The Liberal Democrats have lost their majority on Three Rivers District Council after the Conservatives won a by-election in Abbots Langley and Bedmond.

In a seat previously held by the Lib Dems, Conservative candidate Vicky Edwards won 593 votes, against 500 for Alex Turner, the Lib Dem candidate, in yesterday's vote (August 22).

The other candidates were Jane Powell (Green) who won 233 votes, and Pierce Culliton (Labour) who won 137 votes. Turnout was 29.5 per cent.

After the local elections in May this year, the Liberal Democrats had a majority of three on Three Rivers District Council, holding 21 of the 39 seats.

But that majority has now evaporated, with their total number of seats reduced to 19.

As positions on the council’s decision-making committees are allocated in proportion to the number of seats held by each party, it means the Lib Dems may no longer have a working majority on those committees.

Three Rivers Conservatives (Image: Three Rivers Conservatives)

The by-election was called after Matthew Bedford, voted in as Lib Dem Deputy Leader of the Council on 21 May this year, resigned on 7 July for “personal reasons”.

Earlier this year, Mr Bedford won in Abbots Langley and Bedmond with 939 votes, against 322 for the Conservative candidate.

Mr Bedford’s wife, Cllr Sara Bedford, resigned from the Lib Dems to sit as an Independent councillor at the same time as Mr Bedford stepped down from the council.

Vicky Edwards’ by-election win means there are now more combined Conservative, Labour, Green and Independent councillors than Lib Dems.

The Conservatives have 12 seats, the Greens and Labour are on three each, and there are two Independent councillors.

Three Rivers District Council offices in Rickmansworth. (Image: LDR Service/Will Durrant)

James Cleverly, who is standing for the national Conservative leadership, was among those who came to campaign in Abbots Langley and Bedmond.

Cllr Oliver Cooper, Leader of the Conservative Group, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the result is “nothing short of a political earthquake”.

“It’s the first time we’ve had a Conservative councillor in Abbots Langley and Bedmond for 28 years.

“The Lib Dems have taken the area for granted and didn’t challenge each other, or challenge themselves, on how to deliver for the area.”

Cllr Oliver Cooper.Cllr Oliver Cooper. (Image: Three Rivers District Council)

Cllr Cooper said there was “a level of complacency residents could really feel and see in terms of results – whether it’s protecting the green belt, whether it’s Lib Dems waving through tiny, squalid flats by Kings Langley station, or whether it’s not coming up with solutions on roadworks”.

“We worked very hard in putting across a clear plan for what we would do on all those issues, so there are ready-made alternatives ready to be adopted”, Cllr Cooper added.

Cllr Cooper said the result means the Liberal Democrats “will have to reach out across the aisle and engage with other parties in a way they’ve refused to for many years – and that can only be a good thing in terms of policy”.

The Tory group leader described new Cllr Vicky Edwards, a solicitor, as an “incredibly experienced community activist” who will bring “a really inquisitive, forensic eye to solving problems”.

She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service of her gratitude to residents, and said she was “surprised but very pleasantly so” by the result.

Cllr Edwards added she was “very concerned” about proposals to build a “lot of houses” on green belt land around Abbots Langley and Bedmond.

(Image: LDR Service/Will Durrant)

“As a councillor, it will be a lot easier for me to oppose those developments and to make representations on behalf of residents to keep our village character,” Cllr Edwards said.

Stephen Giles-Medhurst, Leader of Three Rivers District Council, said the loss was “a big disappointment to the Liberal Democrats and to me personally”.

“This was always going to be a very difficult contest in view of Matthew Bedford’s resignation so soon after he was re-elected in May and made more difficult following Cllr Sara Bedford’s decision to leave the Lib Dem Group.

“Whilst voters I spoke to respected the work of the Council and its Liberal Democrat administration, they were clearly disappointed to be faced with yet another election, and by the circumstances which prompted it.

"Evidently this led to many people who have supported us in the past choosing to vote for other parties this time or not at all.

Cllr Stephen Giles-Medhurst.Cllr Stephen Giles-Medhurst. (Image: Three Rivers District Council)

“I have congratulated the new Conservative Councillor, Vicky Edwards, and will work with her as I would with any councillor. Whether she is able to keep her promises made to electors remains to be seen.

“I and my fellow Liberal Democrats remain committed to standing up for residents and putting their interests first, not just in Abbots and Bedmond ward but throughout Three Rivers.”