THE TORIES kept a firm hold on district councils across south Buckinghamshire today while Labour failed to make any impact whatsoever.

Wycombe District Council, Chiltern District Council and South Bucks District Council retained their Conservative majorities after the elections, while Labour remain absent from two of the councils and lost some seats in another.

In Wycombe, the Tories increased their overall majority from 48 to 49 and Labour went down from nine seats to five. The Lib Dems took four seats - an increase of two.

Meanwhile in Chiltern, the Tories took three seats from the Lib Dems to increase their majority to 30 councillors. The Lib Dems now only have nine, and their remains one independent councillor. Labour remains absent.

Conservatives made the biggest gain at South Bucks District Council where they won 36 seats, an increase of four. Two went to the Lib Dems and two went to independent candidates.

In Wycombe the main upset came in the Disraeli ward, where Labour lost both seats to the Tories.

But both Tory places in Ryemead went to the Lib Dems, with Conservative Kathy Dix losing her seat. She previously shared the ward with Conservative Cllr Peter Cartwright but he chose not to stand for re-election.

The BNP was defeated in Flackwell Heath and Little Marlow as all three Tories retained their seats.

And after a close call in Booker and Cressex , UKIP were eventually defeated by the Conservatives. Cllr Val Razzaq (Con) matched Brian Pearce (UKIP) with 410 votes. But after numerous recounts Cllr Razzaq was handed victory after her name was pulled out of a hat. It means the Tories take full control of the ward which they previously shared with Labour.

One of the biggest personal upsets saw Lib Dem Maurice Oram, who has served on the council for more than 20 years, lose his seat on Marlow South East to Tory Neil Marshall. The seat is now completely Tory controlled.

In Chiltern, Michael Meakin (Lib Dem) lost his seat on Seer Green and Jordans to Steve Patel (Con).

The Lib Dems also lost a seat to the Tories in Amersham on The Hill - and completely lost The Vale to the Tories as Elaine Bamford beat Mo Fayaz.

In South Bucks, the Tories lost control of Beaconsfield West to the Beaconsfield Independent Electors Association.

Ken Brown and Geoff Grover took a surprise victory with 511 votes and 458 respectively.

Tory councillors Janet Simmonds and Alan Walters, who both moved from the West ward to the Beaconsfield North ward, won seats.