Woking Conservatives scored a second decisive election victory in as many weeks as they held the St Johns and Brookwood county seat during a by-election on May 19 with a increased majority.
New Conservative councillor Linda Kemeny held the seat by 284 votes ahead of the Liberal Democrats - up from a 63 majority at the 2009 county council elections. The by-election was triggered after sitting councillor Elizabeth Compton had to stand down for health and family reasons.
The county seat encompasses the three borough wards of Brookwood, St Johns and Hook Heath and Hermitage and Knaphill South. The turnout at 29% was much lower than the 40% turnout in 2009 - on a similar turnout, the projected Conservative majority in 2011 would have been nearly 400.
Cllr Kemeny, also chairman of Woking Conservatives, lives in Hook Heath and is an active charity campaigner and fundraiser. She said:"I think it is important to pay tribute to the work of my predecessor Elizabeth Compton who represented people in St Johns and Brookwood for many years.
"Obviously I am delighted to be elected and would like to thank the residents of the area for their support. I look forward to getting started in my new role."
The full result can be found here.