The Conservatives has won the by-election for the last seat on Swindon Borough Council.

Kate Tomlinson was elected tonight for the seat in Priory Vale ward in North Swindon, with a very handsome majority.

The full result was:

Ian Edwards - Labour Party 508 votes

Steve Litchfield - Green Party 83 votes

Elena Mari - Independent  47 votes

Joseph Polson - Liberal Democrat  102 votes

Kate Tomlinson -  Conservative 1139

The turnout was 1,882, just 22 per cent of the eligible voters.

The result means the ruling Conservative group now have a majority of  17 in the Euclid Street council chamber, with 37 seats. Labour have 20.

Although local elections were held only in May this year, this seat became vacant when the sitting councillor Emma Faramarzi resigned a few days later with a year left to run on her term.

Coun Faramarzi had sat for a year as an Independent Tory after being elected as a Conservative with a large majority in 2018.