Ukip is expected to lose control of Thanet council tonight.

The Conservatives are set to replace the current administration ending Ukip's two-year period in charge.

The switch in power - if voted through - will mark another setback for Ukip coming soon after the ousting of the national leader Henry Bolton from Folkestone.

Earlier this week, a breakaway group of Ukip councillors in Thanet ditched the party name and rechristened themselves as the Thanet Independent Councillors group.

The decision by the breakaway group of 12 former Ukip councillors is potentially significant.

The Conservatives have already made clear they intend to try and form a new administration to replace UKIP but that could depend on support from the newly-established independent group.

It is understood that the Conservatives had, in private discussions, indicated that they would not form a coalition with the former Ukip councillors if they retained the party name.

As things stand the Conservatives have the largest number of councillors at 21, with the Independent group numbering 14 - including two other councillors, UKIP at 12 and Labour six.

Councillor Wells stood down after councillors rejected the authority’s Local Plan in a long-running dispute over the former Manston Airport site.

The plan had designated the site for housing rather than for some aviation use, leading to accusations that UKIP had reneged on its key election pledge to reopen Manston as an airport.

He said he was standing aside because the party arithmetic meant it unlikely Ukip would be able to form a viable opposition.