Labour made a breakthrough in Three Rivers by taking South Oxhey following a collapse in the British National Party vote in Hertfordshire County Council’s elections yesterday.

Elsewhere in Three Rivers there was little change as the Liberal Democrats held their two divisions and the Conservatives held three seats in the district.

Meanwhile UK Independence Party, who stood in the county council elections for the first time, didn’t manage to take any seats but came close as its candidates surged to second place votes in Abbots Langley, Croxley, and South Oxhey.

In South Oxhey, Joan King took the division for Labour with 964 votes after the British National Party won the seat in 2009.

The party’s victory came on the back of a 20 per cent swing to Labour and a collapse in the BNP vote, which plummeted from 783 in 2009 to 71.

UKIP candidate, Helena Hart, claimed second spot receiving 24% with 472 of votes.

Conservative Ty Harris came third with 400 votes.

The Liberal Democrats came last with just 59 votes, suffering a dramatic drop in support compared to 2009 when the party won 446 votes.

Councillor Joan King said: “I am extremely grateful to the team that helped me and the people of South Oxhey for giving me their trust.

“I will work extremely hard for them and make sure Hertfordshire County Council knows where South Oxhey is now and the people get the councillor they deserve.”

The Conservatives remained the largest Three Rivers presence at county hall as the party retained Chorleywood, Oxhey Park and Rickmansworth.

In Rickmansworth the party clung on as it saw its majority drop from 928 votes to 208, a decrease of 18 per cent. This coincided with UKIP contesting the division for the first time and winning 19 per cent of the vote.

In Chorleywood the Conservatives suffered an 8 per cent drop in their vote but in Oxhey Park, Councillor Frances Button, saw her vote share dramatically rise from 48 per cent to 69 per cent.

Conservative group leader, Chris Hayward said: “I am absolutely delighted to be re-elected by the people of Chorleywood, Sarrat and Hunton Bridge for a further term as their county councillor.

“It’s been a tough campaign, based on a relatively low turnout by the electorate and obviously a significant UKIP vote. Nevertheless to have achieved a four figure majority against that background I am particularly grateful.

“I think we now need to move forward to ensure that we learn the lessons the electorate are trying to teach us and make we sort out as a party the key economic issues facing the country at the present time.”

The Liberal Democrats held both Croxley and Abbots Langley with slightly reduced vote shares.

Newly-elected Liberal Democrat councillor for Abbots Langley, Sara Bedford, said: “I am obviously very pleased to have such a large majority. I think Paul Goggins will be a very hard act to follow because he has been a very good county councillor for Abbots Langley for the last 20 years.

“But I am very grateful for the large majority that local people have given me.

"I hope it’s a vote of confidence in the work I have done at district level and I hope to represent them well at county hall.”