THE Tories narrowly clung on to Colden Common and Twyford and so retain control of Winchester City Council.

The hurrahs at 3.55am were more than tinged with relief as it meant they now have 23 seats to the resurgent Lib Dems' 22.

Sue Cook held Colden Common with 996 votes, 84 ahead of the Lib Dem challenger.

But it was close. The Conservatives had been four seats ahead at the start but the Lib Dems snatched two seats and the Tories retain power only because they took a seat from an independent.

Lib Dem leader Lucille Thompson said: "These have been great results. We are edging ever near to taking control," which the party last had in 2010.

Council leader Caroline Horrill said she was particularly sad to see Ian Tait lose his seat in St Michael ward, and a place on the council he has held since 1999.

She said: "I am surprised. We have lost an outstanding councillor in Ian Tait who knows the city inside out."

The biggest battle was in St Barnabas ward where Lib Dem Anne Weir held off a strong challenge from Paul Twelftree who had campaigned on stopping the diversion of Andover Road through the Barton Farm development.

ALRESFORD/ITCHEN VALLEY

  • Margot Power Lib 1,710

  • Irene Spencer Con 1,613

  • Lee Hayes Lab 161

Turnout: 50.9%

BADGER FARM

  • Brian Laming Lib 1,630

  • John Godbold Con 1,329

  • Max Priesemann Green 151

  • Neil Dolby Lab 124

Turnout: 50.9%

BISHOP’S WALTHAM

  • Steve Miller Con 1,650

  • Steve Haines Lab 554

Turnout: 36.3%

CENTRAL MEON VALLEY

  • Linda Gemmell Con 1,818

  • Sheila Campbell Lib 735

  • Stan Evans Lab 270

Turnout: 39.8%

COLDEN COMMON &

TWYFORD

  • Sue Cook Con 996

  • Hannah Williams Lib 912

  • Paul Brown Lab 127

Turnout: 47.2%

DENMEAD

  • Caroline Brook Con 1,211

  • Judith Godwin Lib 523

  • Alexander Graft Lab 168

  • Ben Haysom-Newport Green 141

Turnout: 32.8%

SOUTHWICK & WICKHAM

  • Neil Cutler Lib 835

  • David Newberry Con 635

  • Paul Sony Lab 136

Turnout: 39.9%

ST BARNABAS

  • Anne Weir Lib 1,887

  • Paul Twelftree Con 1,495

  • Adrian Field Lab 154

  • Robert Parker Green 112

Turnout: 54.1%

ST BARTHOLOMEW

  • Kathleen Becker Lib 1,389

  • Paul Humm Con 701

  • Philip Ainsworth Lab 384

  • David Walker-Nix Green 176

  • Frances Baxter UKIP 52

Turnout: 44.6%

ST MICHAEL

  • Lynda Murphy Lib 1,262

  • Ian Tait Con 1,083

  • Charles Elderton Lab 330

  • Jonathan Lawrence Green 150

Turnout: 45.5%

ST PAUL

  • Lucille Thompson Lib 1,402

  • Chris Hunt Con 703

  • Catherine Hutchinson Lab 331

  • Andrew Wainwright Green 122

Turnout: 47.1%

THE WORTHYS

  • Malcolm Prince Lib 1,098

  • Tracey Anderson Con 746

  • Kimberly Torkington Lab 145

Turnout: 45.7%

UPPER MEON VALLEY

  • Laurence Ruffell Con 1,260

  • Simon Cook Lib 378

  • June Kershaw Lab 172

Turnout: 41.8%

WHITELEY & SHEDFIELD

  • Roger Bentote Lib 929

  • Jess Bond Con 725

  • Laurie Clough Lab 91

  • Anne Coleman Green 72

Turnout: 39.0%

WONSTON/MICHELDEVER

  • Patrick Cunningham Con 1,695

  • Ian Gordon Lib 727

  • Andrew Adams Lab 213

Turnout: 46.0%