OVERALL control of Maidstone Borough Council will be decided at the negotiating table after no party won an outright majority in Thursday's election.

Political leaders will spend the next week locked in backroom discussions aimed at forming some kind of coalition.

The Conservatives are still the largest single party at the council but with reduced numbers after losing both available seats in South ward to the Liberal Democrats.

The most likely outcome is that the Tories, with 26 seats, will continue to lead the council with support from Labour's four councillors, under a similar deal to that struck after last year's stalemate.

If that happens, the Labour Group will continue to be frozen out of the top political jobs at the council after Tory leader Cllr Eric Hotson confirmed he would only accept a partnership on the basis that all cabinet members are from his party.

However the Liberal Democrats, now with 21 seats, could seize control if they can secure the support of Labour and the four Independent councillors in a coalition.

Cllr Malcolm Robertson, the Liberal Democrat group leader, said his party had the most to celebrate at the end of the evening.

But the party also lost one of its senior figures, Hugh Laing, in Loose. That seat was won by 22-year-old Conservative Ben Sherreard.

Cllr Robertson said: "With the exception of the loss of Hugh Laing it has been a phenomenal night. One possibility now is a coalition, but it is too early to speculate."

The stalemate will have to be resolved before the council's meeting on May 16.

Cllr Hotson said: "If other party leaders want to talk to me they can, but I am not looking for a coalition. Other parties will not get a cabinet position under a Conservative administration."

Meanwhile, the Green Party and the British National Party both failed to win a first seat at Maidstone council. The Greens had targeted Fant ward, but could only manage third place there when the votes were announced.

Group leader Stuart Jeffery said: "We got almost 20 per cent of the vote in Fant ward, which is a huge improvement over last year. The results are a positive affirmation that the Greens are moving forward in Maidstone."