THE Conservatives have regained overall control of Worcester City Council, despite predictions the party would take a battering nationally.

The Tories took St Clement ward back from Labour four years after losing a by-election there but came very close to losing the Cathedral ward.

The Lib Dems just held on in Claines on a night when it showed that every vote really does count in a Worcester election.

Councillor Simon Geraghty, leader of the Conservatives, said: “This is an excellent result. To take a seat and hold all of our others against what is a tough picture nationally, given that the Government is having to deal with major service change and reductions, is a fantastic result.

“It has surpassed expectations and to do this against the backdrop shows we have councillor trying to deliver what people want.”

Worcester’s MP Robin Walker, a Conservative backbencher, said he was pleased that Labour had failed to take any seats and added he thought that did not bode well for the party nationally.

“Overall, I think this is a big disappointment for Labour not to be gaining seats and a huge disappointment for them given what’s going on in Scotland.

“Nick Clegg knew he was going to take a kicking but the person who will be most disappointed tonight is Ed Miliband.”

While Christopher Mitchell took back St Clement for the Conservatives from Labour with a majority of 156, the Tories only just kept hold of Cathedral.

Councillor Allah Ditta spent the night sweating in the Guildhall, pacing up and down and even declaring at one point he thought he was finished.

However, the former mayor managed to scrape home by 24 votes, narrowly beating Lynn Denham.

Coun Ditta said it was a wake up call and admitted he has a challenge on his hands to win back the votes of the residents.

“I’m up for the challenge,” he said. “I work hard for the ward and I will continue to do that.”

In Claines, the Conservatives narrowly missed out on snatching the seat from the Lib Dems and there had to be a recount as the result was so close.

In the end Coun Liz Smith managed to do what many of her counterparts across the country could not and held on to her seat by 17 votes.

A relieved Lib Dem leader Sue Askin said: “I’m pleased Liz has retained her seat.

"She is an invaluable member of Worcester City Council.”

As for Labour there was a strange mixture of relief and disappointment at last night’s results.

Party leader Adrian Gregson said he thought the way the votes had been cast showed discontent towards the coalition but it was not enough for Labour to make any gains in Worcester.

He said: “I think the Conservatives have got away with it. We are obviously disappointed not to have won Cathedral whenit was looking so close but pleased to have made significant inroads there and they will be really worried next year.”

Marc Bayliss, who romped home to victory in Bedwardine, was Labour councillor in Arboretum before he defected to the Tories earlier this year.

He said he was delighted to be elected and to see his new party doing so well.

The previous council compostion was complicated by the defection of the Arboretum Labour councillor Bayliss to the Conservatives.

After the previous election there were 17 Conservative councillors, 13 Labour, three Liberal Democrat and two independents, which meant a Tory minority administration.

After his defection it put the Tories in control with 18 councillors against 17 members of the opposition.

But the vote gave the Tories a mandate after they gained the St Clement seat from Labour.

Coun Bayliss was parachuted into the safe Conservative Bedwardine seat, while Labour held on to his former Arboretum seat.

• Catch up on exactly how the people of Worcester voted in our election section here.