Tories gain control at Gloucestershire County Council

The Conservatives have won overall control in Gloucestershire

The Conservative Party has taken overall control of Gloucestershire County Council after securing 31 out of 53 seats.

Labour lost four seats, including three to the Tories, while UKIP lost all three seats it previously held.

The Green party doubled its number of seats to two after securing the Minchinhampton ward from Conservative cabinet member Dorcas Binns.

Previously, the Tories were short of a working majority with 23 seats.

Election 2017: Full results from across England

The MP for Gloucester, Richard Graham, tweeted: "Congrats all Conservative candidates in #Gloucestershire for winning control of the @GlosCC. Now to work hard for the people of Glos!"

Green candidate Rachel Smith, who claimed the Minchinhampton seat with 2,320 votes and a narrow margin of just 27, said her party had "fought really well".

She added: "I'm ecstatic. One of the challenges being a single Green is that you don't necessarily have someone to back your motions. So having two [councillors], really means we can work together and support each other to get even more good policies through."

Stroud District Council leader Steve Lydon was among the Labour candidates to lose his county seat to the Conservatives.

He said: "Obviously I'm disappointed for all the people that work for you, all my friends who came out.

"But we're stoical, we move on. David Drew, my good friend, is standing for parliament and we live to fight another day."

Following the last election in 2013 the Conservatives held 23 seats, the Liberal Democrats 14, Labour nine and the Green Party one. Independents and UKIP held three seats apiece.

The Conservatives now hold 31 seats, the Lib Dems 14 and Labour five. The Greens, with two, and one Independent complete the new council.