by Martin Jefferies

Ramsgate First candidate Gerry O'Donnell is celebrating election to the parish council he spent years campaigning for.

He took the second highest number of votes in the Eastcliff ward and will take his seat on the new authority when it meets for the first time this summer.

Mr O'Donnell admitted he was "relieved" to have been selected and insisted the council would make a difference to local residents.

He said: "This is a momentous day for Ramsgate. We haven't had our own independent council for 36 years and I think this represents a new dawn for us.

"We've got to look at the reasons why the town has suffered lately and set about addressing those key issues."

Mr O'Donnell was one of 16 people elected to the parish council, although no single party has overall control.

Labour's fared much better in these elections than in the county poll, where a dismal performance saw both Clive Hart and Alan Poole lost their seats in County Hall.

Michelle Fenner was elected in Sir Moses Montefiore ward, while Kay Dark and Emma Poole were separated by just two votes in the Northwood count.

Elsewhere, Patricia Moore and Richard Nicholson will represent the Newington area and David Green was elected in the Eastcliff ward.

The Conservatives equal Labour's eight seats on the new council, with successful candidates including Victor Todd (Sir Moses Montefiore), Barbara Byne (Northwood), Patrick Doyle (Pegwell), David Carr and Peter Landi (Central Harbour) and Jill Kirby and Brenda Rogers (Nethercourt).

One independent candidate secured a seat - Ralph Hoult scored an exceptional result, winning the Central Harbour seat with a massive 992 votes.

The theatrical favourite, a long-time Ramsgate resident, took 23 per cent of the vote - almost double that of second-placed Mr Landi.

Turnout in the elections varied from 29 per cent in the Eastcliff area to 41 per cent in Pegwell.