CONSERVATIVE Ian Galletley was elected as councillor to represent Darlington Borough Council's College ward last night.

Councillor Galletley got 624 votes to secure the victory, closely followed by Liberal Democrat hopeful Garry Hinton, with 511 votes.

Labour candidate Elaine Hope finished third with 175 votes.

The by-election was held to fill the empty seat created by the death of Conservative Councillor Philip Stamford-Bewlay on December 29.

Mr Galletley, a former headteacher and school inspector, said that the biggest issue on the doorstep during the election campaign had been the controversial Pedestrian Heart project to transform the centre of Darlington.

He said: "I kept a tally on the doorstep and I stopped counting at 300.

"A huge majority of people in the West End of Darlington detest what is happening in the town centre.

"Many of them have now started to shop in Northallerton."

The Liberal Democrats campaigned hard to win the seat, but Coun Galletley said: "By-elections are always talking points, but hardly ever turning points."

There are 15 Conservatives, three Liberal Democrats and 35 Labour councillors on Darlington Borough Council.

Coun Galletley said that another big issue in the town had been the future of the school in Hurworth village, which he believed should be kept in its current location.

He has promised to visit every home in the ward once a year, fight to improve parking and traffic problems in the area, and make tackling anti-social behaviour a priority.