It was an election to remember for the Liberal Democrats as the party gained a firmer foothold on North Norfolk District Council (NNDC) at the local government elections.
The Lib Dems claimed 25 of the 40 seats across north Norfolk's 32 wards, bettering the majority they held going into the May 4 elections by one seat.
The Conservatives managed 12 seats, with the party’s group leader, councillor Christopher Cushing, saying their election hopes at local level were hampered by “considerable headwind” caused by the party’s current national position.
SEE OUR LIVE BLOG FROM THE ELECTION COUNT HERE
Councillor Tim Adams, NNDC's Lib Dem leader, who was re-elected for the Cromer Town ward, said the visibility of the party and its candidates was one of the main reasons for its election success.
Mr Adams said: “I can’t thank everyone who came out to vote for us enough.
“People are under a lot of strain with the cost-of-living crisis, they’re concerned about the environment and the future.
“I think a lot of those factors played into our victory today.
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“We’ve knocked on thousands of doors and had so many valuable conversations with residents across the district, which we learn a lot from.
“We will do our very best in north Norfolk to provide the very best services in the years going forward.”
The new faces at the council include Mike Hankins (LD) who won Stibbard ward, Jill Boyle (LD), who won one of the two Cromer Town ward seats, and Liz Vickers (CON) won who one of the two Lancaster South ward seats from Independent John Rest.
Emma Coleman (LD) gained Briston ward from Jolanda Stenton (CON), but going the other way, Kevin Bayes (CON) won one of the two Stalham ward seats from Pauline Grove-Jones (LD).
Until the election, Mrs Grove-Jones served as the council's chairman, and Mr Bayes is Stalham's mayor.
Steffan Aquarone, the Lib Dems’ prospective parliamentary candidate for North Norfolk, added: “I think we gave people a reason to vote Liberal Democrat.
“It means another four years of a caring council. We’ve done our job by going out into towns and villages in north Norfolk and finding out what people need. It’s one of the things I’m proudest of.
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“That is the job of a council in my view, and it’s one of the subtler things that I think has changed in the four years we’ve been in power, and it will continue."
North Norfolk District Council election results:
Bacton: Mat Armitage (L) 91, Andrew Fletcher (LD) 253, Pauline Porter (C) 307. CON GAIN. Turnout: 32.92%
Beeston Regis and The Runtons: Neil Adams (G) 92, Rebecca Hill (C) 365, Emma Lane (L) 61, Kim Toye (LD) 460, Russell Wright (R) 51. LIB DEM HOLD. Turnout: 47.91%
Briston: Emma Coleman (LD) 366, Bill O’Connor (L) 56, Jolanda Stenton (C) 288. LIB DEM GAIN. Turnout: 35.03%
Coastal: David Allison (LD) 340, Will Gee (L) 86, Victoria Holliday (C) 619. CON HOLD. Turnout: 53.36%
Cromer Town: Tim Adams (LD) 1120, Mike Bossingham (G) 180, Jill Boyle (LD) 804, Hilary Cox (C) 516, Jenni Randall (L) 116, Stephen Scott-Fawcett (C) 310, Jenny Tabecki (L) 79. LIB DEM HOLD. Turnout: 41.38%
Erpingham: Timothy Bartlett (L) 61, Jennifer English (C) 254, Stephen Green (G) 145, John Toye (LD) 568. LIB DEM HOLD. Turnout: 47.37%
Gresham: Ruth Bartlett (L) 29, Alicia Hull (G) 41, Charles Mack (C) 331, Callum Ringer (LD) 495. LIB DEM HOLD. Turnout: 46.14%
Happisburgh: Elizabeth Dixon (G) 107, Bryony Nierop-Reading (L) 105, Luke Paterson (C) 323, Steven Stockton (LD) 273. CON GAIN. Turnout: 38.51%
Hickling: Harry Blathwayt (LD) 475, Bryonie Jones (L) 62, Richard Price (C) 307. LIB DEM HOLD. Turnout: 39.96%
Holt: Martin Batley (LD) 874, Fiona Hayward (L) 133, Jonny Perry-Warnes (C) 657, Maggie Prior (I) 253, Simon Russell (G) 286, Eric Vardy (C) 702, Paul Welsh (LD) 381. CON HOLD and LIB DEM GAIN. Turnout: 45.6%
Hoveton and Tunstead: Nigel Dixon (C) 819, Callum Hoy 415 (LD) 423, Gerard Mancini-Boyle (C) 634, Judeline Nicholas (LD) 412, Jason Patchett (R) 127, Clive Sellick (L) 312, Richard Stowe (L) 277. CON HOLD. Turnout: 37.80%
Lancaster North: Sue Brisbane (L) 109, Annie Claussen-Reynolds (I) 155, Christopher Cushing (C) 306, Tasha Southerland (G) 54. CON HOLD. CON HOLD. Turnout: 30.45%
Lancaster South: Talon Fast (C) 321, Liz Vickers (C) 466, Kris Marshall-Smith (G) 334, Tony Pope (L) 280, Jeremy Punchard (I) 376, John Rest (I) 372. IND HOLD and CON GAIN. Turnout: 27.30%
Mundesley: Wendy Fredericks (LD) 682, Derek Smith (C) 251, Ruth Smith (L) 63. LIB DEM HOLD. Turnout: 45.97%
North Walsham East: Garry Bull (LD) 656, Tracey Ginbey (C) 347, Paul Heinrich (LD) 613, Nick Lee (C) 308, David Marten (L) 121. LIB DEM HOLD. Turnout: 30.15%
North Walsham Market Cross: Paul East (C) 318, Rebecca Shaw (L) 103, Richard Sims (LD) 427. LIB DEM HOLD. Turnout: 39.18%
North Walsham West: Donald Birch (LD) 769, Julia Cavanagh (L) 207, Ferdi Reis (C) 285, Rob Scammell (C) 351, Lucy Shires (LD) 803. LIB DEM HOLD. Turnout: 30.62%
Poppyland: Angela Fitch-Tillett (I) 324, Steven Moore (L) 57, Rex Parfitt (LD) 196, Crispian Riley-Smith (C) 168, Melissa Sargent (G) 61. IND HOLD. Turnout: 39.76%
Priory: Sarah Bütikofer (LD) 371, Steve Dye (C) 351, Jacqueline Moore (L) 92. LIB DEM HOLD. Turnout: 42.10%
Roughton: Tim Blyth (C) 268, Nick Coppack (I) 51, Roy MacDonald (LD) 338, David Russell (L) 47, Clare Wilson (G) 65. LIB DEM GAIN. Turnout: 33.88%
Sheringham North: Martin Langsdon (L) 79, Cliff Morris (C) 322, Liz Withington (LD) 403. LIB DEM HOLD. Turnout: 42.17%
Sheringham South: Michelle Allard (C) 711, Philip Bailey (LD) 928, Sue Brocklehurst (G) 158, Colin Heinink (LD) 869, Judy Oliver (C) 718, Tom Smith (L) 129. LIB DEM HOLD. Turnout: 44.14%
St Benet: Mike Lowenstein (L) 57, Tony Lumbard (C) 312, Adam Varley (LD) 536. LIB DEM HOLD. Turnout: 45.33%
Stalham: Kevin Bayes (C) 650, Jacqui Cross (L) 206, Pauline Grove-Jones (LD) 515, Stephen Lennane (LD) 295, Michael Macartney-Filgate (G) 205, Matthew Taylor (C) 693. CON HOLD and GAIN. Turnout: 32.23%
Stibbard: Mike Hankins (LD) 393, Helena Parker-Wright (C) 341, Duncan Pearson (L) 93, Barbara Wyvill (G) 124. LIB DEM GAIN. Turnout: 43.82%
Stody: Andrew Brown (LD) 491, Mark Cook (C) 285, Martyn Sloman (L) 61. LIB DEM HOLD. Turnout: 42.84%
Suffield Park: David Batley (L) 62, Nigel Pearce (C) 220, Emma Spagnola (LD) 517, Paul Sutcliff (G) 47. LIB DEM HOLD. Turnout: 39.25%
The Raynhams: Evie-May Ellis (LD) 49, Vincent FitzPatrick (I) 100, Nigel Housden (I) 196, Julia Marozzi (C) 145, Christopher Rowe (L) 81, Ritchie Tennant (G) 40. IND HOLD. Turnout: 28.69%
Trunch: Peter Crouch (G) 61, Graham Jones (L) 115, Peter Neatherway (C) 398, Nicola Page (LD) 382. CON GAIN. Turnout 44.78%
Walsingham: Adam Coombes (L) 111, Tom FitzPatrick (C) 432, Ashley Perks (LD) 174. CON HOLD. Turnout: 35.49%
Wells with Holkham: Michael Dalby (C) 236, Peter Fisher (LD) 357, Phil Harris (L) 138. LIB DEM HOLD. Turnout: 40.02%
Worstead: John Alcock (L) 61, Christopher Oakes (C) 169, Saul Penfold (LD) 501, Diane Wiles (G) 51. LIB DEM HOLD. Turnout: 38.18%
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