THE Conservatives have taken control of Dover District Council after the three Liberal Democrat councillors, who hold the balance of power, decided not to vote.

At the council's annual meeting last night the Lib Dems abstained on every crucial vote, allowing the Tories to use their two-seat advantage to elect the council's chairman, vice-chairman, leader and deputy leader, as well as the entire cabinet.

The council's former Labour chairman, Cllr Wendy Hansell, had resigned immediately before the meeting so that she could vote. But it was not enough, and with the Lib Dems abstaining each time, the Conservatives appointed Cllr Pat Heath as chairman, Bernard Butcher as vice-chairman, Paul Watkins as leader and Fred Scales as deputy leader.

The Lib Dems ignored an impassioned plea by former council leader Peter Wells to use their votes. Otherwise, he said, they would be betraying themselves and those who elected them.