Voters went to the polls in 16 rural wards and the Conservatives took two seats from the Lib Dems - in Boroughbridge and in Ouseburn - to give them 27 seats on the Council. The Liberal Democrats now hold 21 seats, and the Independents - all Ripon district councillors - hold six.

The Labour Party fielded five candidates but failed to make any gains, as did the BNP who contested six seats.

The Conservatives also regained control of Lower Nidderdale which had been vacant following the death of Coun Elwyn Hinchcliffe earlier in the year.

In Boroughbridge, Boroughbridge Mayor Robert Windass secured a seat for the Conservatives over the nearest rival Lib Dem Peter Phillips by a majority of 161 votes, while in the Ouseburn ward, Martin Leather gained the seat with a 742-vote majority over Clare McKenzie, who was selected by the Lib Dems when former ward councillor Chris Lewis stepped down.

The Liberal Democrats’ sole victory in the rural elections was in Pateley Bridge, where sitting councillor Stan Beer defeated Tory rival Kathy Sewell by 77 votes after scooping more than half of the 1,057 total ballot to keep his seat.

The fiercely-contested Lower Nidderdale seat was won by Conservative candidate Christine Hill, who pipped the Lib Dem’s Tom Watson by just 34 votes, the smallest majority in this year’s district council elections.

Other noteworthy results for the Conservatives included Claro councillor Anthony Alton narrowly retaining his seat against the Lib Dem Malcolm Howe (37-vote majority), and Nick Brown’s 233-vote win in the Newby ward where he had replaced Nicholas Wilson who had stepped down.

Leader of the Conservatives, Coun Mike Gardner said: "I am disappointed in some aspects because we didn't take Pateley Bridge, but overall I have to be pleased.

“Taking 15 of the 16 rural seats is a good start and it is an increase on the 12 we had. It is difficult to knock off a standing councillor.

"We were delighted to win Boroughbridge and Ouseburn, but failed in Pateley Bridge (a target seat) which was very disappointing.

"The Claro Ward was one of the closest (with a Lib Dem majority of 37) and in hindsight we made a mistake in not targeting it more. We had our wrists slapped and should have worked harder.

"The council is now finely balanced and is a hung council".

Liberal Democrat leader Margaret-Ann de Courcey-Bayley said the loss of two seats to the Conservatives reflected voting trends across the country.

She said: “Given the national swing to the Conservatives we were not too disappointed with the results, although we were sorry to lose Ouseburn following the retirement of Chris Lewis, and also the Boroughbridge ward.

“We were very pleased with our performance in the Claro and Lower Nidderdale ward even though we did not win, because we came within a close margin and we were delighted that Stan Beer retained his seat because we put a lot of effort into doing well there.”