The Conservatives have today retained their large majority in South Norfolk after losing just one seat in the district council elections.

The Liberal Democrats bucked the national trend of big losses for their party by retaining all their seats and gaining one.

The political map of South Norfolk Council is now made up of 38 Conservatives and eight Liberal Democrats.

The local authority is virtually unchanged from the 2007 local elections. The only change was the Lib Dems wining the Forncett ward following the death of Tory councillor Hedley Smith last year.

John Fuller, leader of the council, said he was 'delighted' with the result and had expected bigger loses after the landslide victory of four years ago. He added that the council would look to advance discussions with sharing services with Great Yarmouth Borough Council.

'We have consolidated our lead. Turnout was high and we have fought unashamedly on our local record in freezing council tax in three out of four years and improved service levels.'

'When you win, you take on the responsibility of dealing with a council that is really a big business. Looking ahead, there are tough times ahead and we are looking to balance the books by reducing overheads and sharing services with neighbouring authorities,' he said.

Murray Gray, leader of the South Norfolk Liberal democrat group, added: 'We have bucked the national trend and we have gained a seat and increased the majority in our other seats at a time when the Liberal Democrats are being hit badly across the country.'

Turnout for the district council vote was 46pc - 1pc higher than four years ago. In the referendum on the Alternative Vote, 13,332 voted for a change to the voting system and 32,400 people in south Norfolk said 'No'.

The South Norfolk results in full:

* denotes an elected councillor

Abbey: Robert Savage* (C) 678, Peter Smith (Lib Dem) 328

Beck Vale: Keith Tilcock* (C) 491, Kerri Worrall (Lib Dem) 441

Bressingham and Burston: Ashley Camm (Lib Dem) 290, Keith Weeks* (C) 787

Brooke: John Fuller* (C) 855, Judith Tryggvason (Lib Dem) 299

Bunwell: Nigel Crouch (Lab) 312, Rodney Myall (Lib Dem) 123, Bev Spratt* (C) 691

Chedgrave and Thurton: Peter Arnold (Lib Dem) 244, Derek Blake* (C) 600, Ronald Murphy (UKIP) 202

Cringleford: Christopher Kemp* (C) 1089, Jan Kitchener (Green) 359, Robert Pell (Green) 253, John Peterson (Lib Dem) 323, Victoria Smillie (Lab) 362, Garry Wheatley* (C) 1036

Cromwells: Melvyn Elias (Lib Dem) 387, Neil Ward* (C) 461

Dickleburgh: Pamela Reekie (Lab) 144, Paul Seeman (Lib Dem) 132, Martin Wilby* (C) 762

Diss: Trevor Clark (Lab) 574, Evan Heasley (UKIP) 391, Keith Kiddie* (C) 1078, Tony Palmer* (C) 1220, Glyn Walden* (C) 1251, Fiona Wenman (Lib Dem) 669, Trevor Wenman (Lib Dem) 563

Ditchingham and Broome: Pauline Allen* (Lib Dem) 561, Sam Carter (C) 361

Earsham: Jethro Elsden (C) 317, Murray Gray* (Lib Dem) 623

Easton: Allan Bedford (Lib Dem) 218, Margaret Dewsbury* (C) 791

Forncett: Barry Duffin (C) 539, Bob Mcclenning* (Lib Dem) 664

Gillingham: Kay Billig* (C) 613, Mandy Smith (Lib Dem) 438

Harleston: Susan Kuzmic (Lib Dem) 508, Fran Pitt-Pladdy (Lib Dem) 589, David Reekie (Lab) 293, Brian Riches* (C) 775, Jeremy Savage* (C) 668

Hempnall: Fiona Clarke (Lib Dem) 329, Michael Windridge* (C) 719

Hethersett: David Bills* (C) 1092, Leslie Dale* (C) 983, Laura Green (Lab) 555, Jacky Sutton (Lib Dem) 781

Hingham and Deopham: Yvonne Bendle* (C) 729, Peter Eldridge (Green) 281, Lindsey Wright (Lib Dem) 154

Loddon: Colin Gould* (C) 649, Mary Quarmby (Lib Dem) 236

Mulbarton: Shirley Hagger (Lib Dem) 407, Jon Herbert* (C) 1118, Nigel Legg* (C) 1002, Margaret Pitcher (Lib Dem) 367, Roy Walmsley (Green) 441

New Costessey: Ian Boreham (Green) 299, Cid Gibbs (Labour) 359, Yan Hardinge* (Lib Dem) 633, John Seddon (Green) 148, Oliver Taylor (C) 451, Gerard Watt* (Lib Dem) 636, Vivienne Weeks (C) 343

Newton Flotman: Eve Domeyer (Lib Dem) 428, Laura Webster* (C) 536

Northfields: Pat Dore (Lib Dem) 93, Joe Mooney* (C) 716, Douglas Underwood (Lab) 286

Old Costessey: Vivienne Bell* (Lib Dem) 1090, Tim East* (Lib Dem) 1116, Caroline Savage (C) 560, Ronald Smith (C) 558

Poringland with the Framinghams: Oliver Best (Lib Dem) 480, Nicola Fowler (Lab) 467, Lisa Neal* (C) 1110, John Overton* (C) 1244

Rockland: Joanne Bissonnet (Lab) 250, Daniel Scott (Lib Dem) 166, Sue Thomson* (C) 693, Ingo Wagenknecht (Ind) 92

Roydon: David Goldson* (C) 508, Paul Howling (Lib Dem) 260

Rustens: Jeremy Dore (Lib Dem) 88, Colin Fougler* (C) 436, Jo Hardy (Green) 110, Sandra Underwood (Lab) 185

Scole: Brian Fookes (Lib Dem) 131, Roy Philpot (UKIP) 156, Jenny Wilby* (C) 609

Stoke Holy Cross: Jane Hutchings (Green) 151, Jeremy Kent (UKIP) 74, Trevor Lewis* (Lib Dem) 635, Stella Rice (C) 403

Stratton: Terry Blowfield* (C) 962, Janet King (Lab) 374, Alistair Miller (Lib Dem) 479, Linden Parker (Lib Dem) 344, Andrew Pond* (C) 709

Tasburgh: Florence Ellis* (C) 636, Philippa Grant (Lib Dem) 428

Thurlton: Claire Jackson (Lib Dem) 225, William Kemp* (C) 540, Derek West (Green) 271

Town: Michael Crouch (Lab) 277, Lee Hornby* (C) 715, Jane Walker (Lib Dem) 148

Wicklewood: Jessica Austin (Ind) 67, Paul Blathwayt (Lib Dem) 149, Michael Edney* (C) 665, Dominic Roskrow (Lab) 234