It was Trafalgar Day yesterday, the 205^th anniversary of how the small English navy destroyed the French, but lost their Admiral, Lord Horatio Nelson, in the process.

Last night, out of the jaws of victory, the Conservatives successfully snatched defeat at the latest River Ward by-election.

The Labour candidate, John Jones got his message across the streets of River ward, and into the letterboxes around Chatham.

He did it to such an extent that thoughts of weariness over the third election since May were completely rejected by the local residents.

They turned out in greater numbers than anyone expected (including this pundit) after the mess that occurred after the Conservatives won the seat for 13 days in August.

That may have had something to do with having an election on Budget Day.

It could have had something to do with Ed Miliband pounding the streets with Cllr Jones in the summer.

It could be that the vitriolic attacks on the Chief Constable after the last winner, David Craggs, stood down to continue as a Special Constable in Gravesend, had something to do with it.

Small wonder the Labour group was delighted to win back a seat that once was theirs.

Two leadership issues are now worth considering.

One is the lack of wild enthusiasm that is evident elsewhere in the photo issued from Labour's wake for the Conservatives displayed by the oft-times taciturn Paul Godwin.

The other is the challenge to the Leader of the Council and Tory group leader, Cllr Rodney Chambers, that is quietly mounting on the Hoo peninsula.

The Rochester and Strood Conservatives (who now include River Ward among their ranks) are hoping to see Craig Mackinlay successfully carry out his second challenge for the leadership of the Tory group.

Whoever wins that race next May will become Leader of the Council.

On this showing Mr Mackinlay must first cling on to his seat to have any chance of bidding to be group leader.

There are those in the council wearing red, yellow, white - and blue - who would be delighted if the second River seat returned to Labour next year.

Harold Wilson was wrong when he said a week is a long time in politics. If he had come to Medway he would know it was a %@*! long time.

At the heart of the shenanigans over the past few days has been Cllr Craig Mackinlay. He is looking increasingly isolated over his role as agent to David Craggs, the councillor who was elected for River ward only to resign less than a fortnight later.

By coincidence the former Medway Cabinet member, Chris Buckwell will act as agent for everyone (including Mr Mackinlay) for the May 5 local elections. Everyone, that is, within the Rochester and Strood Constituency Conservative Association.

A lot of mud has been thrown and background briefings given about the debacle.

The facts are that it cost taxpayers £11,500 to stage the election.

Labour fell 73 votes short of the Tory candidate who resigned 13 days later.

Mr Craggs was a headmaster, a Special Constable, a one-time Territorial Army member and therefore, on the face of it, ideal to be a councillor.

The by-election attracted 1,382 voters, and cost around £8.32 for each voter who bothered to turn out.

He might have seemed ideal. But he is a Special in the Kent Constabulary. That is Home Office-funded and therefore excludes local politicians from being Specials.

After all, councillors can be appointed to sit on the Kent Police Authority. It directs and deals with issues such as discipline.

Imagine what would happen if a councillor was the subject of a disciplinary hearing because he wore the police uniform.

The police regulations are not clear. What is clear is that the chief constable has to know of any conflict of interests.

In this case, Ian Learmonth faced the problem in his first days as head of the force. He ruled against a Special being a councillor. It was up to Mr Craggs to decide which he wanted to be. He chose the force he has served for 17 years, and ended his brief political career.

What has followed has become increasingly acrimonious and masks many questions.

Cllr Mackinlay is an experienced political campaigner. He has been fighting elections for many years.

He was Mr Craggs' agent. That gave him responsibility for ensuring the candidate was suitable and could be elected. The ultimate responsibility for the candidates lies with their agents.

In the past few days he published a party political leaflet for River ward residents in which there was an aggressive attack on Mr Learmonth, and saying that the police should foot the bill for the election to find Mr Craggs replacement.

Unfortunately, he is hazy about precisely who advised the association or himself about the legal aspects. That doesn't help his case.

He has also stirred up a massive hornets' nest.

The Chairman of the police authority is reporting him to the Standards Committee.

The police force led by Mr Learmonth is doing the same.

Both accuse him of making false statements and bringing his office into disrepute.

This promises to run and run.

***

The Rochester and Chatham Constituency Conservative Association issued a glossy all-colour newsletter for the Strood area. Somewhat inappropriately at the present time it's called In Touch.

There's a fine photograph of councillors Les Wicks and Jane Etheridge congratulating the latest member of the administration on his election.

The only problem is that the successful councillor was David Craggs.

He had already resigned, and told the media his brief political career was over by the time many people received the newsletter.

If you want the facts - read the Medway Messenger.

Holiday over for another year...

***

Those CCTV mobile spy vans may be Smart cars, but you have to question whether any of it has rubbed off on those responsible for them.

I have kept away from the rows about the cars because I think they are a necessary evil in Medway. Far too many people think a few seconds on the double yellow lines to drop off a letter, pick up a pupil from school, ask directions or greet a friend is perfectly all right. It isn't.

Equally as many believe the only reason for the CCTV cars is to provide the council with a ready-made source of additional cash.

It might be - but it wouldn't be the million pound earner that it is if there was not so much flaunting of the law by drivers.

Having said that, there is a clear lack of customer training for staff and a failure to crack down on the numerous abuses which they inflict.

I know one woman booked by the cars. A reasonable lady, she shrugged, accepted the penalty and got on with her life. Yet she apparently got a lot of abuse when there was a problem passing the CCTV car in the street.

The warden who recently accused a local resident armed with his own CCTV camera of harassment when they dared to turn it on him didn't know one vital bit of law: anyone can take photographs or film in the street, despite what some individual police officers may think in the wake of the anti-terrorism rules. Kent Police recently issued some simple guidelines to its own officers. One says: "The media do not need a permit to photograph or film in public places."

It also says: "In normal circumstances we have no legal power or moral responsibility to prevent or restrict what they record....Once images are recorded we have no power to delete or confiscate them without a court order, even if we think they contain damaging or useful evidence."

The public has exactly the same rights and powers as the press. No more. No less. Given the rapidly improving quality of mobile phone cameras, we will all have to get used to being filmed.

After all, the CCTV car wardens and the 500 CCTV cameras in Medway and Swale monitored by their colleagues in Strood are operating under exactly the same rights and powers. It's just that members of the public are more visible than people sitting in a bunker in Strood, or behind a Smart car windscreen.

(In case anyone thinks I might have a personal axe to grind, I don't. On the other hand, I was booked by one of the ground patrols yesterday while interviewing delighted students who have just completed their education in Medway...)

***

The election of David Craggs as Medway's 34th Conservative councillor must be causing some angst in the ranks of the Labour party as they lose another seat.

Meanwhile the four independent councillors who formed their own group (sans the ultra-right wing former chairman of Audit) are whispered to be planning to put up candidates of their own next May.

That could cause fears in the ranks of the Liberal Democrats. They saw their competent deputy leader suddenly move into the ranks of the indies only weeks after standing as their candidate in the Gillingham and Rainham constituency where he polled 8484 votes.

There have been investigations taking place into what happened to cause his sudden departure. Andy Stamp himself has to date refused to explain his reasons for crossing the Chamber.

***

The achievements of Medway's sixth formers have been remarkable this year.

School after school reported their best-ever results - or pretty close to it.

Probably the most satisfied will be the staff.

None more so than at the Hundred of Hoo school.

Headteacher Kevin Mahon has been under great pressure. His school has been in special measures.

So for the 94 students to get record levels of passes is a tribute to all the work that has been put in - by the pupils and by their teachers.

***

This week's regeneration committee contemplated four major reports. This most important of these - and one that could influence whether millions of pounds of government cash reach the community - is the 15-year Local Transport Plan.

Bus travel is always a political football and never more so than in Medway where public transport is anathema to some councillors.

Yet there are major plans for the buses - providing they don't interfere with the beloved car.

They include several park and ride schemes (something has to be done to divert the traffic away from Medway's once and future city centre).

Sainsbury's are expected to fund one next to the tunnel entrance at the Medway City Estate.

The council has eyes on a plot of land at Wigmore for a second one.

There is no talk of one near Blue Bell Hill. Maidstone council has proposed a joint park and ride serving both Medway and Maidstone. It would pick up traffic arriving in the Towns from the M2. The trouble is Medway wants to snaffle some of the trade going to the county town, but isn't prepared to sacrifice any of the trade currently attracted to Chatham's fine shopping experience that is the High Street.

As though Maidstone could do such a thing.

***

Car clamping on private land is to be banned by the government in the next few months. About time we ended the regime of the high fining, non-answerable clampers.

The problem, however, will not go away for property owners who suddenly discover someone using their land to visit the shop, the pub, or simply to leave their car for a weekend.

***

The first of a string of councillors investigated by Medway's Standards Committee for actions (real or perceived) gets hauled over the coals next week.

The likelihood is that the councillor (who resigned after being convicted of benefits frauds by claiming cash aid while receiving a councillor's pay) will not turn up.

Nothing has been heard from Dennis Macfarlane since his world collapsed.

Meanwhile, it will be interesting to find out who wins the battle between the Honorable Member for Rochester and Strood and three chief officers of Medway Council.

The Hon Member, Cllr Mark Reckless, has certainly got himself into hot water several times since he first gained public support as a Conservative councillor for Rochester West three years ago.

Apart from his clash with the council's chief officers he got elected to Parliament despite objections to his selection from Central Office.

Within days of election he was earning the displeasure of the whips, then missed the three-line whip to vote on the Finance Bill.

He was reported to the board by the Chief Executive, the Director for Children's Services and the council's Monitoring Officer following a public row in the Council Chamber.

His hearing is among the string waiting to be settled.

Meanwhile, there are whispers that the boot is on the other foot with allegations of bullying being made against senior staff. If that's true it will be interesting to see who investigates - and what the outome is.