The leisure crisis in North Wiltshire came back to bite the Lib Dems today when the Conservatives emerged victorious in the battle for power on the district council.

The Tories have won 39 seats, the Lib Dems 14 with Labour winning just one seat.

The final seat to be decided - Calne Lickhill - was indicative of the day's voting with Conservative candidates Andrea Pier and Caroline Ramsey taking the two council seats.

Among those elected are three sets of husband and wife teams, John and Sylvia Doubell, Chris and Audrey Wannell and Nina and Andy Phillips.

Conservative leader and soon to be new council leader Dick Tonge, who won his seat in Corsham and Lacock, said he looked forward to not making the same mistakes as the previous administration.

He said: "This proves the public are not stupid. We have lots of challenges and the leisure centres must be managed properly.

"We need to support Cricklade, find a solution for Wootton Bassett and Calne is also a difficult situation.

"Other problems are car parking charges which are having a bad effect on most of us. However all these problems are fixable.

advertisement "We are looking forward to the challenges."

Liberal Democrat Ross Henning, who won his seat in Calne Abberd, blamed the leisure centre problems and the boundary changes on his party's poor showing.

"Some very good Lib Dem councillors have suffered as a result. They deserved to win seats, instead they have been seen off by the Conservatives.

"I think there has been a national swing back to the Conservatives because of national issues." Fellow Lib Dem councillor John Doubell added: "I think car parking fees which people do not necessarily agree with have really damaged the Lib Dems in this election."