The changing of the guard

Former council leader Councillor Chris Ball offers congratulations to new Tory leader Councillor Ian Clement BE3894-56

Sidcup barber and Independent candidate Mike Lowe is delighted with his second place in Longlands ward BE3894-53

Tory Alf Catterall who retired from Bexley Council now rejoins his councillor son Peter after taking a Labour seat in East Wickham BE3894-49

Former Labour councillor Kathryn Smith is tearful after both she and her husband Munir Malik lost their seats BE3894-45

Bernard Clewes takes a seat in Labour's Erith heartland, ward of former Labour leader Councillor Chris Ball BE3894-40

UK Independence Party candidates Michael Barnbrook, George Wright and John Dunford celebrate their second place in Blackfen and Lamorbey ward BE3894-38

Tory candidates John Davey, Kirsty Duncombe and Margaret Hurt snatch the target ward of Lesnes Abbey BE3894-25

Labour candidate in Danson Park ward, Alan Scutt nervously chews his fingers as the results come in BE3894-35

Tory Group leader Councillor Ian Clement is on his way to victory BE3894-19

Victory for O'Hare

Formerly the only Liberal Democrat to keep his seat in 2002, Councillor Nick O'Hare defected to the Tories last summer and celebrates winning his seat in the safe Tory ward of Blendon and Penhill BE3894-16

Labour supporters begin to realise the scale of their defeat BE3894-15

Councillors' Wives

Cheryl Bacon and Rosaline Downing will join their husbands Gareth and Alan on Bexley Council after taking seats in Cray Meadows. Before she married, Mrs Bacon was a Bexley councillor for four years until 2002 BE3894-13