HALESOWEN stayed true blue as the town’s Conservative councillors retained all four of their seats in the local elections.

Labour put up a good fight in Halesowen North and Belle Vale where Karen Shakespeare and Bob James held onto their seats with slim majorities.

But in Halesowen South and Hayley Green and Cradley South Tory councillors Alan Taylor and Ken Turner romped home to victory with huge majorities.

In Halesowen North Karen Shakespeare polled 2078 votes, beating her only opponent - Labour’s Hilary Bills - by just 172 votes. The turnout in the ward was 42.1 per cent.

Cllr Shakespeare, who has been a local councillor for 11 years, said she was “delighted” to be re-elected. She said: “There’s a lot of work to do. I’m grateful to everyone who voted for me and has put me back for another four years.

“It was a fair fight. It was a tough one and we fought it well.”

Hilary Bills blamed her defeat on the fact that UKIP’s Stuart Henley didn’t stand in the ward. Mr Henley, who polled 921 votes in Halesowen South in 2010, missed the deadline for his candidacy application.

In Belle Vale Bob James held onto his seat, polling 1931 votes against Labour’s Donella Russell who polled 1688. Green Party candidate Dennis Neville gained 403 votes. The turnout in the ward was 39.66 per cent.

Cllr James, who has been a councillor for 11 years, said: “I’d like to thank the residents of Belle Vale. It has been a privilege to serve them.”

First time Labour candidate Donella Russell said: “It was very tight. I’m disappointed, but there’s always next year.”

In Halesowen South Alan Taylor held on to his seat by a massive majority polling 2538 votes with his nearest opponent Labour’s Ian Copper polling 1372. Tim Weller gained 264 votes for the Greens while UKIP’s Ray Franklin polled 394. The turnout was 46.06 per cent.

Councillor Ken Turner also gained a huge majority in Hayley Green and Cradley South, with 2128 votes. Labour’s Mike Kelly polled 1258 while the Green Party’s Christopher Lees polled 204 and UKIP’s Bob Heeley got 414 votes. The turnout was 42.96 per cent.

Halesowen and Rowley Regis Tory MP James Morris attended the count at Cornbow Hall in Halesowen today (Friday). He said: “It’s a very good set of results for us given the way the national picture was shaping up before the election.

“It’s a good platform for us to build on.”

The Tories also held control of Dudley Council.