LABOUR retained the seat on Basildon Council vacated by former councillor Kayode Adeniran, who resigned last month.

The by-election for the Lee Chapel North ward on Thursday, 25 November, resulted in a 56 vote majority for Labour candidate Terry Webb, 69.

Conservative candidate Deepak Shukla was second with 395 votes while Basildon Community Residents party were well represented in the poll, coming third with 135 votes.

However, the turnout of electors was very low, with just over one in ten of those eligible bothering to cast their vote.

The full result:

CHANDLER, Michael (Liberal Democrats) 55

QUESTED, Catherine (Basildon Community Residents Party) 135

WEBB, Terry Roy Parry (Labour Party) 451