by political editor Paul Francis

Liberal Democrats in Kent have appealed to Labour supporters to lend them their vote at the county council elections to prevent the Conservatives from establishing a stranglehold at County Hall.

Launching the party's manifesto on Thursday, Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Trudy Dean made a direct appeal to disaffected Labour voters, urging them to vote tactically to prevent what she said would be a single-party state at the county council.

She said: "It is very clear that there are a lot of very disappointed Labour voters who are dissatisfied with the Government. People feel Labour is very much out of touch with their voters.

"I am making a direct appeal to those voters and saying that if you stay at home, there will be an even greater Conservative majority. We do not think that a single-party state is good for democracy and we believe we will be moving to a single party state in Kent."

The party, which currently has six county councillors, said it was optimistic about its prospects of increasing its numbers on the council but denied to say by how much.

"I never make predictions. This election is very difficult to call because it depends on what happens to the Labour vote," said Mrs Dean.

Fellow candidate Dan Daley, who is standing in Maidstone, echoed: "Democracy depends on an opposition. If we end up with more than 70 Conservative councillors, you will end up with no opposition at all. What we are saying to Labour voters is that there is an opportunity to vote tactically."

She said many voters were unhappy with the Conservative administration at KCC and singled out the issue of the £50million still tied up in Icelandic banks and the high salaries paid to senior officers.

"People are fed up over the Icelandic money and are staggered by the level of top officers' salaries - both of which are being laid at the door of the Conservative administration."

Under the slogan "Six to Fix", the party's manifesto sets out a range of policy pledges and commitments that include proposals to slash the £6million spent by the council on publicity and a pledge to scrap Kent TV - the £1.2million internet station - when its two-year contract ends.

What the Lib Dems say they will do:

• Provide a more money to repair roads, drains and pavements before they need replacing and ensure potholes are fixed in a way that means they do not need to be refilled "days later".
• Scrap proposals to switch off streetlights and instead save money by using low energy light bulbs.
• Campaign for the green belt to be extended to stop Maidstone merging with the Medway Towns
• Press for doorstep recycling facilities across the whole county, including plastics
• Continue to oppose any proposals for rail freight depots at Maidstone and at Borough Green near Tonbridge.

The county council election is on June 4. Eighty-four seats are being contested across all parts of Kent.