CONSERVATIVE leader Rod Bluh squeezed home at the borough council elections by the narrowest of margins.

Mr Bluh faced a strong challenge in the Dorcan ward by Labour's Sarah Bush, who has been managing former MP Anne Snelgrove's South Swindon office, and he managed to scrape home by a meagre 460 votes.

“It was a very good result given the high turn-out,” said Mr Bluh. “I think the polling stations were overwhelmed, which was quite a surprise. There were a lot of young voters out there which might account for the good showing from the Lib Dems. It was a good night all round for the Conservatives.”

The Conservatives lost just one seat on the night, but still retain a strong majority in the council chamber with 41 councillors to 13 from Labour, four Liberal Democrats and one independent councillor with former Mayor, Steve Wakefield.

In another significant seat, previous Conservative councillor Brian Mattock held off a bid from the Liberal Democracts' Shirley Burnham in the Old Town & Lawns ward. Shirley Burnham has been at the forefront of a campaign to save Old Town library, and she finished second behind Mr Mattock who polled 3,144 votes to her 1,501 votes.

The Lib Dems did win in Eastcott with Dave Wood, and Andy Harrison claimed Penhill for the Lib Dems from the Independents, previously held by David Glaholm who was not standing, with a narrow 116 vote majority over Labour's Laura Baker.

Swindon Mayor David Wren, who was contesting the Moredon, won the seat for the Conservatives, along with three Cabinet members, David Renard (Haydon Wick), Keith Williams (Shaw & Nine Elms) and Mark Edwards (St Margaret).

For Labour, Kevin Small triumphed in Western ward, Rochelle Russell won in Gorse Hill & Pinehurst, Bob Wright took Central and Mark Dempsey won a resounding victory in Parks with a comfortable 591 vote victory over his nearest rival to snatch the seat from the Conservatives.

The British National Party fielded five candidates in the 19 contested seats but failed to make an impression, along with the seven Green Party representatives and six UKIP challengers.

For a full list of the local election results, log onto: www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/elections/local_elections_2010/