The Conservatives have won both seats in the new two-seat Gillingham electoral division in the county council elections.

Town councillor and former Gillingham mayor David Walsh came top with 2,675 votes, while the chairman of Dorset County Council Andrew Cattaway picked up 2,368 votes. Their nearest challenger was outgoing mayor of Gillingham and Liberal Democrat candidate Barry Von Clemens, who attracted 1,252 votes.

In the by-election for the vacant Gillingham town ward seat on North Dorset District Council Barry Von Clemens lost by just 18 votes to the Conservative candidate Alexander Chase.

There was better news for the Liberal Democrats in Shaftesbury where veteran district councillor Derek Beer was elected to the county council.

The Conservatives retain overall control of Dorset County Council with 32 seats, the Liberal Democrats eleven, the Greens two and Labour one.