The Conservatives have tipped the balance of power in the Elmbridge division of Surrey County Council, taking six of the nine seats, with UKIP ousted and the residents' association group losing one seat. 

A sea of different-coloured rosettes filled the Esher Hall at the Portsmouth Road racecourse, with borough councillors turning out to show their support for others in the running.

In the earliest of the results, Conservative Councillor Mike Bennison has been re-elected for Hinchley Wood, Claygate and Oxshott, with a 32.5 per cent turnout.

He said: "I am bewildered by the wonderful support from the residents who voted for me. I can't thank them enough. Without the voters, I would not have achieved this.

"I want to support Claygate class action and sort out school places for good.

"I want to thank the new people from Long Ditton who came into the ward from the boundary change. It was a joy to come and talk to them."

The UK Independence Party (UKIP), which enjoyed a bumper night at elections around the country yesterday, picked up 569 votes, third behind the Liberal Democrats with 1,153 and the Tories, with 1,943 votes.

Tony Samuels has been elected for Walton South and Oatlands, in another Conservative hold, while Mary Lewis won the Cobham division. The Tories held held their seat with 1,524 votes, with UKIP second with 651.

Coun Lewis said: "I am very happy that the people of Cobham chose me as county councillor and I look forward to getting started.

"People in Cobham are concerned about school places and I will make sure that I am on the case to deliver excellent schools."

Peter Hickman, representing the Dittons and Weston Green Residents' Association, retained his seat for The Dittons and in a quick fire turnaround of counts Stuart Selleck, also representing the Residents' Associations, won the East Molesey and Esher seat, by a margin of just 24 votes.

The Tories held on to Hersham, with Margaret Hicks re-elected on to the council and Walton, which was hotly contested in the 2009 elections, was won by Conservative Councillor Racheal Lake, the first shift of the day. 

Ernest Mallett was re-elected for West Molesey, representing a Residents' Association hold. 

In the last of the Surrey seats Christian Mahne won the Weybridge seat for the Tories, beating Ian Lake, who defected from the party earlier this year and stood as a UKIP representative. 

In the only borough by-election of the day, Mary Marshall held the Claygate seat for the Liberal Democrats, marking a rare splash of yellow in an otherwise true blue day.