CONSERVATIVE candidate John Perkins has been elected to Bournemouth Council.

Cllr Perkins won the Kinson North by-election on Thursday, September 1 with 556 votes.

He narrowly beat Labour candidate and former borough councillor Dennis Gritt who received 517 of the votes.

UKIP’s Duane William Farr came in third with 313 votes, Lib Dem Stephen Plant received 116 votes and Carla Christina Rachel Gregory-May from the Green Party received 102 votes.

The turnout for the election was 20.61 per cent.

The by-election was held following the resignation of David Turtle earlier this year after he was elected to the Kinson North ward in May 2015.

Following his resignation Mr Turtle said: “It’s been a privilege serving Bournemouth Council and the residents of Kinson North but I’ve taken the personal decision to live abroad.

“I’m confident however that I leave Kinson North in the good hands of my fellow ward councillors.”