WHITCHURCH, Overton and Laverstoke stayed in the hands of the Basingstoke and Deane Independents as voters throughout the Basingstoke borough went to the polls.

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, Lib Dems, 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.

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Both Lib Dems 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 Lib Dem, 10 BDI, three independent, two Green, and one Women's Equality Party councillors.

In Whitchurch, Overton and Laverstoke, Colin Phillimore, of BDI, was re-elected with a huge majority.

Cllr Phillimore gained 1,881 votes, while Conservatives Tom Thaker had 396, Callum Hunter (Labour) 321, Matthew Kaschula (Lib Dems) 230 and Neil Fellman (Hampshire Independents) 102.

After the declaration, Cllr Phillimore said: “Thank you for all the support of residents in electing me again, it’s not all about politics, it’s what you do in your community that counts as well, it’s what you do for people in Overton, Whitchurch, Laverstoke and Freefolk and the wider borough of Basingstoke and Deane.

“Thank you for all the support of Basingstoke and Deane Independents and everyone who voted for me.”

The Conservatives held Envigar, which includes St Mary Bourne. Jo Perry was elected with 1,299 after Graham Falconer decided not to run again. 

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The other candidates included Pauleen Malone (Lib Dems) who received 450 votes, Chris Whitehead (The Green Party) 316, Jen Lee (Labour) 184, and Phil Heath (Hampshire Independents) 165.

Cllr Perry said: “I’m really excited to have been given this opportunity and I’m very grateful to everyone that voted for me and to everybody that helped me with my campaign.

"I can’t wait to get started and join the team, which is Sam Carr and John Izett, which I’m very excited about.”

Tadley North, Kingsclere and Baughurst was taken by the Lib Dems, with David Conquest securing 1,125 votes. The Lib Dem gain came after former council leader Ken Rhatigan – who received 704 votes - stood as an independent, having been not approved to stand as a Conservative.

The Conservatives fielded Stuart Frost who secured 765 votes, while Matt Russell (Labour) gained 282 votes.

After the declaration, Cllr Conquest said: “It feels wonderful, I would like to thank everyone who voted for me, I’m really looking forward to representing the whole of the ward for North Tadley, Kingsclere and Baughurst. Clearly, they were after a change so I’m really glad they agreed with us.”