THE Conservatives have gained a place on Worcestershire County Council after winning a by-election.

The Arrow Valley East by-election was held following the death of Labour councillor Betty Passingham at the end of May.

Conservative councillor Juliet Brunner has claimed the place after getting 1,437 votes against Labour’s Debbie Taylor, who got 1,041 votes.

Other votes went to Diane Thomas of the Liberal Democrats (455), Maurice Field of the BNP (367) and Independent Richard Armstrong (103).

The total turnout for the by-election was 3,411, which was 19.8 per cent of the electorate.

The make-up of the County Council is now 30 Conservative, 16 Labour, 8 Lib-Dem, 2 Liberal and 1 Independent Health Concern.

Councillor Brunner is a registered nurse and married mother of three who is already a Redditch Borough Councillor. She will be presented to full council on Thursday, September 11.

Councillor Passingham died aged 80 after a long fight against leukaemia.

She had served the borough council since its formation in 1974.