Tories have pledged to reinstate a scrapped travel voucher scheme after claiming victory in the Maidstone council elections.

Their win, by two seats, means they are the first party to hold an outright majority on the council since 1982.

It came at the expense of Labour, which lost two seats on the council and suffered low vote numbers in wards across the area.

The Tory win capped a night of successes for the party.

Maidstone was identified as its second highest target in the south east - after Hastings - and a high profile campaign included a visit by party leader David Cameron.

Cllr Eric Hotson (Con) said he would stand by a pledge made by Mr Cameron during that visit to review the scrapped travel vouchers.

He said: "We think it is financially manageable, and we will bring in the voluntary sector. We will reinstate it as quickly as we can."

The council is also expected to now look again at recycling and waste disposal - a key issue in the election the Tories lost a year ago - and a commitment to boosting lifetime learning in the borough.

Cllr Hotson said: "We will not be scared or frightened to bring in the services that we think are right."

The key cabinet positions for the new administration - which will have power for the next two years - will be decided at a Conservative group meeting on Wednesday.

Cllr Hotson said: "It is an incredible feeling. I have been leader for the last 10 years and have had an excellent group behind me."

Cllr Fran Wilson (Lib Dem) said she feared the Tories would put less emphasis on environmental policies and the council's pledge to become carbon neutral.

"We will provide a robust opposition to the Conservatives," she said.

One of the biggest shocks of the night was the victory of Independent candidate Fay Gooch in Barming. The seat was a Tory stronghold under Paul Oldham, who retired as a councillor this year.

Cllr Mike FitzGerald (Ind), cabinet member for community services, held his Boughton Monchelsea and Chart Sutton seat with a large majority, and next year's Mayor of Maidstone, Cllr Denise Joy (Lib Dem), overcame tough Tory opposition to win High Street ward.

The biggest casualty of the night was Morel D'Souza, the Labour leader and a former Mayor, who founded the Maidstone Mela. He lost Fant to Stephen Paine (Con).

The first result of the night - a Tory gain in Shepway South - caused confusion when it was read out twice with different figures.

The council later confirmed that a bundle of 27 votes was omitted from the initial count. They were not enough to change the result: a win for Bob Hinder (Con).

The council now has 29 Conservatives, 20 Liberal Democrats, five Independents and one Labour councillor.

The turnout for the election was 35.5 per cent - two per cent lower than last year.

Click on the name of your ward to skip to the full results:

Allington, Barming, Bearsted, Boughton Monchelsea and Chart Sutton, Boxley, Bridge, Coxheath and Hunton, East, Hunton, Heath, High Street, Marden and Yalding, North, North Downs, Parkwood, Shepway North, Shepway South, South

Allington

Jeff Curwood (Con) 724

Amanda Evans (Green) 57

Gareth Kendall (UKIP) 86

Marianna Poliszczuk (Lab) 108

Malcolm Robertson (Lib Dem) 1,437

Result: Lib Dem hold

Barming

Fay Gooch (Ind) 552

Wendy Hollands (Lab) 38

Cass Jappie (Con) 474

Result: Ind gain

Bearsted

Richard Ash (Con) 1,937

Steven Hunter (Lib Dem) 481

Ian McDonald (Green) 176

Result: Con hold

Boughton Monchelsea and Chart Sutton

Mike FitzGerald (Ind) 759

Keith Woollven (UKIP) 85

Result: Ind hold

Boxley

John Doherty (Lib Dem) 321

Wendy Hinder (Con) 1,607

Patricia Marchant (Green) 111

Result: Con hold

Bridge

David Pickett (Lib Dem) 640

James Ross (Con) 671

Sally Willcox (Lab) 100

Angela Wooi (Green) 88

Result: Con gain

Coxheath and Hunton

Michael Casserley (Lab) 99

Moira Walter (Lib Dem) 1,206

John Wilson (Con) 1,354

Result: Con hold

East

Patrick Sellar (Lib Dem) 1,331

James Shalice (Green) 139

Edward Winstanley (Con) 879

Result: Lib Dem hold

Fant

Morel D'Souza (Lab) 470

Stuart Jeffery (Green) 326

Stephen Paine (Con) 679

Fran Smith (Lib Dem) 562

Result: Con gain

Headcorn

Penny Kemp (Green) 581

Richard Thick (Con) 1,164

Result: Con hold

Heath

Patrick Coates (Lab) 83

Mark Mears (Con) 518

Bryan Vizzard (Lib Dem) 562

Andrew Waldie (Green) 75

Result: Lib Dem hold

High Street

Paul Butcher (Con) 611

Richard Coates (Lab) 152

Denise Joy (Lib Dem) 738

Wendy Lewis (Green) 89

John Stanford (UKIP) 92

Result: Lib Dem hold

Marden and Yalding

Edith Davis (Lab) 240

Geoffrey Samme (Lib Dem) 320

John Verrall (Con) 1,506

Result: Con hold

North

Derek Eagle (Green) 141

Jennifer Paterson (Lib Dem) 1,012

Jeff Tree (Con) 552

Result: Lib Dem hold

North Downs

Sarah Goodwin (Green) 84

Daphne Parvin (Con) 599

John Watson (Lib Dem) 96

Result: Con hold

Parkwood

Robert Field (Lib Dem) 447

Liz Stevens (Lab) 122

Susan Yates (Con) 258

Result: Lib Dem hold

Shepway North

Gill Annan (Lab) 375

Peter Batt (Lib Dem) 220

Christopher Garland (Con) 1,091

Stephen Muggeridge (Green) 114

Result: Con hold

Shepway South

Bob Hinder (Con) 525

Maria Sotelo-Moratinos (Lib Dem) 163

Ken Stevens (Lab) 324

Result: Con gain

South

Ian Chittenden (Lib Dem) 1,196

Scott Hahnefeld (Con) 1,179

John Randall (Lab)104

Result: Lib Dem hold