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 .