Seven votes ensured that Labour held on to York in a nail-biting election victory.

DRAMATIC FINISH: Labour councillors celebrate at their post-election party at the Theatre Royal in York early today Picture: Mike Tipping

The party lost three seats - and one more defeat would have ended its overall majority.

It meant bitter disappointment for the Liberal Democrats, who despite gaining four seats were forced to concede defeat with the torturous thought that seven precious extra votes in the Holgate ward would have gained them another seat from Labour.

The victorious members of the Labour group celebrated their close call into the night at the Theatre Royal bar. Four years ago, they toasted their win with pints of beer at a working men's club.

The night spelled disaster too for the York Tories' crusade to rise like a phoenix from the ashes of the 1995 elections, when they were all but wiped off the political map in the city.

They started last night with three seats, lost one and gained one, and ended up with three again. They were the only Tories in the region not to boost their quota of seats.

On East Riding of Yorkshire Council, the Conservatives made significant gains but not enough to prevent the authority starting another term as a hung council.

Ryedale too was stuck with no party in overall control, despite successes by the Conservatives. In Hambleton, the Tories strengthened their iron grip, while Harrogate's Lib Dems comfortably held on to power at the borough council. And in Selby, Labour lost enough seats to the Tories to plunge the district authority into a state of no overall control.

In York, of the 53 seats, Labour won 27, the Lib Dems 22, Conservatives three and Independents one, in an election that saw a turnout of 38 per cent - down 5.6 per cent on last time. The Greens failed to win any seats but came closer than ever before, according to the party's Andy White, who said they were delighted to have beaten the Lib Dems and the Tories in Bishophill ward.

A jubilant Rod Hills, leader of the Labour group, admitted it had been a nerve-wracking evening as the party faithful absorbed news of its losses. He said: "Yes, it was worrying. But I am very pleased that electors have given us their trust again because it means we can continue our programme of improving the services and making the council more efficient.

"Our aim now is to become a beacon council, recognised nationally by the government."

Liberal Democrat leader Peter Vaughan said: "We clearly had the strongest team and we increased our vote massively in some wards. The electorate has shown that we are a genuine alternative in York politics.

"What we have seen is retention of control by a Labour Party that is clearly in trouble with the electorate of York."

Conservative Gerald Dean, who served as a York councillor for 22 years until the Tory disaster in 1995, marked his return to the Micklegate ward by booting out Labour's David Evans. But fellow Tory stalwart Ken Beavan was not so lucky in Guildhall ward, and nor was the 1997 Parliamentary candidate Simon Mallett in Monk ward.

Ken Creek, Tory campaign co-ordinator, said: "We did have a hell of a hill to climb and we are disappointed that we did not take more seats."

see COMMENT 'A good night had by all'

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