Tories defy national trend to retain firm grip on county council

While the Conservatives nationally lost control of 10 authorities and more than 300 seats, the party maintained its firm grip on power in Northallerton.

In North Yorkshire, five Tory councillors lost their seats but four gains elsewhere means the Conservatives will have 45 of the 72 seats on the authority for the next four years.

The administration will also face a more fragmented opposition with Ukip securing two seats and Labour increasing its representation from one to seven councillors while the number of independents plummeted by six to eight and the Liberal Democrats fell by one to eight.

The results extend the Conservatives’ long run of success in North Yorkshire where they have run the county council since 2001.

Speaking after the results were declared, Coun Weighell said: “I would have more than settled for that at the beginning of the day.

“Ukip made gains but they were at the expense of the Liberal Democrats and an independent.

“I put the result down to keeping the council tax down in the North Yorkshire over the last three years and delivering good local services.”

The Conservatives in North Yorkshire were expected to come under greater pressure from the UK Independence Party whose results nationally in elections counted overnight raised expectations that they were in line for a major breakthrough in the county.

Coun Weighell said: “I think most North Yorkshire people saw Ukip had no history in local government and had no policies in local government.”

The Conservatives lost their grip on one of the two Knaresborough seats as well as Norton and Malton to the Liberal Democrats 
and relinquished a Selby Barlby seat and Sherburn in Elmet to Labour.

The Masham and Fountains division returned to the Tory fold, however, having been represented by Conservative-turned-independent Paul Richardson going into the election.

The Tories also secured a double triumph in the Harrogate Central division where Richard Cooper and Jean Butterfield took both seats from the Liberal Democrats.

The Liberal Democrats also lost Harrogate Oatlands to the Conservatives.

While the Conservatives retain control of the authority they do so at a time when the county council faces significant financial challenges.

Coun Weighell added: “I think we are in a good position to tackle that but it will certainly be a big challenge and there is no way of saying otherwise.”