Liberal Democrats set to take control of West Lindsey Council

In the recent local elections, the party won a record 18 seats across the district, reducing the number of Conservative seats from 16 to 14 – for a party to have overall control of West Lindsey Council, it must have 19 seats, more than 50 per cent.

This meant the balance of power was in the hands of the four Independent and Lincolnshire Independent councillors, who were elected in Hemswell, Gainsborough North, Cherry Willingham and Dunholme & Welton.

The Tories would have needed to secure all four seats to retain control, but Coun Trevor Young, Lib Dem leader, has confirmed at least one Independent has already aligned with them.

He said: “Following the elections, we strongly feel we have the mandate to take over the council.

“We already have the support of one Independent and are in the process of formalising that.

“Clearly the Tories haven’t got the numbers to take control and so the message is clear. It’s time for a change.”

Villages such as Stow, Sudbrooke and Lea were among the seats won by the Lib Dems.

Coun Jackie Brockway, Tory member for Saxilby, sparked rumours of the change in the leadership during a Lincolnshire Council meeting.

She said: “The administration has changed, it’s now a Lib Dem administration.”

After the meeting, she clarified nothing was official, but she felt at least one Independent would align with the Lib Dems, giving them the majority.

She said: “This is just my opinion, but I think there will be one that will go with the Lib Dems and the other three we just don’t know.

“Two of them have worked well with us previously and the third is a new person.”