The Conservatives retained Adur easily with a majority of 19 seats.

Labour only managed to get two councillors elected and group leader Daniel Yates was beaten in St Nicolas ward.

The Liberal Democrats won a single seat and the Shoreham Beach Independents two.

Turnout was 38 per cent in the first elections to the new-look council, which has been reduced in size from 39 members to 29 after changes to ward boundaries.

Tory leader Neil Parkin said: "We did not totally wipe out the Labour Party but nearly. They lost a lot of wards. This is fairly disastrous for them - they were within 30 votes of being wiped out.

"I am very pleased. It's a sign we have been doing the right things for the past couple of years. I think we are showing a resurgence under Michael Howard."

Mr Yates, who was expecting to lose seats, said: "As John Prescott said, we have had a good kicking across the country.

"Hopefully, it is going to mean Labour looks at how it has been doing and perhaps reviews its position before it comes to a general election."

BUCKINGHAM Elected: Debra Kennard (C) 872, Melanie Blunden (C) 871 Not elected: Nigel Sweet (L) 327 CHURCHILL Elected: Carol Bradburn (C) 483, Graham Kerner (C) 416 Not elected: Joyce Burns (L) 223, Denise Ferris (I) 280, Roy Gibson (LD) 317, Joy Hartley (I) 342 COKEHAM Elected: Nicholas Pigott (C) 488, Kenneth Bashford (L) 452 Not elected: Tracey Clarke (LD) 310, Barry Mear (L) 432, Vilna Woolhead (C) 379 EASTBROOK Elected: Carol Eade (C) 572, James Funnell (C) 544 Not elected: David Munnery (L) 483, Jacqueline Painter (LD) 211, Jean Woolgar (L) 332 HILLSIDE Elected: Kenneth Eade (C) 793, Janet Mockridge (C) 657 Not elected: Martin Horner (L) 353, Robert King (LD) 429 MANOR Elected: Keith Dollemore (C) 586, Angela Mills (C) 418 Not elected: Cathleen Davis (LD) 284, Anthony Holmes (I) 190, Stephen Martin (LD) 330, Lionel Parsons (UKIP) 288, Jean Turner (L) 151 MARINE Elected: Elizabeth Mckinney (I) 989, Michael Mendoza (I) 920 Not elected: Stephen Mear (L) 167 MASH BARN Elected: Brenda Collard (C) 342, Ann Bridges (LD) 295 Not elected: Roy Banks (L) 166, Patrick Beresford (I) 200, Richard Burt (LD) 264, Maureen Condick (C) 274, Sharon Wood (I) 192 PEVEREL Elected: Carson Aldbury (C) 544, Brian Boggis (C) 541 Not elected: Timothy Clarke (LD) 470, John Wales (L) 312 SOUTHLANDS Elected: Laura Graysmark (C) 555, Peter Berry (L) 535 Not elected: Andrew Bray (L) 498, Paul Graysmark (C) 517 SOUTHWICK GREEN Elected: Robert Dunn (C) 727, Julie Searle (C) 692 Not elected: Susan Board (G) 261, Steven Carden (L) 224, Julie Scarratt (L) 218, Anthony Stuart (LD) 308 ST MARY'S Elected: Michael Howard (C) 560, Victoria Parkin (C) 503 Not elected: Alan Heselden (L) 454, Sue-Ellen Murrell-Ashworth (L) 434 ST NICOLAS Elected: Brian Coomber (C) 851, Neil Parkin (C) 666 Not elected: Moyra Martin (G) 425, Daniel Yates (L) 312 WIDEWATER Elected: Wendy Gray (C) 868, Anthony Nicklen (C) 843, Christine Turner (C) 799 Not elected: Yasoda Dooraree (LD) 497, Elizabeth Edwards (I) 430, Adrienne Lowe (L) 383, Doris Martin (LD) 521 Results key:

denotes sitting councillor
C Conservative G Green I Independent L Labour LD Liberal Democrat UKIP United Kingdom Independence Party BNP British National Party