The local elections have left East Devon District Council with no group or party in overall control, but a strong showing for the Liberal Democrats.

The Conservatives, who previously held 22 of the 60 seats, now have 17. The Liberal Democrats, who previously had seven councillors, now have 18, including four former Independent councillors who stood as Lib Dems and won their seats. Labour gained one seat, taking their numbers to three.

The Green Party still has two councillors, and the Liberal Party has one. The remaining 19 councillors are Independents, with no party affiliation.

A new Democratic Alliance now looks set to be formed, comprising Lib Dems, Labour and the Independent councillors.

Among the Conservative losses are Philip Skinner (Tale Vale), the former leader of the Conservative group on the council, who has been ousted by Liberal Democrat Richard Jefferies. Whimple and Rockbeare also lost their Conservative councillor, Richard Lawrence, after a very narrow victory for Liberal Democrat Todd Olive. In the Budleigh & Raleigh ward the Tories lost one of their two seats to an Independent candidate.

However, there were some Conservative gains. In Sidmouth Town Charlotte Richards took one of the two previously Independent-held seats, beating Denise Bickley by just 26 votes. In Sidford Mike Goodman gained a seat for the Conservatives from Independent Dawn Manley. In Exmouth Brixington the Tories won a seat from the Lib Dems, with their candidate Nicholas Cherry beating Andrew Colman.

One of the former Independents who successfully stood as a Liberal Democrat was Paul Arnott (Coly Valley), the former leader of the council.

He said: “The Tories fought a good fight, and my colleagues and I, the Lib Dems, Labour and Independents look forward to working together in the Democratic Alliance.

“To me, it more or less reflects what the East Devon people want. I think the district council is a very good example of a progressive council.”

The Labour gain was in Ottery St Mary, where Bethany Collins took a seat previously held by an Independent. The ward’s other two Independent councillors, Peter Faithfull and Vicky Johns, both retained their seats.

In Honiton St Michael’s, 18-year-old Violet Bonetta held the Labour seat previously occupied by her brother Jake Bonetta, becoming the youngest member of East Devon District Council.