The mayor of Hadleigh, Liberal Democrat Trevor Sheldrick, will now represent his town at a county level.
Mr Sheldrick won the Hadleigh seat, which was made vacant after former Conservative councillor Brian Riley quit nearly 18 months after emigrating to America.
He only resigned after failing to attend a meeting in six months – a legal requirement.
Liberal Democrats held the seat in the town for 24 years until 2013, when Mr Riley won the seat.
Mr Sheldrick beat Babergh councillor and Conservative Kathryn Grandon-White, a Babaergh district councillor, Labour Party candidate Susan Monks, UK Independence Party’s Stephen Laing and Green Party candidate Lisa Gordon.
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