COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTIONS: The Liberal Democrats won the bulk of the county council seats in west Wiltshire on May 5.

Following ward changes, the Lib Dems took six of the 13 seats, with the Conservatives taking four, Labour one and Independents two.

Despite losing the Whorwellsdown Hundred seat, the Lib Dems took Trowbridge East, maintaining their six-seat position in west Wiltshire, while Labour broke through in Melksham Central.

Boundary changes saw two seats on the Trowbridge East ward, after it merged with Trowbridge South.

Despite the change Trowbridge mayor Grace Hill was re-elected onto the seat along with fellow Lib Dem Stephen Oldrieve.

She said: "I was quite surprised really. I did not think I would hold the seat as I lost part of the division I had for 16 years.

"I will now be able to continue the work I do with children, families and education, so I am most delighted about that."

Trevor Carbin (Lib Dem), Joan Main (Ind) and Anthony Moore (Con) were the biggest casualties, with all three losing their seats.

Mr Moore, who was vice-chairman of the county council, said: "I was disappointed obviously because I have worked very hard over the past four years. I will still be doing what I can in the community, which I always have done.

"The problem was I only had a very small majority of 62 and the boundary change altered the ward and a lot of people would not have known me. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there and put a lot of time into it."

In the Melksham Central seat, town mayor Terri Welch (Lib Dem) lost out to deputy mayor Margaret White (Lab) by just 38 votes.

Cllr White said: "I knew it was going to be close. Terri and I work very closely together on the town council and I'm sure we will continue to do so.

"It's just sad that a person has to be the winner."

Cllr Welch said: "I feel disappointed but it was a fair election and Margaret won it so I'm very pleased for her and I'm sure she will make an able county councillor and be good for Melksham."

Despite Lib Dem success in west Wiltshire, the Conservatives once again maintained an overall majority in the county, winning 28 seats out of the 49 available.

West Wiltshire MP Dr Andrew Murrison, who attended the count hours after being re-elected to Parliament, said: "It's been a very good couple of days for us and I'm very pleased with the results. I think everybody is exhausted and will have some time off before getting cracking again.

"I think there is probably some good news for everybody."

COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTION RESULTS

Bradford on Avon

Malcolm Hewson (Lib Dem) 2,959

Michael Banks (Con) 1,766

Nancy Webber (Lab) 714

Holt & Paxcroft

Sarah Content (Lib Dem) 1,789

Ernie Clark (Ind) 1,613

Peter Beaton (Con) 1,300

Manor Vale

Terry Chivers (Lib Dem) 2,041

Peter Blackburn (Con) 1,710

Angela Womersley (Lab) 628

Melksham & Without

Roy While (Con) 2,201

Stephen Petty (Lib Dem) 1,827

William Cox (Lab) 1,561

Melksham Central

Margaret White (Lab) 1,268

Terri Welch (Lib Dem) 1,230

Kenneth Williams (Con) 1,078

Hilary Millichamp (Green) 223

Trowbridge East (Two seats)

Grace Hill (Lib Dem) 4,090

Stephen Oldrieve (Lib Dem) 3,553

Peter Fuller (Con) 2,600

Anthony Moore (Con) 2,471

Gregory Coombes (Lab) 1,487

Peter Ezra (Lab) 1,328

Trowbridge West

Jeff Osborn (Lib Dem) 2,446

John Knight (Con) 1,450

Geoffrey Mitcham (Lab) 1,007

Warminster East

Andrew Davis (Con) 2,736

Joy Charman (Lib Dem) 1,732

Joan Main (Ind) 987

Warminster West

John Syme (Ind) 1,389

Russell Hawker (Con) 1,385

Paul Batchelor (Lib Dem) 1,141

Westbury Ham & Dilton

Christopher Newbury (Ind) 1,302

William Braid (Con) 1,143

William Tout (Lib Dem) 1,127

Michael Sutton (Lab) 698

David Howells (Green) 220

Westbury, Laverton & Shearwater

Mary De Rhe-Philipe (Con) 2,141

Gordon King (Lib Dem) 1,672

Christine Mitchell (Lab) 621

Stephen Sainsbury (Green) 351

Whorwellsdown Hundred

Julie Swabey (Con) 1,950

Trevor Carbin (Lib Dem) 1,637

Tony Phillips OBE (Ind) 1,191

Amanda Griffiths (Green) 371