The Conservatives lost their slim majority at Tendring District Council tonight following a strong UKIP surge.

In a closely-fought contest, the two parties held 22 seats each, before a late call after three recounts for the Harwich East Central ward saw the Conservatives take one of the seats to finish with the most on 23 seats .

The Independents were elected in six seats, while the Holland Residents’ Association were elected for three seats.

The number of Labour seats was cut from nine to four, while the Liberal Democrats and the Conservative breakaway party Tendring First were elected to one seat apiece. The result means that UKIP have made big strides this election, having gone into the polls with just two elected councillors.

The Conservatives had previously held a slim majority, with 32 of the 60 seats.

Following the tight result, which left no party with a majority, a coalition will have to be formed, with talks expected over the coming days.

Commenting on the council results, re-elected Clacton UKIP MP Douglas Carswell said: “Both the Conservative and UKIP groups need to take stock, decide on who their leader is going to be, and they need to work out what they want to achieve. If they find they can work together, great, but if their differences are irreconcilable that’s respectable too. The main this is to do it democratically and follow proper process.”

Conservative leader Mick Page, who dramatically lost his Homelands seat to UKIP candidate Laurie Gray, refused to be drawn on whether the Conservatives could form a coalition council with UKIP.

He said: “The simple fact is the Conservative Group is to elect who will be their leader is going to be and discuss who they would be in a coalition with.

“It’s interesting how the people have voted going over to UKIP.

“When you look at the north of the district, most of our Conservatives have got in, it’s mostly round Clacton where UKIP are taking the most votes.

“We have got a very good record with this [current] council, but at the end of the day it is going to be how you form a coalition.”

Results:

Alresford: Gary Scott (LD) 828, Angela Rothwell (C) 265, Terry Ripo (L) 110. Maj: 563. Turnout: 72.7%. No change.

Alton Park (first two elected): Peter Cawthron (UKIP) 794, Alex Porter (UKIP) 641, Graham Caines (L) 465, Delia Aldis (L) 455, Brian Mershe (C) 400, Mary Mersh (C) 340. Maj: 176. Turnout: 50.3%. UKIP gain from L.

Ardleigh and Little Bromley: Neil Stock (C) 985, Pamela Watson (L) 288. Maj: 697. Turnout: 70.7%. No change.

Beaumont & Thorpe: Daniel Land (C) 902, Chris Cotter (UKIP) 272, Alan Roebuck (L) 169. Maj: 630. Turnout: 73.9%. C gain from Ind.

Bockings Elm (first two elected): John Chittock (UKIP) 1,180, Ted Whitmore (UKIP) 869, Siggy Challinor (C) 815, Stuart Morgan (C) 724, Fiona Hayes (L) 349, Colin Watson (L) 362. Maj: 54. Turnout: 61.7%. UKIP gain from C and LD.

Bradfield, Wrabness & Wix: Zoe Fairley (C) 723, Mark Morsley (UKIP) 399, Graham Ford (L) 273. Maj: 324. Turnout: 76.3%. No change.

Brightlingsea (first three elected): Jayne Chapman (Ind) 2,451, Graham Steady (Ind) 2,185, Karen Yallop (Ind) 1,520, Alan Goggin (C) 1,473, Vivien Chapman (C) 1,197, Elizabeth Edey (C) 786, Bev Maltby (Gn) 633, Carol Carlsson Browne (L) 633, Rebecca Collis (L) 464 Maj: 47. Turnout: 69%. Two no change, one Ind gain from C.

Burrsville: Mick Skeels (UKIP) 531, Pam Sambridge (C), Wayne Tearle (L) 146, Chris Southall (Gn) 80. Maj: 11. Turnout: 71.4%. UKIP gain from C.

Frinton (first two elected): Giles Watling (C) 1,269, Nick Turner (C) 1,137, Terry Allen (TF) 701, Jack Parsons (UKIP) 681, Susan Morley-Souter (L) 246, Mark Morley-Souter (L) 230. Maj: 436. Turnout: 74%. No change.

Golf Green (first two elected): Kevin Watson (UKIP) 1,185, Roy Raby (UKIP) 1,135, Dan Casey (L) 618, Nick Brown (L) 508, Beverley Moule (C) 425, Anne Alexander (C) 412. Maj: 517. Turnout: 59.1%. UKIP gain from L.

Great & Little Oakley: Tom Howard (Ind) 405, Steve Harriss (C) 319, Andy Erskine (UKIP) 261, John McAllister (L) 166. Maj: 86. Turnout: 69.3%. No change.

Great Bentley: Lynda McWilliams (C) 785, Robert Taylor (LD) 304, Louise Armstrong (L) 130. Maj: 481. Turnout: 70.6%. No change.

Hamford (first two elected): Anne Davis (UKIP) 917, Mark Platt (C) 829, Vanda Watling (C) 761, Christopher Shepherd (UKIP) 652, Iris Johnson (TF) 504, Paul Clifton (TF) 341, Bryan Whitcomb (L) 229. Maj: 68. Turnout: 74.4%. UKIP gain from TF/No change.

Harwich East: Ivan Henderson (L) 686, Angela Petre (C) 370. Maj: 316. Turnout: 60%. No change.

Harwich East Central (first two elected): Garry Calver (L) 946, Barry Brown (C) 758, Dave McLeod ()L) 757, Robert Day (C) 698, Simon Ashley (UKIP) 678. Maj: 1. Turnout: 59.8%. C gain from L/No change.

Harwich West (first two elected): Ricky Callender (C) 865, John Brown (UKIP) 779, Pamela Morrison (L) 761, Sean Fay (C) 710, John Hawkins (L) 673, John Thurlow (UKIP) 668. Maj: 69. Turnout: 63.2%. UKIP gain from L/No change.

Harwich West Central (first two elected): Jo Henderson (L) 1,206, Maria Fowler (L) 988, Darrell Howard (C) 921, Susannah Howard (C) 880. Maj: 67. Turnout: 59.5%. L gain from C/No change.

Haven: Joy Broderick (HRA) 1,041, Andrea Cossens (C) 257. Maj: 784. Turnout: 71.7%. No change.

Holland & Kirby (first two elected): Mark Cossens (C) 956, Robert Bucke (TF) 850, Richard Everett (UKIP) 820, Pamela Walford (C) 766, Karl Whillier (UKIP) 617, Chris Keston (TF) 476, Dave Bolton (L) 274. Maj: 30. Turnout: 70.5%. No change.

Homelands: Laurie Gray (UKIP) 583, Mick Page (C) 535. Maj: 48. Turnout: 67.2% UKIP gain from C.

Lawford (first two elected): Val Guglielmi (C) 1,190, Andy Baker (C) 1,143,Richard Kenny (L) 580, Jo Richardson (L) 476, Eleanor Gordon (Gn) 399. Maj: 563. Turnout: 69%. No change.

Little Clacton & Weeley (first two elected): Jeffrey Bray (UKIP) 984, Mike Brown (C) 897, Anita Bailey (C) 836, Sandy White (UKIP) 710, Pete De-Vaux Balbirnie (TF) 494, Mavis De-Vaux Balbirnie (TF) 430. Maj: 61. Turnout: 65.8%. UKIP and C gain from TF.

Manningtree, Mistley, Little Bentley & Tendring (first two elected): Alan Coley (C) 1,299, Carlo Guglielmi (C) 1,245, Duncan Gordon (Gn) 782, Cameron Scott (L) 675. Maj: 463. Turnout: 67.4%. No change.

Peter Bruff (first two elected): Lis Bennison (UKIP) 836, Andrew Pemberton (UKIP) 679, Gwen Mitchell (C) 652, Sara Richardson (538), Joseph Freebody (L) 360, Rob Harper (LD) 252. Maj: 27. Turnout: 58.8%. UKIP gain from C.

Pier: (first two elected): Paul Honeywood (C) 618, Mohammad Khan (UKIP) 609, Graham Townley (UKIP) 607, Sue Honeywood (C) 591, Wendy Davidson (L) 473, Gary McNamara (L) 432. Maj: 2 Turnout 50.9% No change and UKIP gain from C.

Ramsey & Parkeston: Tanya Ferguson (C) 390, Tony Colbourne (UKIP) 389, Charlie Powell (L) 278. Maj: 1. Turnout: 63%. C gain from UKIP.

Rush Green (first two elected): Mary Newton (UKIP) 870, Leonard Sibbald (UKIP) 751, Danny Mayzes (C) 540, Andy Wood (C) 439, Pia Smith (L) 385, Steve Smith (L) 357. Maj: 211. Turnout: 51.3%. UKIP gain from C.

St Bartholomew’s (first two elected): Colin Winfield (HR) 1,904, KT King (HR) 1,868, Alan Bailey (C) 553, Lizi Ninnim (C) 403, Maj: 1,315. Turnout: 70.7%. No change.

St James’ (first two elected): Martyn Hughes (UKIP) 933, Chris Griffiths (C) 848, Maurice Alexander (C) 770, Teresa O’Hara (UKIP) 741, Denis Barry-Smith (L) 385, Tony Fawcett (Ind) 244 Maj: 78. Turnout: 64.1%. No change for one seat, and UKIP gain from C.

St John’s (first two elected): Mick Skeels (UKIP) 1,234, Chris Amos (C) 818, Bernard Leatherdale (C) 680, Samantha Atkinson (L) 503, Eve Casey (L) 348, Rosie Dodds (Gn) 241. Maj: 138. Turnout: 63.7%. No change.

St Mary’s (first two elected): John Hones (UKIP) 1,081, Mark Stephenson (UKIP) 973, Richard Bleach (C) 593, Eileen Sills (C) 580, Clive Baker (L) 465, Norman Jacobs (L) 435. Maj: 380. Turnout: 59.5%. UKIP gain from C and TF.

St Paul’s (first two elected): John Mooney (UKIP) 944, Andy Massey (C) 838, Pierre Oxley (TF) 766, Mike Vaughan-Chatfield (UKIP) 760, Ann Oxley (TF) 754, Jonathan Wright (C) 611. Maj: 72. Turnout: 65.6%. UKIP and C gain from TF.

St Osyth & Point Clear (first two elected): Michael Talbot (Ind) 1,159, John White (Ind) 1,059, Rita Bailey (C) 635, Kristian Brown (C) 579, Tracey Osben (L) 362, Jon Salisbury (L) 273. Maj: 424. Turnout: 63.4%. No change.

Thorrington, Frating, Elmstead & Great Bromley (first two elected): Rosemary Heaney (C) 1,613, Fred Nicholls (C) 1,502, Janet Smith (L) 625, Rosemary Smith (LD) 611. Maj: 877. Turnout: 67.8%. No change.

Walton (first two elected): Bridget Poonian (UKIP) 759, Margaret Miles (C) 618, Ben Smith (UKIP) 544, Antony Pugh (C) 459, Gary Henderson (L) 338, David Oxley (TF) 337, Jack Robertson (TF) 327, Keith Henderson (L) 325. Maj: 74. Turnout: 62.4%. One no change, one UKIP gain from C.