Former council leader John Burden has expressed his disappointment as the Conservatives narrowly regained control of Gravesham Council from Labour.

Councillor Burden lamented his party's defeat as they missed out on a crucial seat in Coldharbour by just 48 votes - with the Tories winning 23 seats compared to Labour's 21.

The Labour Party also won a larger percentage of the vote, 44 per cent compared to the Conservatives' 42 per cent.

Elsewhere UKIP, with 10 per cent of the vote, the Green Party, with four per cent, and independent candidates, with less that one per cent, all failed to win any seats.

Coun Burden told News Shopper: "I am obviously disappointed we didn't win back control of the council but I think the decision of the electorate has got to be respected and we will do that.

"It is interesting that in Coldharbour we lost by 48 votes - if we hadn't lost that we would still be in control of the council. 

"To lose by 48 votes is disappointing.

"We have come back from this position before and we will try to do it again."

Coun Burden, who retained his seat in the Northfleet North ward with 1,787 votes, threw down the gauntlet to the leader of Gravesham Conservatives John Cubitt, who is expected to be named new council leader.

News Shopper:

Coun John Cubitt (left) pictured at the official opening of Multi Use Games Area, for football, basketball and cricket, at the end of Mackenzie Way, Gravesend

He said: "The future of the borough is now in the hands of John Cubitt - I know there will be lots of difficult decisions but they are now in control.

"We will continue to fight for the people but now in opposition.

"I hope they follow through with the Fleet Leisure project and plans to build a full 3G pitch at Cascades Leisure Centre.

"I hope they look after local people on the Paramount and garden city developments."

He added he is also wary of a number of a number of campaign pledges, made by the Conservatives to the electorate, which he described as "financially unwise".

These include free parking in Gravesham town centre on a Saturday (thought to cost around £150,000) and the appointment of a younger and elder people's 'champion', who will be given £50,000 to spend on improving the lives of younger and older people in the borough.

News Shopper:

How the entrance to Paramount Park could look

Gravesham Conservatives leader John Cubitt said he was "very pleased" with the outcome of the election, and added he hopes to continue the Fleet and Cascades projects, while he said he could not fully discuss the Conservative pledges until the budget had been reviewed.

Referring to the major Ebbsfleet garden city and Paramount developments, he said: "We need to make sure we have the infrastructure in place so we don't get bogged down in traffic.

"The projects are around 10 per cent in Gravesend but I will be looking for the people of Gravesend to get more than 10 per cent of jobs and employment, and many of our businesses to be used in the development of both these projects."

He said he hopes tourism, heritage and the arts in the area "can be promoted in a better way" under the new council.

He added: "We also have a 19-year-old councillor - the youngest councillor ever - and we have the first Sikh female councillor in Gravesham."