BUSINESS will continue as normal at Fareham Borough Council where the Tories strengthened their already tight grip.

The town turned a deeper shade of blue as the Conservatives romped home, scooping five new seats, two from the Lib Dems and three from Labour.

Long service did not guarantee Fareham candidates a cross in their box, but it helped.

Conservative Malcolm Harper, who romped home with a 786 majority, said his success was due to the last four years representing Titchfield, rather than the last fortnight.

He said: "It's been hard work over a long time."

And Stubbington councillor Rosabelle Miller, one of only two Lib Dem candidates to keep their seats, said: "The vote was a bit close for comfort.

"It takes a while for people to get to know who you are. I have tried to do my best for the people of Stubbington."

She added that despite the Lib Dem losses the party was still in "fighting spirit".

Another long-serving councillor, Portchester East's Richard Ryan (Lab), lost his seat despite years in the post.

He told the Echo: "I've been standing in elections since 1974 and I'm not about to stop now."

Lib Dem councillor Hugh Pritchard said Richard Ryan, as well as Lib Dem councillors who lost seats last night, would be missed on the council: "We've lost some very able councillors tonight."

Leader of the Labour group, Mick Prior, who saw the night end without a single win for his party, said: "I can't pretend it's not disappointing, it is. But the main thing is we still have a Labour government."

Fareham's current mayor, Portchester Central's Roger Price, held his seat convincingly with a 595 majority without canvassing a single house himself in the campaign.

The Lib Dem councillor said: "Being mayor sometimes works against you because there isn't the time to canvas."

Turnout across the borough fluctuated from 21.9 per cent in Fareham South to 39.5 per cent in Fareham West and Portchester East.

Converted for the new archive on 25 January 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.