IT IS all change at Haslemere Town Council where Conservative members have been cut from 17 to seven.

Formerly consisting of 17 Tories and one Independent, the town council now has seven Tories, seven Liberal Democrats, two Independents and two Greens.

The dramatic Lib Dem comeback that saw the number of Waverley councillors elected increase from one to 14, continued at Haslemere Town Council putting them on equal footing with the Tories.

Former town mayor and borough councillor Jacquie Keen, her husband Haslemere Rotary president John Robini and Terry Weldon, also a former borough councillor, and newcomer Terry Weldon, won all three seats for Haslemere Critchmere ward.

Huge support shown for successful Independent candidate Nikki Barton in Haslemere’s county council by-election was also echoed in the town council elections in which both she and fellow independent Kirsten Ellis were voted in for Haslemere South ward, together with Tories Simon Dear and David Dullaway.

Striking a blow for the Greens, who have two borough council seats for the first time, Green town council candidates Claire Matthes and Gary Lloyd both won their seats.

Prominent Tory Haslemere borough councillors, including deputy leader Ged Hall and executive member Jim Edwards, failed to be re-elected both as borough or town councillors.

Tory town mayor and mayoress David Round and Melanie Odell were re-elected as town councillors, but many well-known long members, including former mayors William King, Sahran Abeysundara, Libby Piper, Malcolm Carter and current deputy mayor Pat Blades failed to win back their seats.