Blue is the colour once more for Swale with the Conservatives retaining control of the borough council.

With all 47 wards declared, the Tories have 32 seats followed by Labour on 13 and Lib Dems on one.

There are also an independent.

A shock was the defeat of long-standing Lib Dem councillor, Elvie Lowe, after 24 years representing Milton Regis.

She feels she is a victim of the nationwide anti-Lib Dem feeling.

One of the Murston seats had to be decided after six recounts.

Dave Banks and Ed Gent were drawn at 420.

Eventually, they agreed that was the figure and so both names were written down and returning officer Abdool Kara pulled one of them out - which was classed as an additional vote. Ed's name came out.

He said: "I am very proud to be an elected member again.

"I expected it to be close, I thought maybe 15 or 20, but not to be dead at 420.

"I had my name pulled out which means I get to represent my ward for another four years."

Mr Banks said: "I feel gutted. If I had lost by 50 or 60 votes it would not have been so bad. But to go out like this is a horrible feeling.

"I have to accept the verdict because they recounted so many times and that was the only way to decide."

Tory leader Cllr Andrew Bowles is delighted with the results.

He said: "It's an amazing result - the second biggest that any party has had at Swale since it was established and at a time when the Conservative government is having to take difficult decisions and in many ways painful decisions.

"I think this shows credit to two things - credit to the Conservative administration at Swale council in terms of what it's achieved and that it's in line with the people of Swale's views.

"And credit to the people of Swale that they understand how difficult the situation the government is in is and that that has been bought about by the previous Labour government and so they have stayed loyal to the Conservatives in this borough."

Sittingbourne and Sheppey wards - *donates winners:

Borden

Michael Baldock (UKIP) 361

Nicholas Hampshire* (Con) 506

Matthew Partridge (Lab) 127

Turnout 51.7 per cent

Iwade and Lower Halstow

Janet Gregory (Lab) 509

Peter Springham (Lib Dem)

Ben Stokes* (Con) 712

Christopher Trafford (UKIP) 77

Turnout 44.9 per cent

Leysdown and Warden

Pat Sandle* (Con) 438

Matt Wheatcroft (Lab) 259

Turnout 32.3 per cent

West Downs

Monique Bonney* (Ind) 528

Mike Whiting (Con) 487

Turnout 52.1

After a recount, Monique won by 41 votes.

Sheerness East

Emma Bridge (Con) 360

Mark Ellen* (Lab) 504

Chris Foulds (Con) 376

Colin Howe (Lib Dem) 98

David Sargent* (Lab) 453

Turnout 31.8 per cent

Sheerness West

Angela Harrison* (Lab) 688

David Kemp (Lib Dem) 132

David Wilson (Con) 434

Steve Worrall* (Lab) 575

Turnout 32.1 per cent

Kemsley

Sue Gent* (Con) 797

Peter Paige (UKIP) 230

Tony Phillips (Lab) 461

Brenda Simpson* (Con) 830

Bradley Wise (Lab) 397

Mary Zeng (Lib Dem) 132

Turnout 33.4 per cent

Chalkwell

Alison Donkin (UKIP) 147

Clive Duncan (Con) 316

Anthea Spurling (Lib Dem) 141

Roger Truelove* (Lab) 900

Sandra Warham (Con) 272

Ghlin Whelan* (Lab) 760

Turnout 39.8 per cent

Grove

Ian Davison (UKIP) 418

Duncan Dewar-Whalley* (Con) 792

Bernie Lowe (Lib Dem) 226

Gareth Randall* (Con) 781

Richard Raycraft (Lab) 488

Peter Wilson (Lab) 422

Turn out 38.5 per cent

Hartlip, Newington and Upchurch

James Graham (Lab) 418

Gerry Lewin* (Con) 1,031

Richard Palmer (UKIP) 509

David Walker (Lab) 339

John Wright* (Con) 836

Turnout 45.2 per cent

Milton Regis

Margaret Bridge (Con) 331

Sheikh Mihand (OMRLP) 42

Eileen Hodgson (Con) 289

Elvie Lowe (Lib Dem) 353

David Spurling (Lib Dem) 227

Adam Tolhurst* (Lab) 527

Tony Winckless* (Lab) 491

Turnout 37.2 per cent

Teynham and Lynsted

Rick Barnicott* (Con) 857

Lloyd Bowen* (Con) 940

Ian Buxton (Lab) 470

Gillian Griffiths (Lab) 460

James Nash (UKIP) 163

Graeme Sargeant (Ind) 107

Turnout 42.4 per cent

St Michael’s

Syliva Bennett* (Con) 1,031

Shelley Cheesman (Lab) 521

Derek Conway* (Con) 1,242

Geraldine Feltham ((Lab) 403

Brenda Hammond (Lib Dem) 317

Stephen Trafford (UKIP) 296

Turnout 44 per cent

Minster Cliffs

Jamie Bicknell (Lab) 533

Andy Booth* (Con) 910

Adrian Crowther* (Con) 1,148

Maureen Morgan (UKIP) 390

Ken Pugh* (Con) 1,057

Libby Tucker (Lab) 532

Mark Tucker (Lab) 484

Turnout 38.5 per cent

Woodstock

Lee Burgess (UKIP) 472

Andrew Cooper (Lab) 439

Margaret Cooper (Lab) 441

Ann McLean (Lib Dem) 315

Alan Willicombe* (Con) 1,121

Jean Willicombe* (Con) 950

Turnout 53.7 per cent

Sheppey Central

Rosemary Donkin (UKIP) 326

June Garrad* (Con) 911

Alan Henley (Lab) 664

Lesley Ingham* (Con) 838

John Morris* (Con) 871

Ian Smart (Lab) 557

Pat Wiggins (Lab) 618

Mad Mike Young (OMRLP) 171

Turnout 32 per cent

Roman

Alan Blackley (Con) 396

Aaron Donkin (UKIP) 207

Keith Ferrin (Con) 279

Mike Haywood* (Lab) 752

Rose Madgwick (Lib Dem) 119

Martin McCusker* (Lab) 530

Turnout 36.2 per cent

Queenborough and Halfway

Jackie Constable* (Lab) 908

Mick Constable* (Lab) 841

Richard Darby (Con) 812

Mick Galvin (Con) 754

Peter Marchington* (Con) 846

Sandy Sims (Lib Dem) 149

Julian Stewart (Lab) 625

Turnout 36.9 per cent

Murston

Dave Banks (Lib Dem) 420

Ed Gent* (Con) 421

Keith Nevols (Lib Dem) 236

Nick Williams* (Lab) 482

Paul Williams (Lab) 369

Turnout 32.3 per cent

For reaction, plus town and parish results, don't miss this coming week's Sheerness Times Guardian and Sittingbourne Messenger.