History has been made in Babergh today as a single party gained a governing majority for the first time ever.

East Anglian Daily Times: Babergh and Mid Suffolk Election count at Trinity Park.Babergh and Mid Suffolk Election count at Trinity Park. (Image: Archant)

Of the 43 seats up for grabs, The Tories, had 29 seats, ahead of second placed independents totalling eight seats, three Liberal Democrat representatives, and one Labour councillor.

The Conservatives made a strong start with the early seats all turning blue, and continued to make ground as the results continued to come in.

Jennie Jenkins, a Conservative candidate in Leavenheath and up until the election the leader of Babergh District Council, said although she didn’t want to tempt fate, she was hopeful that it could be the first time the council had an overall control.

Since its formation in 1974, Babergh District Council has always been in a ‘no overall control situation’ – with no one party, or coalition of parties, forming a majority.

She said: “It looks like it could go that way (Conservative control of the district).

“This was our one chance to take overall control and we are going for it.

“Other parties have lost a few people and we have had some good gains.

“We’ve won some seats that perhaps we didn’t expect to win and we’re keeping a close eye on the board.”

She added that in Hadleigh, the town had four female Conservative councillors for the first time.

“It’s been an exciting day. The team have worked so hard,” she said.

“If we do take control we have to go straight to see the chief executive about the way forward for a different way of working.”

Elsewhere, there was drama in the ward of Great Cornard North, as Labour incumbent Tony Bavington held onto his seat by one vote, after two recounts. The other seat in the ward was picked up by Conservative Tom Burrows.

Following the outcome, Jenkins said the result was “very important” and added: “We worked really hard for a long time.

“I hope we can move things forward quickly, it gives us a stronger view.”

She added she wanted to work alongside Mid Suffolk, who also are Conservative controlled, and that wished to stay on as the council leader.

Results:

Alton (two seats): Harriet Steer (C) 767, Liz Perryman (Lab) 215, Phil Dunnett (Lab) 428, Tony Roberts (LD) 251, David Wood (LD) 664, Patrick O’Sullivan (UKIP) 423, Lyndon Ship (G) 140, Giles Ship (G) 97, Alastair McCraw (Ind) 1,025. Turnout 75.39%. Independent and Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats.

Berners (two seats): Peter Patrick (C) 847, Graham Manuel (Lab) 253, Anne Manuel (Lab) 170, Tony Ingram (LD) 492, Malcolm Harding (LD) 475, Andrew Sterling (G) 337, Jane Gould (G) 468, Derek Davis (Ind) 778. Turnout 71.53%. Conservatives and Independents gain from Liberal Democrats.

Boxford: David Talbot Clarke (C) 583, Andrew Hathaway (Lab) 127, Bryn Hurren (LD) 654, Felix Reeves Whymark (G) 81. Turnout 80.58%. Liberal Democrat hold.

Brett Vale: Michael Creffield (C) 693, David Hayes (Lab) 135, Colin Widdup 400 (G). Turnout: 72.74%. Conservative hold.

Brook (two seats): Nick Ridley (C) 1,117, Barry Gasper (C) 1,034, Keith Wade (Lab) 410, Nikki O’Hagan (G) 372, Caroline Daldry (G) 197, John Whyman (Ind) 775. Turnout 72.42%. Conservative hold and gain from Independents.

Bures St Mary: Lee Parker (C) 760, Liz Dunnett (Lab) 165, Laura Smith (G) 174. Turnout 74.08%. Conservative hold.

Chadacre: Elvina Williams (Lab) 147, Joseph Manning (G) 207, James Long (Ind) 917. Turnout 75.64%. Independent hold.

Dodnash (two seats): Stephen Williams (C) 784, John Hinton (C) 1,021, Iain Scott (Lab) 301, Michael Bamford (LD) 677, Cavan O’Connell (UKIP) 273, Steven Whalley (UKIP) 308, Miriam Burns (G) 301, Sallie Davies (G) 200. Turnout 76.07%. Conservatives hold and gain from Liberal Democrats.

Glemsford and Stanstead (two seats): Michael Holt (C) 1,033, Liz Malvisi (C) 562, Flavia Popescu-Richardson (Lab) 307, Graham Manning (G) 239, Richard Skeates (G) 149, Stephen Plumb (Ind) 649, Anne Mallalieu (Ind) 559. Turnout 68.8%. Independents hold and Conservatives gain from Independents.

Great Cornard North (two seats): Tom Burrows (C) 832, Tony Bavington (L) 700, David Stenson (C) 699, Becca Page-Wright (L) 527, Isla Kaye (Gn) 260, Colin Wright (LD) 258, Emily Adams (Gn) 199. Turnout 60.29%. L hold and C gain.

Great Cornard South (two seats): Peter Beer (C) 1,095, Mark Newman (C) 996, Mick Cornish (L) 577, Tom Keane (L) 534, Nigel Adam (LD) 265, Dean Walton (Gn) 261, Heather Sainsbury (182). Turnout 62.93%. C hold.

Hadleigh North (two seats): Christina Campbell (C) 818, Dr Sian Dawson (C) 927, Angela Wiltshire (Lab) 482, Mark Sutcliffe (Lab) 432, Trevor Sheldrick (LD) 401, Reginald Smith (UKIP) 480, Peter Lynn (G) 175, Lisa Gordon (G) 169, Peter Matthews (Ind) 290. Turnout 64.17%. Conservatives hold and gain from Liberal Democrats.

Hadleigh South (two seats): Kathryn Grandon (C) 884, Sue Burgoyne (C) 834, Tony Boxford (Lab) 364, Sue Monks (Lab) 462, Phil Neville (LD) 439, Amy Aylett (G) 252, Polly Huggett (G) 145. Turnout 67.98%. Conservatives hold and gain from Liberal Democrats.

Holbrook: David Rose (Ind) 795, Ralph Carpenter (Gn) 229, Carol Tilbury (L) 162. Turnout 72.91%. Ind hold.

Lavenham: William Shropshire (C) 515, Emma Cookson (Lab) 123, Ralph Crawshaw (G) 82, Jack Norman (Ind) 353. Turnout 72.9%. Conservative gain from Independents.

Leavenheath: Jennie Jenkins (C) 841, Andrew Jameson (L) 160, Oliver Jerrold (Gn) 148. Turnout 79.08%. C hold.

Long Melford: Richard Kemp (Ind) 1,294, John Nunn (Ind) 833, Paul Moreton (733), Aidan Powlesland (UKIP) 301, John Phillips (L) 264, John Smith (Gn) 157, Janet Smith (Gn) 150. Turnout 71.19%. Ind hold.

Lower Brett: John Ward (C) 753, Susan Hemmings (Lab) 159, Stephen Laing (UKIP) 346, Jon Daldry (G) 132. Turnout 77.38%. Conservatives gain from Independents.

Mid Samford (two seats): Sue Carpendale (LD) 1,196, Fenella Swan (C) 1,145, Kathy Pollard (LD) 1,104, Paul Cowell (L) 300, Tanya Griffiths (Gn) 212, James Molloy (Gn) 130. Turnout 78.26%. LD hold and C gain from LD.

Nayland: Melanie Barrett (C) 599, Emma Bishton (Lab) 224, James Carver (UKIP) 310, Hayley Brett (G) 74. Turnout 73.35%. Conservatives hold.

North Cosford: Clive Arthey (Ind) 854, Sandra Townsend (Gn) 303, Heath Brown (L) 203. Turnout 74.79%. Ind hold.

Pinewood (two seats): Peter Burgoyne (C) 1,049, David Busby (LD) 879, David Plowman (L) 613, Sue Thomas (L) 384, Lois Hickey (Gn) 221, Christopher Pearson (Gn) 101. Turnout 63.33%. C and LD hold.

South Cosford: Alan Ferguson (C) 684, Robert Lindsay (Gn) 646, Annabel Hathaway (L) 72. Turnout 78.24%. C gain from Gn.

Sudbury East (two seats): Jan Osborne (C) 883, Adrian Osborne (C) 952, Sarah Page (Lab) 533, Jack Owen (Lab) 682, Andrew Welsh (LD) 166, Julie Fowles-Smith (G) 259, Arthur Tunley (G) 203. Turnout 61.05%. Conservatives hold and gain from Labour.

Sudbury North (two seats): Sue Ayres (C) 989, Ray Smith (C) 867, Linda Gregory (L) 558, Sandra Stark (L) 486, Steve May (Gn) 331, Simon Edge (Gn) 282, Oliver Siney (LD) 282. Turnout 63.23%. C hold.

Sudbury South (two seats): Simon Barrett (C) 756, David Holland (C) 540, Luke Cresswell (Lab) 535, Joanne Connah (L) 478, Peter St John Howe (UKIP) 367, Robert Spivey (LD) 267, John Burch (Gn) 263, Tony Platt (LD) 247, Theodore Bird (Ind) 208, Melanie Sainsbury (Gn) 170. Turnout 61.65%. C hold

Waldingfield (two seats): Frank Lawrenson (C) 1,217, Margaret Maybury (C) 1,194, Stuart Armstrong (UKIP) 545, Alison Owen (L) 436, Leon Stedman (UKIP) 369, Alan Scott (LD) 263, Daynore Cameron (Gn) 234, Jonathan Schofield (Gn) 126. Turnout 71.29%. C hold.