Six by-elections to report and a bad night for the Tories. They were defending three seats, but lost two to the Liberal Democrats. They were obliterated in Gloucester, but fared much better in West Lancashire where they extended their lead over Labour and appeared to benefit from the absence of UKIP.
The Lib Dems held in Huntingdon where Labour did not even field a candidate this time. Labour held in their Salford stronghold and gained a seat in Rutland. The latter was a free-for-all following the resignation of an independent who'd previously been elected unopposed. It was also the first time Labour had won a seat on Rutland County Council in over twenty years.
Longlevens, Gloucester City Council
LDem: 1,520 (60.3%) +15.1%
Con: 781 (31.0%) -17.8%
Lab: 135 (5.4%) New
Grn: 78 (3.4%) New
LDem GAIN from Con
Huntingdon East, Huntingdonshire District Council
LDem: 813 (55.3%) +8.3%
Con: 656 (44.7%) +5.6%
LDem HOLD
Oakham North West, Rutland County Council
Lab: 293 (62.6%) New
Con: 175 (37.4%) New
Lab GAIN from Ind
Blackfriars & Trinity, Salford City Council
Lab: 408 (51.8%) -2.3%
Grn: 160 (20.3%) -6.4%
LDem: 152 (19.3%) +13.0%
Con: 68 (8.6%) +0.8%
Lab HOLD
North Meols, West Lancashire Borough Council
Con: 634 (64.9%) +15.6%
Lab: 343 (35.1%) -3.0%
Con HOLD
Bourne, West Sussex County Council
LDem: 1,180 (49.7%) +20.7%
Con: 893 (37.6%) -13.4%
Grn: 178 (7.5%) -3.4%
Lab: 125 (5.3%) -3.9%
LDem GAIN from Con
Abbreviations
LDem = Liberal Democrat
Con = Conservative
Lab = Labour
Grn = Green
Ind = Independents