It means the authority will remain hung for another two years as a result of the elections.

Liberal Democrats were down one to 16 and the BNP snatched the Illingworth and Mixenden seat from Labour.

Conservatives strengthened their position as the largest party on Calderdale Council when election votes were counted today.

Conservative group leader Ann McAllister (Rastrick) said she would continue to work towards a political consensus.

Calderdale's longest-serving councillor was ousted from his seat in a shock defeat.

Mohammed Najib (Lab, Park), the first Asian to serve on the council, waved goodbye to his 22 year post.

"I am devastated", he told the Courier.

Mr Najib received 1,678 votes but was pipped by Liberal Democrat rival Ilyas Mohammed who won 1,838 votes.

Shakar Saghir who stood as an Independent candidate in the same ward and whose father Mohammed Chaudhary Saghir, 62, was arrested on Wednesday for alleged election fraud, gained 442 votes.

It was a mixed result for Labour in this year's local elections.
The party held onto two seats and lost two.
Megan Swift retained Town ward with 1,055 votes, a majority of 406, and Danielle Coombs held on to her seat in Ovenden with 847 votes, a majority of 283.

Former Tory councillor Nick Yates paid the price for switching parties when he lost his Brighouse seat.

Mr Yates was elected as Conservative councillor in 2004 but joined the Liberal Democrats in July 2007.

Conservative candidate Howard Blagbrough won the ward with 1,329 votes, a majority of just 79.

The BNP has got a foothold back in Calderdale Council.
Until yesterday's elections the party was unrepresented in the borough but Tom Bates took the Illingworth and Mixenden seat with 1,323 votes, a majority of 309.

Judy Gannon held the seat for Labour since a by-election in the ward in February 2007 after the sudden death of Labour leader Tom McElroy.

Stephanie Booth, the step-mother of Cherie Blair, finished third in Todmorden ward with 853 seats, with Ian Cooper winning the seat for the Conservatives from the Lib-Dems.