Kent County Council leader Paul Carter is bracing himself for a fight with UKIP in next month’s election.

Launching his Conservative Party’s campaign, the man who has led the council for eight years acknowledged the political climate was challenging. He said: "It would be foolish to write off the threat of UKIP but we have to get across that as a Conservative-run council, we have strong leadership and look after public money in the most efficient way."

UKIP Kent chairman Mo Elenor was expecting to pick up seats the first time.

Labour is planning a big fightback. Leader Cllr Gordon Cowan said: "We’re hoping we’ll take back the seats we lost."

The Lib Dem opposition is hoping to build its current seven seats. Leader Cllr Trudy Dean said: "We’re looking for a modest increase."

The Green Party is hoping to capitalise in Maidstone Rural South. Kent chairman Stuart Jeffery said: "There is very little competition for Maidstone Rural South so clearly we should do very well there."

The English Democrats are hoping to get candidates elected for the first time.

Leader Steve Uncles said: "If we get three people elected then we’d be very pleased."

The full list of candidates are:

Maidstone Central
David Burton, Conservative
Paul Butcher, Conservative
Geoffrey Porter, English Democrats
Wendy Lewis, Green
Stuart Jeffery, Green
Paul Harper, Labour
Marianna Poliszczuk, Labour
Rob Bird, Lib Dem
Dan Daley, Lib Dem
Simon Parry, UKIP
James Rosier, UKIP

Maidstone South
Christopher Garland, Conservative
Ashley Wakeling, Green
Geoff Harvey, Labour
Brian Clark, Lib Dem

Maidstone North East
Annabelle Blackmore, Conservative
Matthew Godden, English Democrats
Andrew Waldie, Green
Keith Adkinson, Labour
Ian Chittenden, Lib Dem
Charles Elliott, UKIP

Maidstone Rural East
Jenny Whittle, Conservative
Penny Kemp, Green
Geoffrey Samme, Lib Dem
Jim Grogan, Labour

Maidstone Rural North
Paul Carter, Conservative
Ciaran Oliver, Green
Mick Beckwith, Labour
Brian Mortimer, Lib Dem
Terence Turner, UKIP

Maidstone Rural South
Eric Hotson, Conservative
Robin Kinrade, Green
Derek Mortimer, Lib Dem

Maidstone Rural West
Paulina Stockell, Conservative
Ian McDonald, Green
Edith Davis, Labour
Martin Cox, Lib Dem
Keith Woollven, UKIP

Maidstone South East
Gary Cooke, Conservative
Stephen Muggeridge, Green
Malcolm McKay, Labour
David Naghi, Lib Dem

Malling Central
Russ Taylor, Conservative
Anna Cleves, English Democrats
Stephen Jackson, Green
Sarah Palmer, Labour
Trudy Dean, Lib Dem
Peter Stevens, UKIP

Malling Rural East
Matthhew Balfour, Conservative
Liz Uncles, English Democrats
Frances Long, Green
Terry Scott, Labour
Stephen Patt, Lib Dem
David Waller, UKIP

Tonbridge
Chris Smith, Conservative
Richard Long, Conservative
Hazel Dawe, Green
Steve Dawe, Green
Bob Ellard, Labour
Claire Leigh, Labour
Garry Bridge, Lib Dem
Nicholas Ford, Lib Dem
Roy Philpott, UKIP
Adrian Stevens, UKIP

Malling West
Valerie Dagger, Conservative
Helen Stevens, English Democrats
Richard Mountford, Green
Kathleen Garlick, Labour
Jason Lower, Lib Dem
Clifford Millgate, UKIP

Malling Rural North East
Peter Homewood, Conservative
Steve Uncles, English Democrats
Howard Porter, Green
James Yearsley, Labour
Anita Oakley, Lib Dem
Angela Love, UKIP

Malling North
Sarah Hohler, Conservative
Lee Jon, English Democrats
Mark West, Green
Paul Hickmott, Labour
Liz Simpson, Lib Dem
Philip Granger, UK

Cranbrook
Sean Holden, Conservative
Marie Jones, Green
David Burgess, Labour
Francis Rook, Lib Dem
John Austen, UKIP

Tunbridge Wells East
James Tansley, Conservative
Terry Cload, Independent
Gerry Colley, Labour
David Neve, Lib Dem
Christopher Hoare, UKIP

Tunbridge Wells North
Peter Oakford, Conservative
Phyllis Leslie, Green
Ian Carvell, Labour
Trevor Poile, Lib Dem
Brian Ransley, UKIP

Tunbridge Wells Rural
Alex King, Conservative
Raymond Moon, Labour
Lesley Herriot, Lib Dem
Gabi Coleman, UKIP

Tunbridge Wells South
James Scholes, Conservative
Lorna Blackmore, Labour
Rachel Sadler, Lib Dem
Zak Martin, UKIP

Tunbridge Wells West
John Davies, Conservative
David Holton, Green
Alex Britcher, Labour
Alan Bullion, Lib Dem
Victor Webb, UKIP

Maidstone Rural South
Eric Hotson, Conservative
Robin Kinrade, Green
Derek Mortimer, Lib Dem