THE UK Independence Party has its first county councillors in Gloucestershire after winning three seats in last week's elections.

The party also took a seat from the Conservatives in a by-election for the Forest of Dean district council ward of Bromsberrow and Dymock.

The results mean that UKIP have more county councillors in the Forest than any other grouping and that the Conservatives have a one seat advantage over Labour on the district council.

UKIP election agent in the Forest James Carver said: "This has not come out of nowhere. We have been campaigning for two and a half years locally on issues that matter to people such as parking charges.

"We have been working hard and we will continue to work hard on behalf of the people of the Forest."

The closest run contest was in Bream and Blakeney where just 94 votes separated UKIP's Richard Leppington, who polled 1,190 votes against Bill Evans of Labour who get 1,096. Conservative Diana Edwards was third with 856 and Liberal Democrat Zoe Forbes fourth on 208.

Leader of the district council Councillor Patrick Molyneux – who took the Sedbury seat on the county council for the Tories – insisted the result was not a reflection on the party locally.

He said: "I think this was based on national issues. It is a protest vote, people are not happy with the decisions that have been made but I think we are on the right course."

Forest MP Mark Harper said he was "disappointed at losing good councillors" but added that it was not a good night for Labour either.

He said: "People have gone over to UKIP not the main opposition party but I think this is a protest vote."

Councillor Graham Morgan, who retained his seat in Cinderford, said Labour had done well in the election as a whole but lost votes to a targeted campaign in the Forest.

He said: "Labour have more seats on the county council but UKIP targeted the Forest and I think it was a disaster for the Tories."

Labour took two of the eight seats in the Forest compared with three for UKIP, two for the Conservatives and one independent.

The Conservatives lost overall control of the county council with 23 of the 53 seats, four short of a majority. They will either have to find coalition partners or attempt to run the county as a minority administration.

The election of UKIP's Simon Roberts to the Forest of Dean district council was another blow for the Conservatives.

He said the issues in the election were parking charges, the state of the roads and the need to spend more money north of the M50.

There was a third poll in the Forest with voters in Newnham selecting a parish councillor. Ray Puttock was elected with 268 votes to Anny Reid's 236.