THE borough’s Conservative group will attempt to run the council as a minority administration.

The Tories lost their majority control over Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council at last Thursday’s election after losing one seat, bringing their total number of councillors to 29.

But following a group meeting on Tuesday evening, Councillor Clive Sanders, who has been leading the administration since February 2012, told The Gazette he hopes to carry on serving residents in the borough as council leader and aims to govern with his current Conservative-controlled administration.

All 60 councillors will now vote on whether to support this option at a full council meeting next Thursday.

If the party gets the go-ahead, there will be changes to the cabinet following the decision by Robert Donnell, former Cabinet member for environment and climate change, to not stand for re-election.

Speaking yesterday, Cllr Sanders told The Gazette: “The group asked me if I would put myself forward as leader so that is what I will do.

“They came to this view because the majority of the votes cast in the election were for the Conservatives, and we are the biggest group still.

“It would be the intention to continue as the administration because that’s what the people of Basingstoke want to happen.”

When asked if he could lose control of the borough council, Cllr Sanders added: “Theoretically, it is possible, but it would look strange if you find the Liberal Democrats wanting to team up with Labour when they have spent the last five weeks telling everyone they are different.”