sentences:  After the election, the composition of the council was
  
  Before the election the council was run by the Liberal Democrats after depriving the Conservatives of a majority in 1995 and winning majority control in 1996.However the Conservatives were optimistic of making gains as they were no longer in government nationally and after some Liberal Democrat councillors had defected.The Liberal Democrats however were confident of continuing to run the council, with the national party leader Paddy Ashdown visiting the area to campaign for the party.