The Tories have increased their majority on Swale council in the local elections.

In a successful night for the party across Kent, the Conservatives now have 62.5 per cent of the seats on the council to the Lib Dems 18.8 per cent, Labour's 12.5 per cent and Independents' 6.2 per cent.

In the Faversham area, the Conservatives held Abbey, Boughton and Courtenay, St Ann's and East Downs.

The Tory candidate was also elected in Watling but the party lost the Davington Priory seat to the Lib Dems.

Local results were: Abbey: Anita Walker (Con) 512, Trevor Payne (Lab) 367, Jenny Gurney (Faversham First!) 311, Martin Bellis (Lib Dem) 182; Boughton and Courtenay: Andrew Bowles (Con) 1,112, Fran Rehal (Lab) 234, Timothy Valentine (Green) 226; Davington Priory: Michael Henderson (Lib Dem) 495, John Winlow (Con) 235, Brenda Chester (Lab) 121.

East Downs: Colin Prescott (Con) 683, Catherine Read (Lab) 197; St Ann's: Mark Baldock (Con) 582, Findlay MacDonald (Faversham First!) 378, Paul Durkin (Lab) 306, David Evans (Lib Dem) 154; Watling: David Simmons (Con) 960, Tracey Smith (Faversham First!) 270, Philip Dangerfield (Lab) 219, Paul Hurd (Lib Dem) 171.

There were also elections for Faversham Town Council where the Tories had a good showing.

The results were: Abbey ward (four seats): Mike Gates (Con) 603, Anita Walker (Con) 540, Lloyd Hobbard-Mitchell (Con) 469, Bryan Mulheren (Con) 434, Trevor Payne (Lab) 420, Jenny Gurney (Faversham First) 399, Janet Baker (Faversham First) 390), Anne Salmon (Lab) 354, Laurie Whiting (Faversham First) 345, Barry Hefferon (Lab) 325, Catherine Read (Lab) 314, Martin Bellis (Ind) 289.

Davington (two seats): David Barker (Faversham First) 308, Robert Winlow (Con) 306, Brenda Chester (Lab), 270, Jane Hawkins (Con) 270, Anna-Marie Bales (Lab) 210.

St Ann's (four seats): Tom Gates (Con) 744, Mark Baldock (Con) 660, John Coulter (Con) 612, Nigel Kay (Con) 553, Findlay Macdonald (Faversham First) 524, Darcy Dosa (Faversham First) 433, Paul Durkin(Lab) 405, Caroline MacDonald (Lab) 368, Jean Foreman (Lab) 363; Janet Miall (Lab) 308.

Watling (four seats): Cindy Davis (Con) 1,086, David Simmons (Con) 994, Ted Cox (Con) 841, Geoff Wade (Con) 840, Tracey Smith (Faversham First) 494, Philip Dangerfield (Lab) 377, Bill Vaughan (Lab) 376, Valerie Jeffries (Lab) 373.