MONMOUTHSHIRE'S Conservatives will be looking to forge alliances with other parties after losing their overall majority for the county.

The party won a total of 19 seats at Thursday's vote, a significant drop from the 29 seats they secured in 2008's local elections and three short of the figure needed for an overall majority.

Conservative leader, Peter Fox, who retained his seat in Portskewett, said it was early days.

He said: "We will have to come together to consider what options are available. We need to find the best solutions to put forward the key areas of improvement in the county. It will require us to talk to other councilllors and find the best way forward."

The number of Independent councillors rose from one to 10, Labour gained three seats from seven to 10, while the Liberal Democrats lost one seat falling from four to three and no Plaid Cymru councillors were successful.

Four former Tory councillors triumphed as Independents candidates - Bob Hayward retaining his seat in Dixton with Osbaston, Alan Wintle in Drybridge, Graham Down in Shirenewton and Val Smith in Llanbadoc.

During his speech, Cllr Hayward thanked the people in his ward for leaving their "Conservative roots".

Former Labour councillor, John Marshall retained his seat in the Green Lane ward after becoming an Independent and former Liberal Democrat representative James George was re-elected for the Lansdown ward as a member of the Labour party.

Former council leader Andrew Crump, who has represented Raglan for the past 21 years, lost his seat to Conservative candidate Penny Jones by just nine votes.

Mr Crump described his 21 years of service as "glorious", but said he would not be back in local politics.

Six out of the 43 seats across 42 wards were uncontested - Goetre Fawr, Llangybi Fawr, Llantilio Crossenny, Mitchel Troy, St Arvans, and Usk.

Turn out across the county for the vote was 38.3 per cent.

CAERWENT Phil Murphy Conservative 342 ELECTED; Julian Porter Labour 161

CALDICOT CASTLE Pauline Anne Watts Labour 267 ELECTED; Ron Stewart Plaid Cymru 149 Ian Standing Conservative 127

CANTREF Paul Jordan Conservative 417 ELECTED; Margaret Harris Labour 316

CASTLE Maureen Powell Conservative 404 ELECTED; Amanda Peters Labour 203 Tony Potts Liberal Democrats 70

CROESONEN Roger Harris Labour 459 ELECTED; Robert Hoggins Conservative 101

CRUCORNEY David Wynne Hughes Jones Independent 507 ELECTED; Andrew Cecil James Conservative 311

DEVAUDEN Bob Greenland Conservative 352 ELECTED; Will Griffiths Liberal Democrats 154

DEWSTOW Tony Easson Labour 274 ELECTED; Julia Haskey Plaid Cymru 160 Anthony Ian Perrett Independent 58 Alan Whiteley Conservative 37

DIXTON WITH OSBASTON Bob Hayward Independent 477 ELECTED; Anthea Madeline Dewhurst Liberal Democrats 198 Simon Lane Conservative 187

DRYBRIDGE Alan Wintle Independent 280 ELECTED; Mathew James Adrian Davies Labour 274 Terry Christopher Conservative 260 Sian Damon Plaid Cymru 50 Christopher Martin Were Green Party 37 Stephen Roy Davis Independent 30

GOETRE FAWR Bryan Jones Conservative UNCONTESTED

GREEN LANE John Marshall Independent 232 ELECTED; Wyndham Samuel Conniff 212 Paul Watkins Conservative 53

GROFIELD Douglas Lloyd Edwards Liberal Democrats 263 ELECTED; Peter John Marsh-Jenks Labour 144 Mark Henry Chiplin Conservative 91

LANSDOWN James George Labour 404 ELECTED; Chris Woodhouse Conservative 101

LARKFIELD Phil Hobson Liberal Democrats 268 ELECTED; Roy Garner Conservative 227 Brian Winston Counsell 164

LLANBADOC Val Smith Independent 388 ELECTED; Laura Jones Conservative 125

LLANELLY HILL Simon George Mark Howarth Independent 1039 ELECTED; Giles Howard Conservative 655 ELECTED Tony Carrington Independent 425 Adrian William Pantlin Labour 278 Pam Bell Plaid Cymru 169

LLANGYBI FAWR Peter Clarke Conservative UNCONTESTED

LLANFOIST FAWR Martin Hickman Conservative 354 ELECTED; Robert Anthony Willbourn Labour 227

LLANOVER Sara Jones Conservative 488 ELECTED; Margaret Elizabeth Willcock Labour 252

LLANTILIO CROSSENNY Ruth Edwards Conservative UNCONTESTED

LLANWENARTH ULTRA Kevin Glyn Williams Labour 318 ELECTED; Katy Bensted Conservative 165

MARDY Ralph Frederick Chapman Independent 225 ELECTED; Barrie O'Keefe Conservative 161 Malcolm Thomas Skinner Independent 67 Capel Thomas Hanbury-Tenison Liberal Democrats 30

MILL Frances Taylor Independent 306 ELECTED; Gail Harris Conservative 247 Neeta Baicher Labour 224

MITCHEL TROY Geoff Burrows Conservative UNCONTESTED

OVERMONNOW Sue White Conservative 230 ELECTED; Lee Robson Labour 212 Tudor Greaves No Party 91

PRIORY John Prosser Conservative 235 ELECTED; Pauline Jones Labour 224 Robin Harries Liberal Democrats 93

PORTSKEWETT Peter Fox Conservative 359 ELECTED; Alun Lloyd Labour 284

RAGLAN Penny Jones Conservative 289 ELECTED; Andrew Crump Independent 280 Stuart Anthony Willcock Labour 170

ROGIET Linda Guppy Liberal Democrats 246 ELECTED; Mike Smith Independent 173 Hazel Bennett Labour 113 Scilla Greenland Conservative 18

SEVERN Jim Higginson Labour 329 ELECTED; Tony Griffiths Conservative 40 Michael Anthony Rice Independent 39 Janet Harvey Plaid Cymru 35

SHIRENEWTON Graham Lindsay Down Independent 444 ELECTED; Phil Moles Conservative 279 Judith Angharad Langdon Independent 120 Janet Ellard Liberal Democrats 37 Martin McHugh Independent 27

ST ARVANS Ann Webb Conservative UNCONTESTED

ST CHRISTOPHER'S Dimitri Batrouni Labour 378 ELECTED; Steph Dovey Conservatve 201

ST KINGSMARK David Dovey Conservative 422 ELECTED; Henry Hodges Liberal Democrats 257

ST MARY'S Peter Stuart Farley Labour 187 ELECTED; Paul Pavia Conservative 169 Paul Rutter Liberal Democrats 169

THE ELMS Jessica Crook Labour 263 ELECTED; Jimmy Harris Conservative 236 Donna Louise James Independent 155

TRELLECH UNITED Debby Blakebrough Independent 492 ELECTED; Jeff Mitchell Conservative 361

THORNWELL Armand Watts Labour 438 ELECTED; Marian Lewis Conservative 241

USK Brian Strong Conservative UNCONTESTED

WEST END Dave Evans Labour 266 ELECTED; Kay Harris Independent 104 Tim Fawcitt Conservative 35

WYESHAM Liz Hacket Pain Conservative 254 ELECTED; Liam Stubbs Labour 200 Raymond William Bradley Independent 103 Ann Were Green Party 93