LABOUR has missed out on taking overall control of a North-East Council by the narrowest of margins.
A third recount was needed to separate the candidates in the Skelton ward with the Labour group requiring all three seats to secure an overall majority.
They fell three votes short with Conservative Cliff Foggo taking the third available seat after David Walsh and Helen McLuckie secured the highest number of votes.
Cllr Foggo polled 1,044 votes while Labour’s third candidate Ian Taylor secured 1,041. The recounts was required after the first three, which took place on Friday evening, had the margins as low as one and two votes.
As result of this morning’s recount, Labour secured 29 seats, Liberal Democrats 11, Conservative 10, Independent 8 and UKIP the remaining one of the 59 seats up for election.
Full story and results to follow.
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