The Liberal Democrats have gained overall control in the first election for the new Somerset West and Taunton Council after winning 30 of the 59 seats.

The Conservatives, who held the power at both the former West Somerset and Taunton Deane Borough councils, won only ten seats on the new authority.

There are 12 Independent, three Labour, two Green Party and two undeclared councillors.

Conservative Anthony Trollope-Bellew, former leader of West Somerset Council and interim deputy leader of the new authority, was elected in the South Quantock ward behind Liberal Democrat Mike Rigby, but interim leader John Williams, also Conservative, failed to win a seat.

As well as Cllr Trollope-Bellew, West Somerset Council members who have won a seat on the new council are Nick Thwaites, Steven Pugsley, Andrew Hadley, Terry Venner, Peter Pilkington, Benet Allen, Chris Morgan, Hugh Davies and Ian Aldridge.

Those who failed to win a seat are Nicole Hawkins, Andy Kingston-James, Jean Parbrook, Martin Dewdney, Brenda Maitland-Walker, Richard Lillis, Ivor Jones, Dave Westcott and Stuart Dowding.

LOCAL WARD RESULTS

Alcombe (1 seat)

PAUL BOLTON (IND) 236 38% ELECTED

Nicole Hawkins (Lib Dem) 204 33%

Michael Keenan (Con) 119 19%

Andrew Mountford (Labour) 68 11%

Cotford St Luke and Oake (1 seat)

JOHN HASSALL (LIB DEM) 317 47% ELECTED

Oliver Green (Con) 258 38%

Sandra Newing-Griffiths (Labour) 103 15%

Dulverton and District (1 seat)

NICK THWAITES (CON) 550 72% ELECTED

Caitlin Collins (Green) 214 28%

Exmoor (1 seat)

STEVEN PUGSLEY (CON) 732 83% ELECTED

Sue Levinge (Lib Dem) 153 17%

Milverton and District (1 seat)

GWIL WREN (IND) 578 59% ELECTED

Steven Wort (Con) 210 21%

Eddie Eatwell (Lib Dem) 195 20%

Minehead Central (2 seats)

ANDREW HADLEY (CON) 422 20% ELECTED

CRAIG PALMER (IND) 411 20% ELECTED

Andy Kingston-James (Lib Dem) 359 17%

Jean Parbrook (Con) 299 14%

Steven Heard 295 14%

Jill Dillamore (Lib Dem) 294 14%

Minehead North (1 seat)

TERRY VENNER (IND) 386 54% ELECTED

Glenys Harrison-Poole (Lib Dem) 177 25%

Andy Parbrook (Con) 152 21%

Old Cleeve and District (2 seats)

MARCUS KRAVIS (LIB DEM) 757 26% ELECTED

PETER PILKINGTON (LIB DEM) 705 25% ELECTED

Martin Dewdney (Con) 514 18%

Brenda Maitland-Walker (Con) 496 17%

Richard Lillis (Ind) 401 14%

Periton and Woodcombe (1 seat)

BENET ALLEN (LIB DEM) 353 54% ELECTED

Toni Bloomfield (Ind) 170 26%

Gary Miele (Con) 132 20%

Porlock and District (1 seat)

ANDY MILNE (CON) 466 50% ELECTED

Scilla Barney (Lib Dem) 308 33%

Ivor Jones (UKIP) 163 17%

Quantock Vale (1 seat)

Chris Morgan (Con) Elected unopposed

South Quantock (2 seats)

MIKE RIGBY (LIB DEM) 1188 35% ELECTED

ANTHONY TROLLOPE-BELLEW (CON) 775 23% ELECTED

Mike Davis (Con) 748 22%

Clive Martin (Green) 731 21%

Watchet and Williton (3 seats)

HUGH DAVIES (IND) 1260 25% ELECTED

IAN ALDRIDGE (IND) 946 18% ELECTED

LORETTA WHETLOR 704 14% ELECTED

Dave Westcott (Con) 690 13%

Mickie Ritchie (Green) 431 8% Not elected

Andrew Whitehorn (Con) 365 7%

Stuart Dowding (Con) 345 7%

Wiveliscombe and District (2 seats)

DAVE MANSELL (GREEN) 1070 32% ELECTED

MARK BLAKER (IND) 893 27% ELECTED

Christopher Chanter (Con) 430 13%

Phillip Thorne (Con) 383 11%

Danny Clark-Lowes (Lib Dem) 318 10%

Bryn Wilson (Ind) 248 7%