Lewes Conservatives totally wiped out as Greens, Lib Dems and Labour share the spoils on council election day

Despite being the largest party, the council has been run by a Co-operative Alliance, a mix of Green, Lib Dem, Labour and Independent councillors.

The biggest winners on the day were the Greens, who finished the day with 17 seats, two ahead of the Lib Dems, who now have 15, and Labour who now have nine.

Labour cemented its strangehold of Peacehaven, winning all the seats in the town, alongside East Saltdean and Telscombe Cliffs.

The Lib Dems won a seat off the Greens in Lewes Bridge, one they won back in Ouse Valley and Ringmer.

Ultimately there was nowhere for the Conservatives to hide, with the Greens winning seats in the northern, more rural parts of the district, and the Lib Dems doing very well along the coast in Newhaven. Seaford was largely split between the two parties.

After a weekend of celebrating the results, the dust will settle and it remains to be seen how the council will be run in the future, either a formal or informal alliance, or with one party taking control through a minority administration.

The new Local Green Party Councillor for Wivelsfield William Coupland said: “These unprecedented results show that people across the district have put their trust in the Green Party. They know we work the hardest and put local people and our environment first.”

Green Group leader Zoe Nicholson says, “Congratulations to our successful candidates - I know they will give their all to address the issues that matter most to their residents.

“We have won in places we have never won before from the North to the South of the District, People told me that they felt ignored and taken for granted by the Conservatives. A new beginning for Lewes District has begun. Both Newick and Wivelsfield have been dominated by the Conservatives for 50 years and Seaford now has a strong green presence for the very first time.

“Thank you to every voter and campaigner who helped get an unprecedented number of Greens elected here. Our councillors will work tirelessly for a fairer, greener community right across the District.”

Lib Dem James MacCleary called the result ‘astonishing’ with no Tory councillors left. A total of 15 councillors was the top end of the Lib Dems’ prediction so they were ‘very pleased’. He added: “Clearly the Conservatives record nationally has had a serious impact on the cost of living, dumping sewage in our rivers and off our sea shore and failing to confront the issues affecting people's every day lives."

But he felt the positive record of the Co-Operative Alliance had also had an impact, from refurbishing the district’s play areas to taking the people on the lowest income out of council tax.