THE Conservative stranglehold over East Hampshire District Council was left less true blue and more black and blue as the results of the 2019 Local Elections were declared early into Friday morning.

On a bruising night for the Tories, the Lib Dems, Labour and independents all made in-roads into East Hants' Conservative majority - which was reduced from 42 to just 32 of the 44 seats on offer.

The Lib Dems will form the council's official opposition after picking up a total of seven seats - including four in Alton, two in Whitehill and a further seat in Horndean Murray.

Labour shocked the Tories further by winning two seats in Alton Eastbrook and Wooteys - leaving the Tories with just one solidary ward in the town, in Holybourne.

Elsewhere independent Jamie Matthews held his seat in Petersfield Bell Hill, while fellow independent Neville Taylor ousted Tory rival Derek Barr in Lindford.

Council leader Richard Millard, chairman Anthony Williams, and cabinet members Ferris Cowper, Julie Butler, Nick Drew, Angela Glass, Ingrid Thomas, Ben Bentley and Bill Mouland all retained their seats.

However, former Mayor of Alton Dean Phillips was one high profile casualty, losing his district council seat to Labour candidate Paula Langley in Alton Eastbrook.

See next week’s Herald for more analysis and results of the town and parish elections. Selected results below:

*Alton Amery:

GREEN, Danny (Con) 227

HUNT Steve (Lib Dem) 405 Elected

PETERS Robert Admund Guthrie (Lab) 84

*Alton Ashdell:

ABBOTT Jenny (Lab) 54

BURNS Suzie (Lib Dem) 426 Elected

JOY Andrew Ian Philip (Con) 297

*Alton Eastbrooke:

COATSWORTH Steve (Lib Dem) 173

LANGLEY Paula Louise (Lab) 197 Elected

PHILLIPS Dean (Con) 178

*Alton Holybourne:

HILL Graham Edward (Con) 353 Elected

JAMES Nicholas Andrew Milburn (Lib Dem) 281

TANSEY Barbara (Lab) 117

*Alton Westbrook:

ABBOTT Ian Willliam (Lab) 118

HICKS Peter Charles (Con) 286

PLATT Richard David (Lib Dem) 359 Elected

*Alton Whitedown:

BOXALL Ginny (Lib Dem) 643 Elected

COSTIGAN Jane Alexandra (Con) 234

TREACHER Janice Mary (Lab) 56

*Alton Wooteys:

DOLAN Stephen James (Lab) 369 Elected

ORME David John (Con) 346

*Bentworth & Froyle:

COSTIGAN Tony (Con) 652 Elected

DAVIES Jenniann (Lab) 202

*Binsted, Bentley & Selborne:

ASHCROFT David Arnold (Con) 1,029 Elected

BURFOOT Barbara Anne (Lab) 192

CARTER Ken (Con) 889 Elected

PRICE Jane-Frances Margaret (Lab) 266

RAVENSCROFT Lynne (Lib Dem) 839

*Bramshott & Liphook:

BENTLEY Susan (UKIP) 327

GLASS Angela Betty Langton (Con) 1,372 Elected

JERRARD Don (The Justice & Anti-Corruption Party) 265

MOULAND Bill (Con) 1,421 Elected

NIBLOCK Neil Dodds (Lab) 394

STANDISH Rebecca Jane (Con) 1,348 Elected

TOUGH John Michael (Lab) 479

TROTTER Eddie (The Justice & Anti-Corruption Party) 236

TWIST Matt (Lab) 475

*Four Marks & Medstead:

GWILT Ralph (Lib Dem) 819

HAMMOND Don (Lab) 196

MALAM Benjamin James (Green) 671

MAY Jonathan (Con) 1,281 Elected

MOWSE Ivan Austin (Lab) 145

NICHOLSON Julie Martha (Lab) 222

TENNYSON Diana Beverley (Con) 1,263 Elected

THOMAS Ingrid Catherine (Con) 1,439 Elected

*Grayshott:

COWPER Ferris Edward (Con) 451 Elected

JAMIESON David George (Lib Dem) 245

MENDRESSE-ELDER Larisa Zohra (Lab) 30

WILDEY Ted (UKIP) 70

*Headley:

DEACON Julia (Lab) 112

LUBELSKA Anna Maria Christine (Lib Dem) 513

MACNAMARA Francis Stephen (Lab) 86

MILLARD Richard Charles Stuart (Con) 877 Elected

SHEPHERD Lesley (Lib Dem) 520

WILLIAMS Anthony John (Con) 978 Elected

*Lindford:

BANKS VAN ZYL Simon Anthony (Lab) 34

BARR Derek Jeffery (Con) 250

BENTLEY Geoffrey David (UKIP) 58

LEVENE Frank Roger (Lib Dem) 79

TAYLOR Neville Peter John (Independent) 371 Elected

*Liss:

BALDWIN Sheila (Lab) 274

BUDDEN Keith Nigel (Con) 1,009 Elected

JAMES Ian Raymond (Green) 594

LINSLEY Howard Jeremy (Lab) 238

MULLENGER Roger Arthur (Lib Dem) 600

OPPENHEIMER Russell Julian (Con) 871 Elected

*Ropley, Hawkley & Hangers:

GERVAIS Marie-Marthe (Green) 286

LOUISSON Charles George (Con) 710 Elected

WHITEHEAD Stephen Graham (Lab) 44

*Whitehill Chase:

COLEMAN Thomas Edward (Lib Dem) 428

ILSLEY David Eric (Lab) 162

MULDOON Anthony Andrew (Con) 512

POND Sally Jane (Con) 552 Elected

VRABIE Alina (Lab) 176

WIGMAN Paul Richard (Lib Dem) 543 Elected

*Whitehill Hogmoor & Greatham:

BOLUS Mercy (Lab) 128

CAREW Adam Sebastian (Con) 689 Elected

CROUCHER Michael Antony (Lib Dem) 520

DAVIES Phillip (Con) 589 Elected

GRAY Antony John (Lib Dem) 562

JOHNSON Moira (Lab) 120

*Whitehill Pinewood:

BARNETT Tom (Lab) 47

MARONEY Trevor John (Lib Dem) 149 Elected

WARD Neil (Con) 134

See the full set of results online at https://www.easthants.gov.uk/thurs-2-may-results .