Battle for Kingston Council: Election round two kicks off this afternoon (From Surrey Comet)

Battle for Kingston Council: Election round two kicks off this afternoon

2:18pm Friday 7th May 2010 in News By David Lindsell

Round two of the elections is about to kick-off back at the Kings Centre in Chessington as D-Day looms for the politicians seeking to run Kingston Council.

Voters cast their decisions in the national elections last night, seeing Liberal Democrat Edward Davey re-elected in Kingston and Surbiton.

But Lib Dem Susan Kramer was defeated by Tory Zac Goldsmith in Richmond Park, thanks to votes from north Kingston.

The battle for Kingston Council sholuld be decided this afternoon when the count begins at 2.30pm.

There are 194 candidates trying to fill 48 seats. Since the last election in 2006, the Liberal Democrat party has had the most councillors - 25 - with the Conservatives in second place with 21, Labour one and independent one - since Sheila Griffin's defection from Labour.

Currently Liberal Democrat-controlled, the Conservatives will hope they did enough to persuade key wards like Berrylands, Norbiton and Old Malden, to hand power of Kingston Council to them.

The Christian Peoples Alliance will look to shrug off last night's demoralising parliamentary showing, when their candidate received less votes than Monkey the Drummer from the Monster Raving Loony Party.

They have a full slate of three candidates standing in many wards.

The Labour Party, and several indepdents, wil also be eagerly awaiting the colunty to find out if any of them will win a council seat.

More to follow.