IN the Hart District Council area, there was no change as the Conservatives retained control of the local authority, but with two fewer seats.

The election saw the new Community Campaign (Hart) group - which is opposed to a massive proposed housing development on the former Gurkha Barracks at Church Crookham - score successes in two wards.

The Conservatives are now left with 18 seats on the new council. The Liberal Democrats gained one seat to bring their total to 12.

Below, we put the spotlight on the two Hart wards in the area covered by The Gazette.

HOOK

HAFFEY, Michael Sean John (Conservative) - 1,211

EVANS, David Ceridig Glyn (Liberal Democrat) - 733

ROBERTSON, Roger Cryle (British National Party) - 198

Turnout - 37.7%

A LOCAL group for members of the controversial British National Party is to be set up for Basingstoke and Hart following its local candidate's election performance - despite him coming last.

Roger Robertson, 58, from Phoenix Green, near Hartley Wintney, stood for the BNP in Hook. He got the least amount of votes of the three Hook candidates, but he hailed the day as a success.

He said: "It was very exciting because we fell just short of our target, which was 10 per cent."

Mr Robertson won 198 of the 2,142 votes cast in the Hook ward, and said a local BNP group will be formed within the next few months on the back of this. He said: "We will be forming an active group based in Basingstoke and Hart."

There was no change in the Hook ward, with Conservative councillor Sean Haffey re-elected.

ODIHAM

GORYS, Stephen Alexander (Conservative) - 1,031

OVER, Anthony Phillip (Liberal Democrat) - 351

HARTWELL, Craig Robert (Community Campaign Hart) - 73

Turnout - 42.1%

ODIHAM has a new district councillor who has crossed the floor from the Fleet Courtmoor ward.

Stephen Gorys, 46, from Upton Grey, replaces Robert Benford who was deselected by the Conservatives in the run-up to the local elections.

Mr Gorys said: "I moved out into the countryside from Fleet and decided I had more in common with the rural issues we face as a council.

"I am obviously delighted to be elected, and we worked very hard on the doorstep, going out and seeing many, many people."

Mr Gorys, who runs a telecoms and IT recruitment company in Fleet, added: "There are lots of issues that I want to address, such as the inappropriate development in Hart.

"There are a number of issues specific to Odiham, such as traffic matters, that I hope to influence. I also want to encourage the farmers' market to grow."