CONTROL of Worcester City Council is hanging in the balance once again after the Conservatives lost overall control of Worcester City Council in an election night which saw the Greens gain a new councillor.

In what was probably the biggest victory in the election, Green candidate Marjory Bisset came out on top in St Stephen with almost 58 per cent of the vote, toppling Conservative opponent Councillor Gareth Jones.

The Green gain means the city council is now made up of 17 Conservatives, 15 Labour councillors and three Greens.

The three Green councillors are therefore likely to be key to future decision making at the city council.

After the result, Green leader Louis Stephen failed to rule out a coalition with another party but said the party favours 'the committee system.'

The Green Party now holds both seats in St Stephen.

However, Cllr Marc Bayliss, the current leader of Worcester City Council who was re-elected for a third time in Bedwardine with a majority of 445, said the election was an amazing result for the Conservatives.

He said: “It’s a bit of a deliverance really. There was a terrible backdrop obviously with Brexit and to hold this many seats and still be the largest party here, to have lost just one seat, on a year when we had so many seats and Labour had almost nothing, is an amazing result.

“This is a victory. We have won the popular vote by a mile tonight. Labour will be really unhappy. No complacency, we start again.”

Adrian Gregson, deputy leader of the council and leader of the council’s Labour group, said: “The national picture has clouded what has happened locally. We’re in a position where we have held everything that we needed to. We haven’t lost any seats. The Tories on the other hand have clung on by their finger nails in some places and of course have lost a seat to the Greens.

“I think the Greens seem to have done reasonably well, is that a protest vote about things or is it really a sign that people are interested in climate change? I doubt it.

“As usual, Worcester kind of wobbles one way or the other but never actually seems to commit to one particular major party or another. That’s fine but what we need to do now is make sure that we hold these Tories to develop the city and move forward instead of dirty tricks and smear campaigns and actually get on with delivering a proper future for the city of Worcester."

Cllr Chris Mitchell held onto his seat in St Clement with a majority of 227 votes.

Labour retained all of the three seats up for election. Cllr Richard Udall was re-elected in St John’s with a majority of 631 – a ward which, with 27 per cent turnout, was the lowest across the city.

Jenny Barnes was elected in Arboretum – in a vacant seat left by Cllr George Squires who had stepped down – with a majority of 225 and Cllr Simon Cronin was re-elected in Nunnery with a majority of 242. With 28 per cent of voters turning up, Nunnery ward had the second lowest turnout of the election.

As the votes were counted, there were a few uncomfortable moments for the Conservatives.

Cllr Andy Stafford faced tough opposition from Liberal Democrat candidate Melanie Allcott but held onto his Claines seat by 95 votes and Cllr Lucy Hodgson was pushed hard by Green candidate Andrew Cross but was eventually re-elected in Warndon Parish South by just 34 votes.

Cllr Allah Ditta, who received one of the loudest cheers of the night, held onto his seat in Cathedral by 69 votes.

Former mayor Cllr Steve Mackay returned to the city council a year after losing his seat in Battenhall and was elected this time in St Peter’s, taking over from Cllr Roger Knight who stepped down, with a majority of 587.

Nida Hassan was elected in Warndon Parish North for the Conservatives, taking over from Cllr Alan Feeney who had stepped down, securing a majority of 197.