IT was a case of no change at Eastleigh as Liberal Democrats kept their stranglehold on the borough council - making a net loss of just one seat in the 14 wards up for election.

With 30 of the authority's 44 seats still in Liberal Democrat hands, council leader Keith House claimed voters had given his party a "very clear mandate" to go ahead with their town planning polices and investment in facilities for the people of Eastleigh.

He added: "The Conservatives must be desperately disappointed to have made such little progress and failed to take so many of their target seats."

The Liberal Democrats now have 30 councillors, the Conservatives ten and Labour four.

But the Lib Dems' bandwagon failed to stop former Eastleigh mayor and long-serving councillor Martin Kyrle from being ousted at West End North, where Tory Steve Broomfield took the biggest scalp of the night.

After losing his seat, Mr Kyrle said: "I have been at too many counts. It doesn't bother me one way or the other to be honest."

He added he was chairman of the Romsey Liberal Democrats and would now have more time to ensure Sandra Gidley held her parliamentary seat.

It was third time lucky for Mr Broomfield in West End North.

He said: "I'm chuffed. It has been a lot of hard work but it shows the benefit of having a man with local connections and who cares for the community. I only hope I can repay their trust."

Another big gun to fall was Labour's Bill Luffman in Eastleigh Central, where he was beaten by former councillor Steve Sollitt.

Eastleigh mayor Gillian Connell easily retained Eastleigh South for Labour, while former Labour councillor Sue Toher ousted sitting Liberal Democrat Andrew Moore in Bishopstoke West.

Lib Dem deputy council leader Peter Wall cruised to victory in Eastleigh North, and former Lib Dem Cabinet member George Fraser returned to the council by winning Hedge End Wildern after failing to seek re-election last year.

Tory Bernie Wright increased his majority in Hamble and Butlocks Heath.

Tory group leader Godfrey Olson said he was pleased to have won West End North, but added: "The main winner is apathy. The turnout in most of the wards was particularly poor."

Cllr Olson said he had not expected to make huge inroads at this year's election. He said: "I think the trend is moving towards us now. Some of the actions of the Liberal Democrat administration are beginning to show that all that glitters is not gold."

Labour group leader Peter Luffman commented: "I'm very surprised that the ruling party can win extra seats in the town centre with the development and encroachment in the strategic gap and allotments.

"It seems like the Eastleigh people are quite prepared to put up with the development.

"We will have to go away and consider what has gone wrong in the town centre as far as the Labour party is concerned, and try to work out how to put it right in the future."

Eastleigh's prospective Tory parliamentary candidate Conor Burns failed to win a seat on Hedge End Town Council.

Mr Burns, who failed to win a seat by just 19 votes, said: "It is obviously better to win than lose, but it is not the end of the world.

"My eyes are very firmly fixed on the wish I have to serve the people of Eastleigh as their Member of Parliament."

SEE TODAY'S DAILY ECHO FOR THE FULL LIST OF RESULTS.