Not many saw a night of quiet triumph for Swindon’s Conservatives coming.

But perhaps the council’s leader, David Renard did.

Before the first ballot box had even arrived at the sports hall I the Oasis leisure centre Coun Renard, who had the battle in his own seat in Haydon Wick to worry about, had said he was feeling quietly confident he wouldn’t have to soon be vacating the leader’s office at Euclid Street.

And by the end of the night his tenure was even more secure, the Conservatives had increased their majority on the 57 seat council from three to five.

ALL THE RESULTS HERE - Swindon Borough Council election 2019

That leap was, essentially, the winning of Penhill and Upper Stratton – a massive coup for the Conservatives, although, after four recounts, Tory councillors and activists were positively giddy about holding the party’s eat in Old Town by just 15 votes – though , with it declaring last, it might also have been the lateness of the hour.

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The first seat to announce was Rodbourne Cheney, held by the leader of the Labour group, Jim Grant. His majority of 204 was solid enough – but it didn’t suggest that Labour was going to be swept home on a tidal wave.

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Conservative councillor Gary Sumner said: “That’s a solid Labour stronghold. If we’re getting within 200 there, that opens up new avenues for us there.”

As counting continued, rumour and counter-rumour abounded: The Liberal Democrats were threatening in Wroughton and Wichelstowe (or Wichelstow as the council’s sign had it), Labour might threaten in St Margaret and South Marston, and they might be looking good in Lydiard and Freshbrook, but Liden, Eldene and Park South was looking better than expected for the Conservatives

In the end none of them came to pass, though Labour got within 45 votes of taking St Margaret and South Marston where the sitting Conservative had stepped down.

And then the buzz was that Labour might have lost Penhill and Upper Stratton.

The sitting councillor was Teresa Page, who had been elected five times as a Labour councillor, but who’d gone independent in the last few years in reaction to the party’s leadership.

She stood, and Labour put up Kate Linnegar, the party’s Parliamentary candidate for North Swindon, who was expected to take the seat back

But the Labour vote was split, allowing David Oladapo Ibitoye to take it for the Conservatives.

After the huge cheers died down, that rather took the excitement out of the evening.

Individual races were close, but a win in Penhill had the Conservatives ahead, and they never looked like giving up the lead.

David Renard, who had had reason, after all, to be confident said: “We work hard to talk to people every day all through the year, not just at election time.

“This shows the value of doing that.”

A disappointed Jim Grant said: “The splitting of the Labour vote in Penhill was bitterly disappointing, as was getting so close in St Margaret.

“This was a local election, but national issues, particularly Brexit dominated. We had a very good manifesto, but we just couldn’t make it heard.”

ALL THE RESULTS HERE - Swindon Borough Council elections 2019

To round off a night of contrasting fortunes, The Conservatives held on to their seat in Old Town, which Labour had dearly hoped to take off them, by just 15 votes. The new councillor Nick Burns-Howell said: “When I was elected two years ago to South Swindon Parish Council I had a majority of 11. I’m glad to have increased it. In a couple of years, I’ll have a comfortable lead of 20.”