Conservatives lose control of Hart Council

7.07.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 5th May 2006

Bob Harward held on to Frogmore & Darby Green ward with a majority of nearly 700

Conservatives have lost control of Hart Council after eight years in power.

During that time refuse collection had become increasingly unreliable, service standards generally had fallen and the Council's finances were in chaos.

At the Hart Council Elections on May 4th, the Conservatives found themselves under attack from all sides as people became increasingly angry about the Council's poor performance.

Lib Dem Cllr Bob Harward easily held on to Frogmore & Darby Green ward with a majority of nearly 700.

Meanwhile newcomer Colin Ive successfully defended the Yateley North ward for the Liberal Democrats replacing John Keane who stood down from Hart at these elections. Colin Ive retired as Yateley's Fire Chief in April after running Yateley Fire Station for 25 years.

Retiring Fire Chief Colin Ive held Yateley North with a record majority of 508

In Fleet, Lib Dem candidates Rod Fisher and Maria van Dolen also came within 76 and 178 votes of taking the Fleet Pondtail and Fleet North wards from the Conservatives.

A relatively new group called Community Campaign (Hart) or "CCH", who had already taken three of the four seats in Church Crookham from the Conservatives in the past couple of years, went on to gain the fourth and final seat while also making a breakthrough in Crondall to win this normally rock-solid Conservative seat by two votes.

In Fleet Central ward Independent Councillor Denis Gotel held on to win by 24 votes.

The overall make-up of Hart Council after the elections is:

16 Conservative

12 Liberal Democrat

5 Community Campaign Hart

2 Independent