North Dorset District Council remains under Conservative control after a disappointing night for the Liberal Democrats.

The highest profile Liberal Democrat loss was Steve Hitchings, who until the election had been the district council’s chairman, and had led a successful campaign to save Blandford’s leisure centre from closure.

He lost his Blandford Hill Top ward to Conservative candidate, Cllr Tony Harrocks, who polled 297 votes – 10 per cent more than Mr Hitchings. Both men serve as town councillors.

Blandford’s mayor, Cllr Esme Butler, stood as an independent and won the district council ward of Blandford Damory Down by a comfortable margin, polling 43 per cent of the vote and beating her nearest rival by 129 votes. Former Liberal Democrat councillor, Nessa Hickish, who stepped down before the election, had previously held the seat.

Her husband, Cllr Joe Hickish, retained the Blandford Old Town ward in one of the few areas of the district in which Liberal Democrat support remained firm.

Liberal Democrat councillor, Barrie Cooper, held the Blandford Langton St Leonards ward, while his colleague Cllr John Tanner, retained the Blandford Station ward.

In Shaftesbury, it was a story of Liberal Democrat losses, with Nigel Cook losing his Shaftesbury Grosvenor seat to independent candidate, Cllr Simon Pritchard, and Conservative councillor, Gary Jefferson, winning ahead of the Liberal Democrat candidate, town mayor, Lester Dibben, in the Shaftesbury Underhill ward.

Conservative Cllr John Stayt won the Portman ward previously represented by Liberal Democrat, Chris Tomlinson, while the Lodbourne ward previously held by former mayor of Gillingham, Liberal Democrat, Ian Stewart, was won by Conservative, Cllr Helen Webb, wife of council leader, Peter Webb, who retained The Stours ward.

And the Lydden Vale ward vacated by Liberal Democrat town and county councillor, David Fox, was won by Conservative candidate, Cllr Pauline Batstone.

The Tories consolidated support in safe seats vacated by high-profile councillors. Conservative candidate, Cllr Sherry Jespersen, won the Hill Forts seat vacated by Dorset County Council’s leader, Angus Campbell, while the Beacon ward represented by former chairman, the late Colin Kaye, was held for the Conservatives by Cllr Julian Speers.