Local elections 2014: Harrogate, North Yorkshire

The party gained four seats in Bilton, High Harrogate, Rossett and Saltergate wards, all previously held by their coalition partners.

Meanwhile the UK Independence Party celebrated what candidates hailed as a string of minor breakthroughs, despite failing to win a single seat in yesterday’s local election count.

Coun Phillip Broadbank, leader of Harrogate Lib Dems, blamed the national picture for his colleagues’ defeat at the hands of the Tories.

He said: “It is the national situation, it cannot be down to the councillors in the wards. That’s what we are hearing on the doorstep. A number of people have said they want to make a protest. UKIP have done reasonably well but I think there are many of our old supporters who have abstained.

“I think a lot of soul-searching needs to be done by our party before the general election next year.”

It was the Conservative’s win in Rossett - a seat the Lib Dems won by more than 200 votes in a by-election just 18 months ago - which provided local supporters with the biggest cause for celebration.

Newly-elected Coun Rebecca Burnett, aged 24, ousted Lib Dem David Siddans with 1,157 votes to his 697.

She said: “To get a victory like that is fantastic. It has been hard work and there has been a focus on local issues.

“I think the way we have turned it around in such a short space of time shows great confidence in the Conservative party.”

Andrew Jones, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, joined newly-elected councillors as the results were announced at Harrogate International Centre.

He said: “It has been a good day for us and I think Harrogate have elected councillors who will be local champions and focus on those issues.

“These campaigns have focused on local issues, but there’s always an element of party politics and it is very positive for us from that perspective.”

One of UKIP’s biggest successes came in Bilton, formerly Lib Dem, where North Yorkshire County Council’s Coun David Simister in the closest call of the day.

The Conservatives won with 500 votes, with Lib Dems second with 488 votes and Coun Simister a narrow third, winning 435 votes.

The anti-EU party also enjoyed reasonable success with a narrow second to the Lib Dems in the New Park ward.

Losing candidates promising ‘big things’ in May 2015.

Laurence Bruce, UKIP candidate for Knaresborough King James, was in a buoyant mood after coming in third came in third as the Lib Dems retained their seat.

He said: “UKIP are on the rise, not just in Harrogate but in the rest of the country. We have built momentum and next year we will be in a better position to take our fight to all parties. They should be worried.

“Today a soldier - tomorrow a hero.”

RESULTS (CONSERVATIVE HOLD)

BILTON

Andrew Gray Labour 130

Paul Haslam Conservative 500

Claire Hawkins Green 93

Robert O’Neill Lib Dems 488

David Simister Ukip 435

GRANBY

Arif Ahmad Independent 31

Robert Darlington Labour 160

John Fox Lib Dems 731

Steve Marshall Conservative 333

Hugh Whiteside Ukip 284

HARLOW MOOR

Justin Chan Lib Dems 285

David D’Arcy Thompson Ukip 259

Don Mackenzie Conservative 931

John Mcnerny Labour 187

HIGH HARROGATE

Helen Burke Labour 191

Philip Burke Ukip 237

Ben Johnson Conservative 677

Diane Stokes Lib Dems 284

Paul Viney TUSC 66

HOOKSTONE

Lorraine Ferris Labour 128

Phil Headford Conservative 607

Pat Marsh Lib Dems 760

Steven O’Neill Ukip 291

KNARESBOROUGH EAST

Sue Batt Conservative 350

Carolina Bruce Ukip 315

David Bulmer Labour 194

Christine Willoughby Lib Dems 512

KNARESBOROUGH KING JAMES

Nick Bates Green 126

Laurence Bruce Ukip 367

David Goode Lib Dems 614

Diane Maguire Labour 130

Mike Renton Conservative 603

KNARESBOROUGH SCRIVEN PARK

Tony Handley Conservative 489

Anne Jones Lib Dems 564

Chris Royston Ukip 317

Jan Williams Labour 161

LOW HARROGATE

John Ennis Conservative 734

Jeanette Marshall Lib Dems 296

Marlene Shreeve Labour 168

Ruth Whiteside Ukip 257

NEW PARK

Neil Bentley Conservative 301

Andrew Dennis Ukip 315

Conor Hawkins Green 104

Nicholas Knott Labour 118

Matthew Webber Lib Dems 522

PANNAL

Helen Evison Labour 168

Andrew Kempston-Parkes Lib Dems 276

John Mann Conservative 1086

Ben Stockburn Ukip 269

Richard Wilson Green 129

RIPON MINISTER

Elizabeth Barclay Green 166

Vivienne Graham Labour 116

Sid Hawke Independent 704

Stuart Martin Conservative 492

RIPON MOORSIDE

Jeremy Banyard Ukip 273

Pauline McHardy Independent 675

Nick Murray Labour 129

Mick Stanley Conservative 217

RIPON SPA

Alan Henderson Ukip 432

Andrew Murday Labour 321

Alan Skidmore Conservative 815

ROSSETT

Salvina Bashforth Ukip 312

Kevin Bolt Labour 142

Rebecca Burnett Conservative 1157

David Siddans Lib Dems 697

SALTERGATE

Paul Bramley Ukip 355

Shaun Lowry Green 92

Janet Morrow Labour 118

Allan Reynolds Lib Dems 397

Graham Swift Conservative 518

STARBECK

Philip Broadbank Lib Dems 715

Gillian Charters Green 184

Phillip Dixon Conservative 317

Geoff Foxall Labour 170

STRAY

Pat Foxall Labour 171

John Hanson Ukip 287

Clare Skardon Lib Dems 464

Cliff Trotter Conservative 852

WOODFIELD

Harvey Alexander Ukip 358

Helen Compton Green 114

Mary Dilworth Conservative 216

Andrew Goss Lib Dems 472

Brian Summerson Labour 245