Conservatives suffered setback in the Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council elections as they lost seven seats, while Labour, Liberal Democrats, Green and Independents all gained numbers.
In the elections held for 18 seats, Conservatives, LibDems, and Basingstoke and Deane Independents (BDI) won four wards each, while Labour won three, and Green, Women's Equality, and an independent candidate won one seat each.
Both LibDems and BDI gained two seats each from Conservatives. Labour, Green and Women's Equality Party gained one seat each from the Conservatives.
Overall, the council has 16 Conservatives, 11 Labour, 11 LibDem, 10 BDI, three independent, two Green, and one Women's Equality Party councillors.
READ MORE: Basingstoke and Deane 2024 election results - live blog
This means the current coalition leadership, formed by non-Conservative councillors, is expected to continue.
Council leader Paul Harvey of BDI and co-leader Gavin James of LibDem indicated after the results that the parties look forward to continuing the leadership.
The seven wards lost by Conservatives are Bramley; Chineham; Hatch Warren & Beggarwood; Oakley & The Candovers; Tadley & Pamber; Tadley North, Kinsclere & Baughurst; and Winklebury & Manydown.
Stacy Hart became the first-ever Women's Equality Party candidate to win the BDBC election
Sheena Grassi, who won from Basing & Upton Grey, is the only Independent candidate to win the election without the backing of a political group. The ward previously too had an independent councillor.
All the other wards were retained by the respective political groups.
There were some big margins as well as narrow wins.
BDI's Colin Phillimore won by a whopping majority of 1,485 from Whitchurch, Overton & Laverstoke.
He got 1,881 votes, while the second-best was Conservative candidate Tom Thacker who got 396 votes.
LibDem's Ronald Hussey won by 980 votes in Eastrop & Grove.
SEE ALSO: First Women's Equality Party borough councillor elected in Basingstoke
Women's Equality Party's Hart won from Hatch Warren & Beggarwood with a majority of 962 votes, while Labour's Sajish Tom won from Popley with a majority of 913 votes.
Labour's Zander West won from Winklebury by a slender margin of 26 votes against Conservative candidate Abigail Compton-Burnett.
The Green Party's Jonathan Jenkin also won by 46 votes against Laura Edwards.
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