WEYMOUTH and Portland councillors are looking for a new figurehead after incoming mayor Anne Kenwood lost her seat.

Mrs Kenwood was ousted from the Wyke Regis ward by Conservative Party candidate Geoffrey Petherick in a night which saw the Tories take back three seats on the borough council to become the second-biggest party.

Mrs Kenwood, who remains a Labour county councillor, said: "It was national issues that's what people were voting on."

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council chief executive Tom Grainger said the next step would be to ask deputy mayor David Harris if he would consider the role.

Any further candidates would be chosen in order of seniority.

Conservative candidate Hazel Bruce was returned by the Preston ward with a majority of 90, after losing the seat two years ago. The ward saw the highest turnout of the local election with 55.38 per cent of eligible voters taking part. Across the borough, where 11 seats were up for election, the average voter turnout was 40.44 per cent.

In Weymouth West ward, Peter O'Neill took the former Labour seat for the Conservative Party.

Weymouth Conservative Party leader Nigel Reed said he was delighted with the result, which left his party with 11 seats, the Liberal Democrats with 13, Labour with seven and five independent councillors.

Mr Reed said: "I'm pleased that the hard work that we put in has shown rewards."

He added that national issues for Labour and changing perceptions of the Conservatives had played their part and said: "What we have been getting on the doors is that people are disillusioned with the Government.

"David Cameron has made a difference, we have got more people coming to the party."

An attempt by Labour to unseat Lib Dem councillor Christine James in the Westham North ward saw her win the area with a 629 majority.

Weymouth Labour party leader Andy Blackwood said: "Obviously, this hasn't been a great result but it is not an unexpected one.

"National headlines haven't helped and these elections showed that the Conservatives saw an opportunity to come out and give Labour a bloody nose and they took it."

Former Portland mayor Steve Flew was elected for the ward of Tophill West which had the lowest turnout at 32.39 per cent.

He said he would make sure the island was not forgotten and added: "I felt the town council was going nowhere so I left to stand for the borough elections.

"We're not a poor relation to Weymouth and with the Olympics coming I want to push Portland forward."