Nottinghamshire taken by Tories

The Conservatives have gained control of Nottinghamshire County Council for the first time in a generation.

Before Thursday's voting, Labour had a majority of nine on the 67-seat council and a 12% swing was needed to force them from power.

But the Conservatives passed the 34 seat winning mark, claiming a total of 35 seats.

New council leader Kay Cutts said it was not a case of voters rejecting Labour, but rather backing her party.

The extent of Labour's problems became clear soon after the results began to come in, when the deputy council leader Mick Storey lost his Retford East seat.

'Expensive and damaging'

Before Thursday's election, the Tories had 26 seats, the Liberal Democrats five seats, with one Independent.

Speaking before the votes were counted, the Conservatives said they could withdraw £28m of funding promised for the current tram extension if they took control of the council.

Mrs Cutts said: "It is not a definite no, but it is a no as long as they stick with the current route.

"The current route is too expensive and too damaging. We are against the route, not the form of transport."

A campaign called Notts Bothered was run to try to encourage voter turnout by emphasising the importance of local issues.

European Parliament votes were also cast, but these will not be counted until Sunday.

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