Labour will keep a firm grim on Flintshire County Council affairs for the next five years after yesterday’s local elections.

The party ended up with 34 of the 70 seats available in the chamber at County Hall in Mold – exactly the same number it started out with before yesterday's hustings.

Labour candidates made gains in seats outside its heartlands – taking one from Conservative Hilary Isherwood, wife of North Wales Regional AM Mark Isherwood, in rural Llanfynydd.

And Gladys Healey took the Hope ward by a single vote to join her husband Dave, the councillor for Caerwgrle, on the local authority.

But the party was punished in Bagillt East Ward after deselecting leading Labour councillor Kevin Jones. His successor Kevin Rush lost out to Independent Rob Davies by three votes.

And the party was denied an overall majority after the Alan and Glenys Diskin husband and wife team failed to hold onto the Mancot ward seats they had occupied for a number of years.

Labour also failed to take the Flint Oakenholt seat from Independent Rita Johnson by a single vote.

Former Flintshire Council leader Patrick Heesom made a comeback at Mostyn but there was no joy for former councillor Klaus Armstrong-Braun in Broughton.

For a full breakdown of the election results, see Friday's copy of The Leader.