ELECTION: No overall control on Milton Keynes Council after Thursday's election

The Lib Dems snatched one seat off Labour, leaving them in the kingmaking position of 13 seats.

Labour leader Cllr Pete Marland said the result was disastrous for the Conservatives who were hoping to take overall control.

Referring to the vote for the Green Party as well as the Lib Dems and Labour, Cllr Marland claimed there is a “progressive majority” in Milton Keynes which would lend legitimacy to Labour holding on to the reins of power.

The Conservative leader Cllr Edith Bald, said: “We held on to all our seats while Labour lost one,

“We have a hung council, which is not ideal”

But she declined to speculate on the future of council control, except to say that convention would suggest that Labour stay in the driving seat.

But she added: “There will have to be discussions between all three parties.”

Lib Dem leader Douglas McCall was staying tight lipped. He said: “We’re not sure how it will end up, with both parties tied. We’ll have to wait and see how it plays out. We’re delighted to leave with more councillors than we started with.”

Cllr Marland hinted that one of the discussions would have to be over how often elections are held to the council and the structure of it.

He said that businesses are concerned about having a stable council, one which did not change from year to year.

This could mean changing to all-out elections every four years or perhaps even an elected mayor, although that is not a solution he supports.