FORMER council leader Sue Bates has her eye on the prize once again, following what she considers to be a vote of confidence from the electorate.

The Labour leader says it is becoming a strong possibility that her group will put itself forward to take back the administration of Swindon Council from the Conservatives.

She believes Thursday night's election result, in which the share of seats remained exactly the same, was a victory for Labour seven months after it stood down in the wake of the council's damning Ofsted report.

Coun Bates (Gorse Hill and Pinehurst) said: "I have been talking with colleagues since the election result and we are all delighted. It certainly wasn't a move away from Labour, as had been predicted.

"We may have received a vote of no confidence back in October from within the council, but that view has not been shared by the public.

"Because of that, as the largest group on the council, we are now giving serious consideration to putting ourselves forward for the administration again."

But the Liberal Democrats, whose eight members still hold the balance of power on the hung council, are determined that Labour should not be allowed to return to the fore.

Leader Mike Evemy (Eastcott) believes no one party should take control, but that the cabinet should be composed of representatives from each party.

He said: "If Labour want to put themselves forward, that's fine, but I think it is very unlikely that they will gain the necessary support of the council.

"Their share of the vote on Thursday was just 35 per cent and it is totally unacceptable for them to try to wrestle back control of the council on that basis.

"I don't understand how they can claim that's an endorsement they do not have a majority and so have no right to impose their wishes on everyone else."

The Tories, meanwhile, seem resigned to handing back the reigns to Labour at the council's annual meeting on May 17.

Leader Mike Bawden (Old Town and Lawn) said: "When we took charge last October, we wanted to try to stabilise the council and get over to people the harsh reality of our financial situation.

"I think our legacy, should we not be the administration after May 17, will be a far greater understanding of the reality of that situation.

"My only concern now, should Sue (Bates) take over again, is whether she will change her style of leadership. If she goes back to trying to run the council as if she has a majority of 20, then I'm afraid we could go back to throwing bricks at each other."

His Tory colleague, Nick Martin (Shaw and Nine Elms) said: "With this election result, the council will continue to drift," he said.

"There will still be no clear leadership and the bad news we have seen so frequently could well continue."