Three Lib Dem councillors in Somerset have defected to UKIP.
Cllrs Adrian Dobinson, Sharon Snook and Derek Tanswell will stand for re-election to Somerset County Council, Mendip District Council and Frome Town Council next month as UKIP candidates.
Cllr Dobinson, who will lead the UKIP group on the council, said:
The Liberal Democrat group is dysfunctional and unable to co-ordinate an opposition group on the council, let alone run the council if it should win.
Mendip is an appallingly-run council and we have been shocked at some of the things we are uncovering in the council.