THE Green Party has had its best-ever election results in the Forest and has become the largest single group on the Forest Council.

The party more than doubled its number of councillors – from seven to 15 – but that leaves it five short of an overall majority on the 38-member authority.

Just a third of the district’s 64,200 voters turned out to choose a local representative last Thursday.

Turnout ranged from 45.61 per cent in St Briavels to 22.47 per cent in Cinderford East.

It is not clear which grouping will run the council for the next four years.

As the largest single party, the Greens will be central to discussions about a formal coalition or a looser agreement.

They could try and run the authority as a minority administration.

But the Progressive Independents, who ran the council for six years until the election, could also form an administration if they can secure enough votes from other groups on the council.

Sid Phelps, the Green councillor for Lydbrook, who served on the Cabinet during the previous administration, said it was a great night for his party.

He said: “We will be central to anything because we are the biggest group by far.

“We will work with anyone, within reason. But it’s difficult to know yet.

“There are some groups we get on better with than others.

“We are delighted with the result.”

Cllr Bernie O’Neill, the Progressive Independent councillor for Ruspidge and a Cabinet member in the last administration, said it was possible that they could still run the council if they can get sufficient numbers of councillors in other groups to support them.

He said he was proud of what his group had achieved – as a minority administration – and was saddened that they had lost good councillors.

Among them was Claire Vaughan, the former Cabinet member for Housing who lost her seat in Lydney East by a single vote.

There were just nine votes separating the first and fourth candidates in the three seat ward.

Conservative Alan Preest topped the poll with 448 votes.

Independent James Bevan was second on 441 and Green candidate Andrew McDermid was third on 440.

Ms Vaughan – who was not at the count at Forest Oaks Farm in Lydney because she was on holiday at the time, polled 439 votes.

Cllr McDermid is one of 16 new faces on the council.

Several long-serving councillors were defeated including Independent Andrew Gardiner in Mitcheldean, Ruardean and Drybrook, Conservative Carole Allaway-Martin in Coleford and Independent Lynn Sterry in Cinderford.

Between them they had around a century of local government service.

Another long-serving councillor to lose his seat was Paul Hiett who had been the deputy leader of the council.

He lost his seat in Bream as the Green Party took both seats in the ward.

The new councillors for the area are Jackie Dale and Alison Bruce.

Labour is now the third largest group after the Greens and the 11-strong Independent group.

The party now has five members, up from three before the election.

Cllr Shaun Stammers, who gained a seat for Labour in Mitcheldean, Ruardean and Drybrook said: “It’s not been a good night for the Tories.”

Cllr Harry Ives, who was leader of the Conservative group in the previous council, acknowledged it had not been a good result for the party.

There are now four Tories on the council compared with six previously.

He said: “It may be that national issues have had an effect on our vote.

“We will continue to work hard for our communities and provide constructive opposition to the new administration.”

The Liberal Democrats also gained a seat meaning there will be three Lib Dems on the new council compared with two previously.

There are two new Lib Dems on the council, Cllr Julie Hudson who retained one of the two seats the party held in Newent and Taynton.

Cllr Gill Kilmurray gained the Dymock ward from the Conservatives – as she was celebrating her birthday.

Among the new councillors is Jonanthan Lane who was one of two Greens to take a seat in Tidenham where he topped the poll with 1,034 votes.

He previously taught history and politics at Wyedean School in Sedbury.

He said: “I spent 17 years teaching politics, now I actually get to do it.”

His wife Rachel stood for the Greens in Coleford but was not elected.

The new council has its first meeting on Thursday, May 25 when it should become clearer who will run the authority for the next four years.