OLD TOWN/LAWN; CON HOLD: OLD Town and Lawn was something of a foregone conclusion for the Conservatives, being the ward of council leader Mike Bawden.

The number of votes cast for Swindon's longest serving councillor, a figure on the local political scene since the 1960s, comfortably exceeded the total cast for all three of his rivals.

But Coun Bawden was not complacent.

He said: "It is a very pleasing result on a personal level, but the most important thing for me and the Conservatives on Swindon Council is serving the people of Swindon."

Coun Bawden said his party listened to the people and acted on what its councillors were hearing.

There was also satisfaction for the Green Party in Old Town and Lawn, with candidate Bill Valentine whooping with happiness on learning he had beaten Labour rival Michael Szymanski.