Lib Dems win Stratford-on-Avon council from Conservatives

The Conservatives have lost power at Stratford-on-Avon council and it is now the first time any other party has been in majority control.

All 41 seats were up for election and the Lib Dems convincingly came though with a 15-seat gain.

That compared with the Conservatives, who not only lost their majority but dropped 14 of their seats.

On the doorstep, campaigners said issues around the town's Conservative MP Nadhim Zahawi came up repeatedly.

He was sacked as Tory party chairman after an investigation found there had been a "serious breach of the ministerial code" when he failed to disclose an HMRC investigation into his tax affairs.

The council was established in 1989, through the merger of Stratford County and Stratford Borough councils.

In Warwick, the council remains in no overall control. However, the Conservative Party lost 13 seats, opening the door for the Greens to replace it as the authority's largest party.

The Conservatives have been in charge of the council since 2007. However, since the last election in 2019 it has worked in coalition with independents after losing its majority.

The Greens increased their seat count by six, taking them to 14 overall, with Labour the second largest party with 11 after also gaining six seats.

Liberal Democrats gained one to take it to 10 and with its losses, the Conservatives were left with just six seats.

Green Party leader Ian Davison said he planned to talk to Labour or the Liberal Democrats in the hope of forming an administration.

Elsewhere in Warwickshire, the Conservatives have also been struggling to hold on to power.

In Rugby and North Warwickshire, the Tories missed out on retaining majorities at both councils by just one seat.

Labour had North Warwickshire District Council in its sights as a key battleground and had been optimistic of a "narrow victory".

That did not come to pass and there is now no overall control at the council after three of the four seats lost by the Conservatives were picked up by independents.

Rugby too faces no overall control. However, the Conservatives remain the largest party at the council with 21 seats compared to Labour's 12.