Lib Dem gain costs Tories control of North Devon Council

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Last night the Liberal Democrat candidate Caroline Leaver gained the Newport ward of North Devon Council from the Conservatives in a by-election,

Newport is part of Barnstaple and the voting figures were:

Lib Dem           390
Conservative   373
Green              159
Labour               83

Following this Lib Dem victory the political balance on the council is now 18 Conservatives, 14 Liberal Democrats, eight Independents and three South Molton Independents.

DevonLive quotes the Lib Dem councillor Brian Greenslade explaining that this means the Conservatives have now lost control of the council:

Councillor Greenslade explained in 2015 the three South Molton Independent councillors ... and the UKIP member voted with the 19 Conservatives to elect Councillor Des Brailey as leader with a majority of three seats. 

Since then the Conservatives have lost two seats to the Liberal Democrats, meaning they and their allies have 21 seats out of 43, which is less than half the seats, meaning they no longer have a majority.