LABOUR re-gained a toehold in Fenland by securing their first councillor in eight years- but only to a town council.

The party was crushed in its bid to recapture seats on Fenland District Council but gained a consolatory seat on Wisbech Town Council.

Gas engineer Reg Mee ousted former Wisbech mayor Patrick O’Dell from his Staithe ward seat on Wisbech Town Council by just 25 votes. Tories held the second seat with a comfortable victory by another former mayor, and ex group leader, Roger Green.

Cllr Mee, who unsuccessfully fought the same ward for the district council, said: “I believe as a town we have so much to offer. My passions are for the youth of today. I would love to see the return of proper funded apprentices and a more positive attitude towards out young age.”

Incoming Wisbech mayor Jonathan Farmer held his seat along with Carol Cox, Viv MacRae, Samantha Hoy, Henry Wegg, David Oliver and Nicholas Meekins.

David Wheeler and Ray Griffin will represent Waterlees on the town council and will work with Independent couple Michael and Virginia Bucknor, who defeated them on the district council.

The Liberal Democrats took both seats in Kirkgate with Robert McLaren and district councillor David Patrick combing to form an opposition on the town council.

In Chatteris a recount saw Lib Dem Chris Howes fight off stiff competition and keep his town council seat by seven votes over Tory Ian Taylor, and will represent Slade Lode with Richard Cross and Peter Murphy.

Richard Cross and James Carney are the new additions to Chatteris Town Council which saw the return of Mark Petrou, Christine Colbert, Diane Baldry and Rosemary Stimson.

In March independent candidate Rob Skoulding topped his district election victory off taking Andrew Donnelly’s seat in March West on the town council and Gavin Philpott replaced Bernard Keane’s wife Sylvia, who stood down. Ironically Mrs Keane will still have a civic role this year after her husband Bernard was elected Mayor on Monday. Mr Donnelly should have become mayor but lost his town council seat by 201 votes.

In Whittlesey, Ken Peachey, who kept his district council seat, lost his town council seat to Independent Roy Gerstner with new additions Denise Laws, Alan Bristow and Alex Miscandlon joining forces on the council.

Richard Cross and James Carney are the new additions to Chatteris, which saw the return of Mark Petrou, Christine Colbert, Diane Baldry and Rosemary Stimson.

Of the 43 seats contested across all four Fenland towns, Conservatives took 33, Liberal Democrats took five, four went to Independents and one went to Labour.

FENLAND DISTRICT COUNCIL RESULTS

(* denotes serving councillor)

BASSSENHALLY, WHITTLESEY

(One seat)

Ken Mayor* (Con) 392

Tracey Wilkes (Lib Dem) 104

TURNOUT: 39.81 per cent

BENWICK, COATES AND EASTREA

(Two seats)

Shane Alexander (Green) 194

Ralph Butcher* (Con) 880

Aidan Hervey (Lab) 248

Alex Miscandlon (Con) 530

Bob Wicks (Ind) 414

TURNOUT: 41.47 per cent

BIRCH, CHATTERIS

(One seat)

Alan Melton* (Con) 424

Christine Colbert (Lib Dem) 234

Sandra Rylance (UKIP) 107

TURNOUT: 40.62 per cent

CLARKSON, WISBECH

(One seat)

Carol Cox* (Con) 258

Robert McLaren (Lib Dem) 70

Ann Purt (Lab) 127

TURNOUT: 26.2 per cen

DELPH, WHITTLESEY

(One seat)

David Lewis (Lab) 167

Kay Mayor* (Con) 434

TURNOUT: 39.25 per cent

DODDINGTON

(One seat)

David Connor (Con) 554

Jan Feekins (Lib Dem) 169

TURNOUT: 42.89 per cent

ELM AND CHRISTCHURCH

(Two seats)

Mac Cotterell* (Con) 711

Robert Pinnock (Ind) 198

Nicholas Poole (Lab) 221

Verity Roscoe (Lib Dem) 118

Will Sutton (Con) 489

Phil Webb* (Ind) 268

TURNOUT: 34.26 per cent

HILL, WISBECH

(Two seats)

Simon King* (Con) 797

Dean Reeves (Lab) 366

Luke Roscoe (Lib Dem) 202

Bruce Wegg* (Con) 677

TURNOUT: 30.37 per cent

KIRKGATE, WISBECH

(One seat)

Bob Lawrence (Con) 233

Dave Patrick* (Lib Dem) 311

John White (Lab) 96

TURNOUT: 35.11 per cent

LATTERSEY, WHITTLESEY

(One seat)

Paul Adams (Lib Dem) 52

Steve Garratt* (Con) 453

Jes Hibbert (Lab) 162

TURNOUT: 35.66 per cent

MANEA

(One seat)

Mark Archer* (Ind) 568

James Carney (Con) 201

TURNOUT: 47.74 per cent

MARCH EAST

(Three seats)

John Clark* (Con) 1,154

Martin Field (Lab) 727

Bernard Keane* (Con) 1,002

Reg Kemp (Ind) 537

Louis Sugden (Lab) 617

Robert Williams (Lab) 613

Fred Yeulett* (Con) 914

TURNOUT: 38.36 per cent

MARCH NORTH

(Three seats)

Mike Cornwell (Con) 1,064

William McAdam (Lib Dem) 468

Trevor Quince* (Con) 923

Matthew Routledge (Lab) 627

Peter Tunley* (Con) 827

TURNOUT: 34.79 per cent

MARCH WEST

(Three seats)

Matt Broadfield (Ind) 483

Christopher Carter (Lab) 472

Stephen Court (Lib Dem) 460

Jan French* (Con) 1,019

Kit Owen* (Con) 1,117

Rob Skoulding (Ind) 1,082

Adam Triggs (Con) 813

TURNOUT: 43.25 per cent

MEDWORTH, WISBECH

(One seat)

Jonathan Farmer* (Con) 364

Mark Plumb (Lab) 194

Christopher Randall (Lib Dem) 58

TURNOUT: 30.46 per cent

PARSON DROVE AND WISBECH ST MARY

(Two seats)

Gavin Booth (Lib Dem) 652

David Goode (Lab) 303

Mary Lane (Lib Dem) 405

Robert Scrimshaw* (Con) 849

Steve Tierney (Con) 602

TURNOUT: 42.87 per cent

PECKOVER, WISBECH

(One seat)

Heather Kinnear (Lib Dem) 62

Simon Massen (Lab) 131

David Oliver* (Con) 446

TURNOUT: 34.51 per cent

ROMAN BANK

(Two seats)

Philip Hatton* (Con) 1,092

Michael Humphrey* (Con) 1,256

Kay Scott (Lab) 590

Christopher Seaton* (Con) 1,007

Nicholas Smith (Lib Dem) 361

TURNOUT: 40.35 per cent

SLADE LODE, CHATTERIS

(One seat)

Chris Howes (Lib Dem) 206

Florence Newell* (Con) 301

Grant Osbourn (Lab) 140

TURNOUT: 32.23 per cent

STAITHE, WISBECH

(One seat)

Roger Green* (Con) 301

Reg Mee (Lab) 157

Will Schooling (UKIP) 88

TURNOUT: 29.86 per cent

ST ANDREW’S, WHITTLESEY

(One seat)

David Chivall (Green) 243

Derek Stebbing (Con) 542

TURNOUT: 38.27 per cent

ST MARY’S, WHITTLESEY

(One seat)

Hilary Chivall (Green) 104

Roy Gerstner (Ind) 324

Kenneth Peachey* (Con) 364

TURNOUT: 39.31 per cent

THE MILLS, CHATTERIS

(One seat)

Diane Baldry (Lib Dem) 314

John Chambers* (Con) 422

TURNOUT: 36.05 per cent

WATERLEES, WISBECH

(Two seats)

Michael Bucknor (Ind) 381

Virginia Bucknor (Ind) 392

Paul Clapp (UKIP) 165

Barry Diggle (Lab) 186

Avis Gilliatt (Lab) 177

Ray Griffin* (Con 298

Christopher Hancox (Lib Dem) 31

Christopher Schooling (UKIP) 137

David Wheeler* (Con) 285

TURNOUT: 27.02 per cent

WENNEYE, CHATTERIS

(One seat)

Peter Murphy* (Con) 607

Josie Ratcliffe (Lib Dem) 186

TURNOUT: 39.84 per cent

The following councillors were returned unopposed:

KINGSMOOR, WHITTLESEY

Martin Curtis* (Con)

WIMBLINGTON

Pop Jolley (Con)

TOWN COUNCIL RESULTS

March Town Council

March East

(Four seats)

Martin Field (Lab) 818

Bernard Keane (Con) 1,124

Reg Kemp (Ind) 686

Gavin Philpott (Con) 1,020

Andrew Pugh (Con) 926

Mark Purser (Con) 885

Louis Sugden (Lab) 729

Robert Williams (Lab) 683

March West

(Four seats)

Steve Count (Con) 1,058

Stephen Court (Lib Dem) 625

Andrew Donnelly (Con) 852

Jan French (Con) 1,053

Kit Owen (Con) 1,133

Rob Skoulding (Ind) 1,229

Wisbech Town Council

Clarkson

(Two seats)

Carol Cox (Con) 283

Viv MacRae (Con) 198

Ann Purt (Lab) 154

Hill

(Four seats)

Stephen Brunton (Con) 721

David Hodgson (Con) 735

Samantha Hoy (Con) 699

Dean Reeves (Lab) 417

Bruce Wegg (Con) 715

Kirkgate

(Two seats)

Yvonne Lawrence (Con) 228

Robert McLaren (Lib Dem) 269

Dave Patrick (Lib Dem) 323

Philip Tolley (Con) 178

John White (Lab) 122

Medworth

(Two seats)

Jonathan Farmer (Con) 344

Michael Hill (Con) 238

Mark Plumb (Lab) 195

Phil Webb (Ind) 113

Town Council results

(* denotes serving councillor)

Chatteris Town Council

BIRCH

James Carney 361*

Christine Colbert 319*

Jan Feekins 210

Grant Osbourn 201

Mark Petrou* 431

Josie Ratcliffe 231

SLADE LODE

Richard Cross 305*

Claire Freeman 197

Chris Howes 266*

Peter Murphy 294*

Vivien Powell 177

Ian Taylor 259

THE MILLS

Diane Baldry 355*

John Chambers 449*

John Freeman 224

Rosemary Stimson 370*

March Town Council

MARCH EAST

Martin Field 818

Bernard Keane 1124*

Reg Kemp 686

Gavin Philpott 1020*

Andrew Pugh 926*

Mark Purser 885*

Louis Sugden 729

Robert Williams 683

MARCH WEST

Steve Count 1058*

Stephen Court 629

Andrew Donnelly 852

Jan French 1053*

Kit Owen 1133*

Rob Skoulding 1229*

Whittlesey Town Council

DELPH

Denise Laws 420*

David Lewis 176

Kay Mayor 382*

LATTERSEY

Alan Bristow 373*

Steve Garratt 479*

Jes Hibbert 220

WHITTLESEY SOUTH

Ralph Butcher 674*

Alex Miscandlon 394*

Bob Wicks 384

WHITTLESEY ST MARYS

Roy Gerstner 407*

Ken Peachey 340

Gary Swan 357*

Wisbech Town Council

CLARKSON

Carol Cox 283*

Viv MacRae 198*

Ann Purt 154

HILL

Stephen Brunton 721*

David Hodgson 735*

Samantha Hoy 699*

Dean Reeves 417

Henry Wegg 715*

KIRKGATE

Yvonne Lawrence 228

Robert McLaren 269*

David Patrick 323*

Phillip Tolley 178

John White 122

MEDWORTH

Jonathan Farmer 344*

Michael Hill 238*

Mark Plumb 195

Phil Webb 113

PECKOVER

Simon Massen 158

Nicholas Meekins 448*

David Oliver 450*

STAITHE

Roger Green 384*

Reg Mee 252*

Patrick O’Dell 227

WATERLEES

Funmi Aiyeola 245

Keri Britton 275

Michael Bucknor 450*

Virginia Bucknor 448*

Paul Clapp 267

Colin Cunnington 195

Barry Diggle 233

Avis Gilliatt 232

Ray Griffin 320*

Alan Lay 249

Lewis Purt 153

David Wheeler 318*