Liberal Democrats and Conservatives dominated the county council election for St Albans and Harpenden as the first counts took place on Thursday night.

The biggest upset saw Roma Mills, St Albans Labour leader and long-time representative of St Albans North, lose her seat to Charlotte Hogg, a new face from the Liberal Democrats who made Ms Mills the only councillor not to retain her seat.

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The Conservatives took four seats, taking the St Stephen’s seat from the Liberal Democrats after Aislinn Lee chose not to stand for re-election.

The Liberal Democrats took five seats, as their share of the vote rose by nine per cent, to 44 per cent in St Albans, and Dreda Gordon held onto her London Colney spot for Labour.

Cllr Gordon said: “We are very pleased with the win; we thought it was possible and that we are at the heart of the community because people were saying this to us on the doorstep.”

However St Stephen’s Tory councillor Sue Featherstone said that during her campaign, many lifelong Labour voters have switched allegiances to the Conservatives during this election, perhaps in preparation for the General Election on June 8.

While the Green Party stood in every seat and UKIP stood in nine out of 10, neither party were able to secure a place on the council for any of the St Albans and Harpenden divisions.

Brexit was big talking point at the night’s count: while Ms Mills pointed out that residents she met while campaigning are interested in the “bread and butter” issues rather than those concerning Europe, the new incumbent of her seat Ms Hogg suggested her win was due to being part of the “pro-European party”.

She said: “I have spoken to European citizens in St Albans who have expressed support and have obviously turned out today for the pro-European party.”

The overall turnout was higher than 2013’s 34 per cent, with an average of 41 per cent, with each area showing more voters than in 2013.

Questions were raised as to whether this vote would be an indicator for June 8, with some saying the views of councillors may colour how people perceive the party in the General Election.

Cllr Anthony Rowlands, newly elected Liberal Democrat representative for St Albans East, said: “For a lot of people that the Labour Party is not presenting a view the people want and that has affected that vote, and there are thousands of people in St Albans who have historically voted Conservative who are dismayed that they are represented by someone whose views are so drastically at odds with theirs with regards to Brexit.”

New boundaries since 2013 were also a topic of conversation at Batchwood Sports Centre, with some suggesting these may have caused “confusion” for voters.

Former mayor and district councillor Annie Brewster also took her first win in a county election as the new seatholder for Harpenden Rural.

She said: “I am completely overwhelmed by the generous support that I have received from Wheathampsted, Redbourne, Sandridge and Kinsbourne Green.”

Here’s the full list of the new/returning councillors for St Albans and Harpenden in the Herts County Council elections.

  • Colney Heath and Marshalswick: John Hale, Lib Dems (new to the seat).
  • Harpenden North East: David Williams, Conservatives (hold)
  • St Albans South: Sandy Walkington, Lib Dems (hold)
  • St Stephen's: Sue Featherstone, Conservatives (new)
  • St Albans Central: Chris White, Lib Dems (hold)
  • St Albans East: Anthony Rowlands, Lib Dems (new)
  • St Albans North: Charlotte Hogg, Lib Dems (new)
  • Harpenden Rural: Annie Brewster, Conservatives (new)
  • Harpenden South West: Teresa Heritage, Conservatives (hold)
  • London Colney: Dreda Gordon, Labour (hold)