Shropshire Council: Another large Conservative majority but significant changes at Shirehall

On the face of it the Shropshire Council result is similar to 2017 – a large Conservative majority will see the Tories again forming the administration, as they have every time since Shropshire Council was set up in 2009.

But it remains to be seen whether the losses suffered by the party – only five seats, but were it not for a few tight victories the figure would have been greater – will lead to a re-think over strategy.

The Conservative cabinet member for highways, Councillor Steve Davenport, who retained his St Martins seat, said "too many were too close to call".

Councillor Dean Carroll, the Conservative cabinet member for adult social services and climate change, said it was important not to lose sight of the fact the party had been backed by the public to run the council.

He said: "We should not forget that we have once again returned a large majority to Shropshire Council, and that is a clear message. The people of Shropshire could not have spoken any clearer again that they want what we offer and now we need to get on with delivering that."

Council leader Peter Nutting's loss in Copthorne has been blamed in some quarters on his vocal support for the North West Relief Road.

What is certain is that climate issues – one of the major concerns over the road – have been borne out at the ballot box with the Green Party adding three councillors to its tally, making four on the authority.

The gains included an unprecedented win for Julia Evans in Radbrook, and two less surprising victories in Oswestry South and West – both seats which have seen strong performances from the party before.

The Lib Dems and Labour both enjoyed success, the former remaining the largest opposition party on the council and adding two seats, while Labour bucked the party's national misery by putting on three new councillors.

Within the 74 seats there were a host of stories with Bridgnorth gaining its first Labour Councillor through Julia Buckley's success in Bridgnorth West & Tasley, taking a seat from the Conservatives, and racking up 1,321 votes in the process.

The Greens' Radbrook win saw them take the seat from the Conservatives – a ward which had been held by Conservative Keith Roberts since the council was set up in 2009.

Councillor Roberts was not standing this time round but the result saw the majority he'd built up turned on its head.

In 2017 he won the seat with 809 votes – the Lib Dems were second with 367 and Green a distant third with 204.

Saturday's count saw the newly elected Councillor Evans poll a remarkable 1,032 votes – Conservatives second with 683 and Labour third with 278.

Lib Dem Alex Wagner also pulled off a major surprise, winning what was a major Conservative seat in Shrewsbury, and becoming quite possibly the council's youngest councillor.

The 20-year-old won Shrewsbury's Bowbrook – previously held by Peter Adams, who did not stand this time round.

He secured 1,001 votes, with a huge win over second the second placed Conservative Arlinda Ballcaj, who received 322 votes. As if to illustrate the scale of the win, at the 2017 election Peter Adams received 688 votes compared to 161 for his Lib Dem challenger.

Councillor Wagner said he hoped to bring a fresh voice to a council that he believes needs younger blood.

He said: "There were no councillors in the last chamber who were in their 20s I do not think, and actually there are councillors in the chamber that got elected in the 1970s and I think more than ever new blood is needed."

In Market Drayton West there was surprise and happiness from David Minnery who won as an independent after being de-selected by the Conservatives – despite holding a former cabinet post and being a member of the party for 42 years.

Councillor Minnery said he had felt a sadness at not standing under the Conservative banner but had felt it was the right thing to do owing to dissatisfaction with the Tory candidate selection process.

He said he had applied for the seat but was not chosen and added: "There is a deep sadness, I never wanted to have to do it, I just felt I needed to to make a point."

He added: "I have no hard feelings but was doing it, if anything to highlight that the system is wrong and needs to change. It has happened to other people who were equally good councillors.

"I said I was not expecting to win. No one is guaranteed a seat for life and people have to make way for new people coming along but when you have the experience that we have it seems bonkers to throw that away."

Labour Group leader Councillor Alan Mosley, who was comfortably re-elected to his Castlefields seat in Shrewsbury, was pleased to see the group bucking the national pattern.

He said: "I think clearly our results here are kicking the national trend, they stand out as different, and I think that is particularly because of the hard work of the Labour party and candidates, but also because of an incompetent administration that people are suffering from."

He added: "A big issue in Shrewsbury is obviously the North West Relief Road which has high levels of opposition which do not seem to be recognised by the Tories."

Rob Wilson, who claimed the biggest scalp of the election by beating Councillor Nutting in Copthorne, said the relief road had been one of several issues which was prominent on the doorstep.

He said: "It is a mixture of factors. The North West Relief Road was a big issue in Copthorne and local people said they were disappointed that their local councillor had not spoken to them about it given the impact it will have on the area.

"People know the history of potholes in the county, the shopping centre purchase, the bus station in the town centre, they were all big issues."

He added: "The reception on the doorstep was clear that people want to move on from the past."