THE Swindon Conservatives have retained control of the council.

In a count that failed to live up to expectations, in which predictions were made that the council could go to no overall control, the ruling Tories lost just one seat – Wroughton and Wichelstowe to the Liberal Democrats.

Labour took Eastcott from the Lib Dems but failed to turn a single blue seat.

Council leader David Renard said Labour had been “drummed out of town”.

He said: “I am delighted that we have managed to fend off the significant challenge we have had from the Labour Party, who were clearly putting a lot of time, effort and resources into taking the council.”

When the polls opened at the crack of dawn on Thursday morning, the Conservatives were in control of the council with a slender majority of three.

A little after 12.30am, they retained control but with a majority of just one.

But Swindon has been a key target in Labour’s grand battle plan and activists, including the Guardian’s most fervent Corbynite, Owen Jones, have recently thrown everything at the town.

Jim Grant, the leader of the Labour Group, however, recognised that it simply hadn’t been enough.

He said: “We are pleased to gain a seat and reduce the Conservative majority to one, but, sadly, we have failed to take any seats from the Conservatives. We need to go away and analyse why this is happened and come back with renewed vigour starting tomorrow.”

The contest in Lydiard and Freshbrook, driven by the crisis over Lydiard House and Park, saw Labour throw everything behind their candidate Neil Hopkins, a man of whom Labour leader Jim Grant has repeatedly spoken highly.

But sitting Tory councillor Tim Swinyard beat Mr Hopkins by 1,719 votes to 1,443.

There were no surprises in Mannington and Western, with Labour’s Jim Robbins romping to victory with more votes than the other four candidates combined.

But the smiles were all on the Tory faces with Labour left wondering what more they need to do to turn blue wards red.