There were twelve principal council by-elections contested last Thursday. In the Melton DC ward of Asfordby, the Conservatives polled 53.4% in gaining a seat from Labour with a majority of 136 votes.
There was also a gain for UKIP from the SDP after winning in Bridlington Central and Old Town on East Yorkshire UA with a narrow majority of 49 ahead of the Conservatives.
In addition, the SNP made a gain in the Aberdeenshire ward of Troup from the Conservatives after winning 1158 first preference votes.
Elsewhere Labour held five seats on Midlothian UA, Hillingdon LB, Oxfordshire CC and in two wards on Oxford DC, polling over 70% in the latter three contests.
The Conservatives held two seats on East Yorkshire UA in Howdenshire and Willerby & Kirk Ella wards, whilst also retaining a seat in the Huntingdonshire DC ward of St Neots Priory Park.
Also an Independent once again won the Orkney seat of Kirkwall West & Orphir in an election comprising completely of independent candidates.
The Liberal Democrats fielded candidates in six of this weeks elections, although only one managed to poll over 5% of the vote. In November, the party fielded candidates in 58.3% of the months principal council by-elections, an improvement by 4% from October. However this percentage was lower than the Conservatives, Labour and UKIP’s figure for last month.