HASLEMERE’S new Lib Dem county councillor John Robini has received a ringing endorsement from his vanquished Conservative rival Ged Hall, who described the election as a ‘win-win’ for residents.

In another bruising poll for the Tories locally, the party held on to just two of the nine available Surrey seats across Waverley borough as the results were declared at The Edge on Friday.

And the Lib Dems were the big winners as Haslemere mayor Cllr Robini polled 287 votes more than Mr Hall to take the town’s county seat at the fourth time of asking – having finished second in 2005, 2009 and 2017.

Meanwhile, fellow Lib Dem Paul Follows won Godalming South, Milford and Witley by a huge margin of 1,158 votes, and the same party held Godalming North and gained Cranleigh and Ewhurst.

Farnham Residents won all three Farnham divisions – leaving just David Harmer in Waverley Western Villages and Kevin Deanus in Waverley Eastern Villages for the Tories.

But there were no sour grapes from Mr Hall as the Haslemere result was announced, commenting: “John, if nothing else, is a community guy so I think whoever had won today, voters would have got someone who was going to be pushing the community and helping the town.

“The town is the winner whoever had won. So that’s democracy and well done to John for winning a fair fight.”

Cllr Robini also praised his election rival for a “good clean fight”, adding: “I don’t believe in slurring people – this is about the community and what we represent.

“Being elected means a lot to me, and I’m sure it would have meant a lot to Ged, but we’ve already spoken and we’ll be working together for the future of Haslemere.”

Cllr Robini also thanked his agents, supporters, wife and “everybody who voted for me”.