No overall control at district council after 9 Tories revolt

REBELS SAY LEADER 'MORE FOCUSED ON INTERNAL POLITICS THAN PUBLIC SERVICE'

- By SIMON FINLAY and JENNY SEYMOUR

THE Conservatives have lost overall control of once true blue Sevenoaks District Council after a revolt saw nine members resign the whip.

Although Roddy Hogarth remains leader, his party no longer has a majority.

Seven Conservative members left their group during an astonishing annual meeting last Thursday.

Another joined the breakaway group, called the West Kent Independents, the following morning and a ninth followed on Monday.

It leaves the Conservatives with 24 members, the Liberal Democrats 14, West Kent Independents nine, Green Party four, and three other independents. The Tories are now outnumbered by four.

It means the council is in no overall control.

The rebels are said to be unhappy with Cllr Hogarth, with internal tensions mounting for some months.

They are led by Julia Thornton (Seal and Weald), who was leader of the council for just one year before being replaced by Cllr Hogarth, who represents the same ward, last May.