With an average turnout of 32.1 per cent – with the lowest at 22 per cent and the highest just under 40 per cent – East Cambridgeshire District Council Liberal Democrats came within a whisker of taking control.
With an average turnout of 32.1 per cent - with the lowest at 22 per cent and the highest just under 40 per cent - East Cambridgeshire District Council Liberal Democrats came within a whisker of taking control.
The council down-sized from 39 to 28 and at one moment during Friday's count it looked possible the Tories could lose control with six of the seven Ely seats falling to the Lib Dems.
But it was the villages that rescued the Conservatives and shortly after their control was ensured Mayor James Palmer and his political assistant Tom Hunt arrived at the Ross Peers Centre, Soham, to join the celebrations.
It will, however, be a different landscape for the Conservatives who lost a number of long serving councillors as they take control with 15 seats and 13 for the Liberal Democrats.
Cllr Anna Bailey, deputy leader, said: "I am extremely sad and disappointed to have lost some hardworking councillors."
Those defeated include Mark Goldsack at Soham who took his seat in a by election two years ago when James Palmer became mayor. He felt national issues such as Brexit "clouded local concerns and I can assure you that no one is more upset at the current Brexit position than am I".
He added: "But I believe in democracy and therefore accept that in this ward this means two seats for Liberal Democrat candidates. With my tongue in my cheek I won't say that I do not accept the decision and would like the vote again on this occasion."
Also no longer on the council is Richard Hobbs, who has been mayor of Ely four times and who lost both his Ely seat on the district council and the city council
Mayor Mike Rouse, who lost his district seat but retained his city council seat, felt anguish over the departure of Mr Hobbs.
"Richard will be sorely missed on the city council; he has been one of hardest working councillors, bringing great experience and dedication to everything he has done."
Cllr Rouse said his former colleague's greatest legacy would be the leisure village and "without his drive and determination it would never have gone ahead.
"I know it has been a great source of pleasure to him to see how successful and popular it is. I will certainly miss him as a friend and someone who could always be relied upon to contribute to debates and help take decisions."
Cllr Lorna Dupre, leader of the Liberal Democrats, said: "We are back and not going anywhere..
"We will continue to hold the Conservative administration to account and challenge them; which we can do much more now we have a larger group.
"I am delighted to have come from just three councillors to this - it is a huge achievement and I am incredibly proud of all the hard work my team have put in."
It was a tightly-fought battle for East Cambridgeshire District Council to remain under Conservatives rule after a surge in votes for the Liberal Democrats saw a nail biting finish.
Early on into the results the Lib Dems appeared to have stormed ahead, but it was the Conservatives who eventually claimed the most seats with 15 - only just two ahead of the Lib Dems at 13. Boundary changes saw the number of seats available drop from 39 to 28.
It meant that long-standing Tory councillors lost their seats in various wards.
Deputy leader of the Conservative group Cllr Anna Bailey, who was re-elected in the Downham ward, blamed issues nationally for the group taking a blow in the area.
She said: "I am extremely sad and disappointed to have lost some hardworking councillors.
"There is no doubt that what is happening nationally has caused this and we have suffered because of it.
"It was clear on the doorsteps that national issues were the main concerns for people.
"However, I am pleased that we have retained control.
"We have set out a very clear manifesto and are united as a group to make sure we deliver it.
"We have projects across the district from the last four years that we will continue to focus on and move forward with."
Turnout was highest in the Bottisham Ward, with 43 per cent of people coming out to vote.
The Liberal Democrats took a significant lead there with Charlotte Cane claiming 900 votes and John Trapp, 838 ahead of the Conservatives Matthew Shuter with 648.
The Lib Dems gained both seats in Ely North - one of the wards affected by this year's boundary changes.
It meant Mayor of Ely Mike Rouse lost his seat after several years on the council.
Other results followed in a similar vein as Tory councillors Mike Bradley, Richard Hobbs, Carol Sennitt and Mark Goldsack all lost their seats.
The ward with the lowest turnout was Littleport, with 22 per cent.
Here it was a clear win for Christine Ambrose Smith, with 790 votes and her husband David with 754 votes.
Another two seats in Littleport went to David Ambrose Smith, with 754 votes, and Jo Webber with 782.
Lorna Dupre, leader of the Liberal Democrats was jubilant with her members, as she said the results reflected that they were here to stay.
"We are back and not going anywhere," she said.
"We will continue to hold the Conservative administration to account and challenge them; which we can do much more now we have a larger group.
"I am delighted to have come from just three councillors to this - it is a huge achievement and I am incredibly proud of all the hard work my team have put in.
"We have so many ideas for the district."
Youngest councillor for the district, 23-year-old Lib Dem Matthew Downey was elected for Ely East.
He said: "I am shocked but elated.
"I am really looking forward to bringing youth and vibrancy to the council.
"I was quite fed up with the world and wanted to do something to change the way things were run - so here I am now."
In the end it was Burwell that took the Conservatives over line to remain in power, with David Brown and Lavinia Edwards winning comfortably.
BOTTISHAM
Cane, Charlotte (Lib Dem) 900 *
Goodland, Jane (Lab) 336
McGrady, Steve (Green) 194
O'Dell, Steven (Lab) 252
Shuter, Matthew (Con) 648
Thurston, Bradley (Con) 571
Trapp, John (Lib Dem) 838 *
Turnout: 43 pc
BURWELL
Brown, David (Con) 726 *
Cubitt, Martin (UKIP) 172
Edwards, Lavinia (Con) 642 *
Safe, Hilary (Lab) 215
Swift, Liz (Lab) 243
Waterhouse, Floramy (Green) 314
Wrench, Catherine (Lib Dem) 456
Wrench, Hebe (Lib Dem) 350
Turnout: 33.7 pc
DOWNHAM
Bailey, Anna (Con) 493 *
Brenke, (Lib Dem) 352
Winters, Owen (Ind) 113
Turnout: 39.8 pc
ELY EAST
Downey, Mathew (Lib Dem) 777 *
Every, Lis (Con) 727 *
Hobbs, Richard (Con) 642
Morris, Isobel (Lab) 152
Moschetta, Louise (Lab) 151
Semmens, Clive (Green) 267
Wilkins, Kevin (Lib Dem) 690
Turnout: 39.3 pc
ELY NORTH
Bellow, Sarah (Con) 409
Carlsson Browne, Edward (Lab) 168
Denness, Rebecca (Lab) 178
Harries, Simon (Lib Dem) 540 *
Rouse, Mike (Con) 410
Whelan, Alison (Lib Dem) 591 *
Turnout: 38.2 pc
ELY WEST
Austen, Sue (Lib Dem) 1380 *
Borland, John (Ind) 354
Bristow, Gemma (Green) 511
Fraser, Sarah (Lab) 386
Hucker, Mark (Lab) 299
Merrick, Helen (Con) 890
Miller, David (Con) 868
Page, Charlie (Con) 692
Perkins, Sarah (Lab) 297
Primarco, Paola (Lib Dem) 1330 *
Whelan, Christine (Lib Dem) 1308 *
Turnout: 38.9pc
FORDHAM & ISLEHAM
Beckett, Derrick (Ind) 381
Crickmark, Chris (Lab) 131
Docwra, Connor (Lib Dem) 307
Goodland, Jamie (Lab) 127
Huffer, Julia (Con) 743 *
Moss-Eccardt, Rupert (Lib Dem) 185
Schumann, Joshua (Con) 647 *
Turnout: 29.39pc
HADDENHAM
Hill, Lydia (Lab) 67
Juneau, Carly (Green) 80
Smith, Stuart (Con) 358
Wilson, Gareth (Lib Dem) 524 *
Turnout: 38.6pc
LITTLEPORT
Ambrose Smith, Christine (Con) 790 *
Ambrose Smith, David (Con) 754 *
Double, Martyn (Lib Dem) 403
Double, Siobhan (Lib Dem) 476
Harris, Lindsay (Lib Dem) 440
Phillips, Lee (Green) 475
Webber, Jo (Con) 782 *
Turnout: 22.1 pc
SOHAM NORTH
Abbott, Chris (Lab) 124
Charlesworth, Victoria (Lib Dem) 599 *
Foley, Eileen (Lab) 107
Goldsack (Con) 528
Jones, Alec (Lib Dem) 558 *
Sennitt, Carol (Con) 465
Turnout: 24.9 pc
SOHAM SOUTH
Bovingdon, Ian (Con) 507 *
Burnett, Joanna (Lib Dem) 335
Frost, Lucy (Lab) 194
Schumann, Dan (Con) 487 *
Tyson, Peter (Lab) 143
Warner, Charles (Lib Dem) 353
Turnout: 23.6 pc
STRETHAM
Allen, Ian (Lab) 357
Hunt, Hill (Con) 964 *
Spencer, Gill (Lab) 225
Stubbs, Lisa (Con) 929 *
Westwell, Rosemary (Lib Dem) 724
Wilson, Pauline (Lib Dem) 676
Turnout: 39.8pc
SUTTON
Bradley, Mike (Con) 536
Dupre, Lorna (Lib Dem) 925 *
Inskip, Mark (Lib Dem) 1199 *
Skelham, Beth (Con) 466
Turnout: 39.1 pc
WOODDITTON
Crickmark Teresa (Lab) 190
Fullerton, Richard (UKIP) 229
Ross, Christopher (Lib Dem) 287
Sharp, Alan (Con) 840 *
Smith, Susan (Lab) 170
Starkey, Amy (Con) 814 *
Whelan, Zoe (Lib Dem) 305
Turnout: 30.8 pc
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