Medway Council is in the UKIP heartlands, home to the Rochester & Strood constituency, where UKIP defector Mark Reckless won the 2014 by-election. The Conservatives currently control the Council, holding 31 of the 55 seats. At present, UKIP has just 4 seats on the Council – gained through defections.
Polling suggests that the Tories will win back Rochester & Strood. However, voters in Medway have already demonstrated that they are willing to vote UKIP, and may choose to vote Conservative in the general election, but use their local ballot to vote UKIP, giving them increased influence on the council.
