The Tories have control of the new Dorset Council.

The final count stands at Conservatives: 43, Liberal Democrats: 29, Greens: four, Independent/No Party: four, Labour: two and UKIP: none.

Out of the 82 seats up for grabs, 25 are new councillors - they were not members of the Shadow Dorset Council - and 57 seats have been taken by members who have previously served as a councillor in Dorset.

There are 27 women on the new council and 55 men, meaning women make up 33 per cent of the new council. 

The elections have followed the national trend, with wins for the Liberal Democrats and Greens, a good showing for the Independents and some unexpected losses for the Conservatives.

Because the council is new and wards have changed, comparisons with previous results are impossible to make.

Shadow Dorset Council leader Rebecca Knox, Conservatives, was among the first to be returned – although by her own admission, with a lesser majority than she would have liked; barely 150 votes ahead of the second-placed Liberal Democrat Chris Turner.

She admitted it has been a nail-biting process as the votes were counted.

Bridport and Lyme Regis News:

IN: Rebecca Knox

“It was close but the ward is now a totally different shape than it used to be and other issues crept in,” as might be expected, she said, “But I will be continuing to serve the people of Dorset, something which I am passionate about.”

She would not be drawn on whether she would be standing for the role of council leader, assuming the Conservatives, as expected, win a majority.

Bridport's Sarah Williams (Lib Dem), Kelvin Clayton (Green) and David Bolwell (Lib Dem) have won the ward's three available seats.

Conservative Daryl Turner has taken Lyme Regis and Charmouth, beating Cheryl Reynolds.

Simon Christopher beat Independent Jacqui Sewell by 752 to 595 votes for his Marshwood Vale seat, kissing his Conservative rosette in celebration.

The ward saw one of the highest turnouts of the day, 50.3 per cent with five candidates in the contest.

The other candidates for Labour, the Liberal Democrats and Green, between them failed to attract as many votes combined as the second-placed candidate.

Shadow cabinet member Steve Butler, Conservative, lost to Liberal Democrat David Tooke by a narrow 18 votes.

Conservative Anthony Alford took the Eggardon ward and fellow Tory Mark Roberts has secured the seat for Chesil Bank.

Turnout for most of the wards has so far exceeded 40 per cent, and the election saw 300 candidates contest 82 seats.

Returning officer Matt Prosser said that the process had, generally, gone smoothly and praised his team of 160-plus tellers for their professionalism.

The process starts again tomorrow, also at the Redlands Sports Centre, for more than 400 candidates across more than 50 wards where contests are being held.