THE Conservatives gained control of Medway Council at last night's elections.

The party gained 30 of the contested 55 seats, giving it an overall majority

after it had been a minority ruling party in a no-overall control council

since the last elections in 2000.

Labour, which gained 17 seats but the Liberal Democrats were left with only

six.

Two Independent candidates also won seats but the UK Independence Party gained no places in the council at all.

The three main political parties were united in their relief that the far

right British National Party, who fielded three candidate, also won nothing.

The election was fought on entirely new boundaries with 22 wards compared

with 35 for the last election in 2000. Council seats also fell from 80 to

55.