RESULTS of Swanley's by-election have been clouded by Labour's claims of foul-play and a flawed postal vote system.

Conservative Robert Brookbank won the district council position and Independent Raymond Craddock took the town council seat at the Swanley Christchurch ward by-election.

Both men had been standing in both elections but pulled out of one of them on the same day Cllr Craddock dropped out of the district election and Cllr Robert Brookbank the town council contest.

Labour says this could only be to avoid splitting Independent and Conservative support.

Labour district council candidate Anne Parker said: “It would appear they assumed if they pulled out of an election each they'd give each other a better chance of winning.”

Both councillors deny Labour's allegations. Cllr Brookbank said he pulled out of the town council election to “put all my efforts into the Sevenoaks election and so improve Conservative communications between the two councils”.

Cllr Craddock said he was unaware Cllr Brookbank was pulling out and added: “I was in two minds whether to go for the district council elections. I decided against it as I was fairly new to council work.”

Sevenoaks Council is investigating complaints from Labour of at least 36 people not being able to vote because their postal votes arrived too late.

Cllr Craddock had 337 votes in the Swanley Council election, beating his nearest rival by 30.

Deputy returning officer Ian Bigwood, who is investigating Labour's claims, says 31 ballot papers were returned of the 63 sent out.

He said some ballots took 10 days to arrive at Swanley homes, despite being sent first class from Sevenoaks. A dozen households in Moultain Hill received their papers a day after the election.

A Royal Mail spokesman said: “We are investigating the situation and are liaising with the council.”