THE CONSERVATIVES have strengthened their control of West Dorset District Council in the local elections.

Campaigners fighting the district council’s proposed move to new offices in Dorchester’s Charles Street development hoped that opposition to the move would materialise in a weakening of the Tories’ stronghold on the authority.

That hope failed to translate across the district though as the Conservatives, who previously held 28 of the 48 seats on the council, increased their share to 32 councillors.

The Liberal Democrats, who have supported the anti-Charles Street campaign, fell back from 14 members to 11.

Ballot boxes from around the district began arriving at the Thomas Hardye Leisure Centre soon after the polls closed at 10pm.

The first result was announced just before 2am, with the Lib Dems scoring an early victory over the Conservatives as Robin Legg claimed the previously Tory seat of Bradford Abbas.

The Lib Dems also retained its two seats in Beaminster but the Conservatives hit back as they gained seats in Burton Bradstock and Charmouth.

The Tories also gained a seat in Bridport South and Bothenhampton, where Frances McKenzie ousted Lib Dem Karl Wallace, as well as in Lyme Regis.

Alan Thacker in Broadmayne was among a wave of Conservative candidates who held onto their wards.

He said: “I’m delighted because I have done it for quite a few terms and I’m still glad to be in again.”

Fellow Tory Thomas Bartlett, who was re-elected in the Chesil Bank ward, said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed the last four years and I am looking forward to carrying on the good work.”

One vocal opponent of the council office move Alistair Chisholm did strike a blow to the Conservatives in the Charminster and Cerne Valley ward by taking one of their seats.

The independent candidate, who is also Dorchester Town Crier, vowed to call the council to account during his impending four-year term.

He said: “I feel openness and transparency are absolutely fundamental at all levels of Government and that has been conspicuous by its absence.”

The Lib Dems also retained the seven out of eight seats in the four Dorchester wards.

Leader of the West Dorset Lib Dems Stella Jones said: “It shows a message of support for all the hard work the Lib Dems do throughout the year in helping everybody in Dorchester.

“It also shows support for our campaign against the council offices.”

Conservative Council leader Robert Gould, who comfortably held onto his seat in the Queen Thorne ward, said he was ‘pleased and encouraged’ with the outcome of the election.

Although the votes for the national referendum on the Alternative Vote will not be counted later today, a turnout figure of 42,259 – 53.3 per cent - was confirmed.

West Dorset MP Oliver Letwin, who attended the count, said he believed there was no obvious correspondence between voters’ party choices and the way they voted in the national referendum on the Alternative Vote.

He said: “I think there are two completely separate things going on and my impression is that there is no particular pattern linking people’s votes on the Alternative Vote with their party preference.”