ann Taylor (Con) - 1,489 [Con hold]

Seasalter: Jean Law (Con) - 1,681; Mike Sharp (Con) - 1,610; Cyril Windsor (Con) - 1,538 [Con hold]

St Stephens: Harry Cragg (Con) - 1,112; Terry Westgate (Con) - 1,039; Robert Waters (Con) - 941 [Con +2, Lib Dem -2]

Sturry South: Heather Taylor (Con) - 514 [Con hold]

Sturry North: Tony Austin (Con) - 435 [Con hold]

Tankerton: Jeanne Harrison (Con) - 1,010; Neil Baker (Con) - 976 [Con hold]

West Bay: Peter Lee (Con) - 877; Sebastien Byford (Con) - 870 [Con hold]

Westgate: James Flanagan (Lib Dem) - 929; Ida Linfield (Lib Dem) - 858; Graham Wood (Lib Dem) - 827 [Lib Dem hold]

Wincheap: Nick Eden-Green (Lib Dem) - 1,286; Charlotte MacCaul (Lib Dem) - 1,228; Alex Perkins (Lib Dem) - 1,224 [Lib Dem hold]

See next week's Gazette for full report and reaction.