BLUE was the colour at West Devon Borough last week as the Conservatives took control of the council for the first time.

The party took 19 of the 31 seats, meaning the council moves from 'no overall control' to a clear Tory majority. 'We've had a brilliant day', said the party's group leader James McInnes.

He admitted there had been some 'very close calls' in some wards, but said the results bore the fruit of the Tories' efforts in getting out and about and discussing issues on the doorstep.

'West Devon Borough Council is recognised as having been well run in the last four years, in which the Conservatives have been the largest group,' he said.

Taking pleasure from the Tory victory was West Devon MP Geoffrey Cox, who was at the council offices as the results were declared: 'There has never been a Conservative council at West Devon before — it's a fantastic result and a vindication of four years of good, Conservative-led local government.

'The new council will work with other parties to strengthen and consolidate the achievements of the last four years.'

The political backlash from the Liberal Democrats' national coalition with the Conservatives left its scars in the borough with the party's representation falling from eight to three — and of those, one was returned unopposed while another was only elected by the luck of a draw, following a tied vote.

Liberal Democrat group leader Alison Clish-Green, who held her Tavistock South West seat, said she knew they would suffer from the national backlash against her party. But she pointed out that she had been the only Liberal Democrat on the council at one stage. 'We have been here before and have built up — I'm upbeat. We will be back.'

Cllr Clish-Green said the 'door was open' for the three Liberal Democrats to work with what she called the 'non-Tory Independents'. And she added: 'I await with interest to see the Tories' manifesto.'

The closest vote was at Bere Ferrers where sitting Liberal Democrat Robin Musgrave and Tory Andrew Sadleir polled 486 votes each. After many recounts, the seat was chosen by drawing lots and fortune favoured Cllr Musgrave.

Mr Sadleir accepted the defeat graciously. Drawing lots was what the law provided, he said, adding that the tied result showed clearly that every vote counts.

Hatherleigh was another tight result. The new Tory member, Christine Hall, polled just two votes more than Independent Graham Alford, the town's mayor.

Among those wearing no political label, the fiercely Independent Ted Sherrell again topped the poll in Tavistock South — he was the only candidate to poll into four figures. Another Independent safely home was South Tawton's Bill Cann, who had no trouble seeing off a Labour challenge.

And there will be a new but familiar face on the borough for Okehampton East — former town mayor Tony Leech was elected as an Independent.

The Labour Party was bottom of the poll in nine of the ten wards it fought. But party workers said they were pleased to have made stronger showings than in the past — in the three-seat Tavistock North ward their candidate polled more votes than one of the Liberal Democrats.

A new factor in the polling was the record number of postal votes — at 16.5% they numbered more than 7,000.

The new make-up of the council is: Conservatives 19 (+8), Independents 9 (-3), Liberal Democrats 3 (-5).