LIBERAL Democrat candidates have emerged triumphant from a closely fought Otley byelection.

Two Town Council seats in the Ashfield ward were up for grabs following the resignations of Lib Dem councillors Peter and Wendy Brown earlier this year.

A byelection to fill the vacancies was held on Thursday, September 1 and saw Kim Holmes and Penny Robinson (both Lib Dem) elected with 427 and 337 votes, respectively.

Independent candidate Tom Featherstone - Chairman of the Give Otley Its Town Hall! campaign - came very close behind, with 330 votes.

The second highest-placed runner up, meanwhile, was Labour's Gareth Dibble, on 214 votes out of a total 1,792 cast.

Cllrs Holmes and Robinson join the now 16-strong Lib Dem group that controls the town council.

Long-standing local resident Cllr Holmes said: "I’m honoured that the voters of Ashfield have put their confidence in me to represent them on the town council.

"I’m looking forward to getting stuck in and contributing to the work my Liberal Democrat colleagues have underway to make Otley an even better place to live.”

Cllr Robinson added: "It is humbling to have the residents of Ashfield put their trust in me and I will work hard to ensure I repay their trust.

"With Kim and my Liberal Democrat colleagues in Ashfield we will be contributing fully to make sure the commitments the town council already has to Ashfield are delivered."

Both councillors also expressed their thanks to the other byelection candidates for running "civil and well-mannered" campaigns.

Otley Liberal Democrat group and town council Chairman Ray Georgeson (Lib Dem, Danefield) said: "I am delighted to welcome Kim and Penny to the Liberal Democrat group, and congratulate them on their election.

"They will be hard working and valuable contributors to the work of the council and to Otley’s civic life, and I look forward to working with them in the years to come.

"The byelection was a tightly fought contest but I hope that all candidates will continue to contribute to our local politics and find ways to work together, whenever we can, for the good of our town."

The full results were: Kim Holmes, Liberal Democrats – 427; Penny Robinson, Liberal Democrats - 337; Tom Featherstone, Independent – 330; Gareth Christopher Dibble, Labour Party – 214; Nigel James Gill, Labour Party – 161; Gerard Francis, Conservative Party – 110; Diane Elaine Fox, Conservative Party – 85; Rob Claxton-Ingham, Green Party – 66; Rob Godfrey, Green Party – 62.