WINCHESTER Conservatives have held onto the city council but the result was uncertain almost to the end of the count.

The election was held on Ascension Day, last Thursday, but it was the Liberal Democrats who were on the rise when the count finished at 5pm on Saturday.

The count was among the last nationally to finish at around 5pm, leaving the Tories on 25 councillors and the Liberal Democrats on 20.

This was an all-out election caused by the boundary re-organisation that saw the number of seats cut from 57 to 45. Previously the Tories had 33 seats, the Lib Dems 22 and Labour two.

It was only with the six seats of the last two wards, Bishop's Waltham and Whiteley and Shedfield, that the Tory victory was assured.

They will be happy that the dangers of an all-out election have been avoided but the Lib Dems will be satisfied they have built a base from which to attack at the next elections in 2018.

Labour lost their two seats leaving them with no representation on the council for the first time since 2010.

Council leader Stephen Godfrey, speaking to the Chronicle moments after a celebratory photo on the steps of the Guildhall, said he had thought the result might have been closer after early returns on Friday.

He said: "People are recognising we are focussing on things that are important to residents, the local issues like parking at a reasonable price and trying to do what we can to keep areas tidy. We are making sure we are responding to problems in the local community."

The Lib Dems will be disappointed to have got so close, at one stage in the afternoon thinking they might even snatch control.

But they will be satisfied to have cut the majority from nine to five. The next election is in two years time because of elections to Hampshire County Council.

Lib Dem leader Lucille Thompson said: "It's been a good day for us with an excellent set of results. We have gained ground and improved on last year (when three seats were lost). We have shown we are not dead and buried but that we are back."

Cllr Thompson said it was sad to have lost Margot Power in Alresford. "She has been superb for Alresford. To get 1,400 votes was an astonishing amount and then to lose is very frustrating."

Labour candidate and former group leader Patrick Davies was disappointed to see the last two councillors go. "We always knew the boundary changes would make life difficult for us," referring to the disappearance of the St John and All Saints ward covering Highcliffe and Winnall. "It is going to be difficult to get back but one never says never. It is a tragedy that Janet Berry has lost.

"Winchester is poorer for the fact there is no no principled opposition. Important decision this summer will not be properly scrutinised."

The challenge of the Winchester Independents petered out with the best performer being Kezia Hoffman who polled 661 votes, to finish seven out of ten candidates in St Barnabas ward.

It showed that although there is dissatisfaction over the handling of schemes such as Silver Hill, most electors stick to the established political parties.

The Green took comfort from securing 17 per cent of the vote in St Bartholomew ward which covers the Hyde are.

For Howard Bone, chief legal officer, it was his first election as returning officer. It went smoothly, if slowly, but at one point he took to the microphone after a tumbler of water fell from the balcony onto a counting table. No-one was hurt.

If revenge is a dish best tasted cold then Kelsie Learney enjoyed a big salad. She defeated Paul Twelftree in St Barnabas, 12 months after he beat her in the then-Littleton and Harestock ward.