The Liberal Democrats have claimed overall control of Bath and North East Somerset Council for the first time in yesterday's Local Election. But it was a bad night for outgoing Conservative leader, Tim Warren, who was ousted from his Mendip seat, along with cabinet members and many long-serving councillors.

He admitted that the party had taken a 'hammering' and said it would not recover until the national government sorted itself out.

Lib-Dem leader, Dine Romero, said she was delighted with the result and was eager to get to work. Her colleagues include the first two Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Councillors in twenty years, Yukteshwar Kumar and Bharat Pankhania.

Speaking after the final results were announced shortly at around 5.30 a.m. on Friday, Mr Warren said: “I’m disappointed. I think the electorate have spoken out quite angrily. Whether they have spoken to us or central government is another matter.

“At the doorstep, we couldn’t get them to differentiate between local politics and Brexit, and we got hammered for it.

“I thought we might lose a few seats. The way it fell apart is a shame.

“We left the council in a good place. We inherited the council with a £1.7 million recurring debt and saved £49 million.

“We left it with a balanced budget, which is better than we received it.

“Until Government has sorted itself out, we can’t recover.

“I don’t know what I will do now. I’ll sleep on it.”

Mr Warren has been on the Council for sixteen years and been its leader for the last four. He will hold the position until the authority’s annual meeting on May 21st.

“It has a limited lifespan,” he said. “I would have liked another couple of years, but the electorate have chosen. I’ll get my life back.”

Mr Warren – who lost out to Lib-Dem Focus Team candidate, David Wood, by 468 votes – said he would miss his colleagues, and welled up when outgoing Chief Executive, Ashley Ayre, commiserated him.

High-profile Conservatives like Bob Goodman, the cabinet member for communities and environment, and Mark Shelford, whose remit included transport and resilience, were among those who lost out to the Lib-Dem surge.

In High Littleton, long-serving Conservative Councillor, Les Kew, was ousted by twenty-year-old Ryan Wills.

The Conservatives were left without a single seat in Bath.

Councillor Romero said she was “exhilarated” by her party’s success.

“I’m delighted with the result and excited about the challenge that lies ahead and looking forward to getting on with the job,” she said.

“I’m delighted with the result. It shows that out residents were clearly not satisfied with the Conservatives running the Council as well as the Government.

“Partly this is a Brexit-related vote, but it’s also a reflection of the trust our residents have in us.”

She said the party would deliver on its manifesto pledges, including one to create a new cabinet position to ensure the council delivers on its climate change promises.”

The previous council was made up of 65 councillors, 35 of whom were Conservatives. The total number has been cut to 59, and 37 of them are Lib-Dems. There are eleven Conservatives, six Independents and five Labour members.

The Green, UKIP and the Bath and North East Somerset Independent Group failed to gain a foothold.

On the latter, Cllr Romero said: “BIG was made up of a number of single-issue campaigners and perhaps they overestimated their appeal.”

The Conservative seats are in the Chew Valley, Clutton and Farmborough, Keynsham north and south wards, both Midsomer Norton wards, and Publow and Whitchurch.

In Chew Valley, long-serving Councillor, Vic Pritchard and Karen Warrington, who had been responsible for the administration’s Modern Libraries programme managed to hold on to their seats.

Labour held on in Paulton, Radstock and Westfield.

For the Independents, Colin Blackburn and June Player were re-elected in Westmoreland, Shaun Hughes won one of the seats in Midsomer Norton North, Doug Deacon held Timsbury, and Sarah Bevan and Karen Walker will again represent Peasedown St John.

The highest turnout was in Widcombe and Lyncombe, at 56.09 per cent, while the lowest was in Westfield at just 22.62 per cent.

Results in local wards as follows – Clutton & Farmborough: Sally Davis (Conservative) won with 41% of the vote, followed by Lib Dems (28%), Green (25%), and Labour (6%); High Littleton: Ryan Wills (Lib-Dem) won with 58% of the vote, Conservative (31%), Labour (5%); Midsomer Norton North: seats won by Shaun Hughes (Independent) 436 votes and Michael Evans (Conservative) 413 votes, followed by Lib-Dems (283 & 271), Conservative, Labour and Green; Midsomer Norton Redfield: seats won by Paul Myers (Conservative) 817 and Chris Watt (Conservative) 654, followed by Independent 295, Labour, Green and Lib-Dems; Paulton: Liz Hardman and Grant Johnson (both Labour) won with 808 and 630 votes, followed by Independent (272), Conservative, UKIP, Conservative, Lib-Dem; Peasedown St John: won by Independents, Sarah Bevan (835 votes) and Karen Walker (791 votes), followed by the two Conservative candidates (380 and 331 votes), Labour, Green, Lib-Dem; Radstock: Chris Dando (Labour and Co-operative) 428 and Bruce Shearn (Lib-Dem) 417 won seats, followed by Chris Dando’s fellow Labour and Co-operative candidate, Lesley Mansell (383), Conservative (317), Independent, Green, Lib-Dem, UKIP and Conservative; Timsbury: Long-standing Independent candidate, Doug Deacon returns to his seat with 59% of the vote, followed by Conservatives (15%), Lib-Dem (13%) and Labour and Co-operative (12%); Westfield: Labour’s Robin Moss and Eleanor Jackson returned to their seats with 479 and 461 votes respectively. Next were Green (247), UKIP (241), Conservatives (183 and 154) and Lib-Dems (95 and 75 votes).

Stephen Sumner, LDR, and Becky Brooks