Rebekah Moll (pictured, left) has maintained the Liberal Democrat grip in the Royal Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames, winning yesterday?s by-election in the Grove ward by a whisker.

After a tense recount, Moll took 710 votes to Conservative Adrian Amer?s 687, marking a dramatic 7.5% swing to the Conservatives since 2010 when the Liberal Democrats gained a majority of over 500 votes. However, turnout for the eligible electorate this time around came in at only 27.5%.

For the Conservatives, the result represented a great success, with MP Zac Goldsmith tweeting to Amer: ?It is an enormous victory. You’ve turned a rock solid Lib Dem seat – in the Lib Dem heartland – into a razor’s edge marginal.?

This by-election – the fifth to be held in the borough since 2010 – followed the news of Marc Woodall?s (pictured, right) departure from the council. Rumours suggested he is leaving to take up a politically restricted post at Surrey County Council which would prevent him from being a councillor.

Moll has lived in Kingston town for 4 years with her husband, Andy, and is an active member of her local residents association. She has worked in Adult Social Care Services for Kingston Council for the past 10 months and also volunteers at Ed Davey’s constituency office to help with constituents? issues.

The full results per party were: Liberal Democrat 710; Conservative 687; Labour 440; Green 123; UKIP 56; BNP 23; Christian People’s Alliance 20