Last week the Courier reported that Liberal Democrat candidate Bev Mann had won the Stratford District Council election by 11 votes, polling 861 compared to the sitting conservative councillor’s 850.

This was one of five gains made by the Liberal Democrats in the elections held on May 1.

The Tories still have control of the district council with a reduced majority but Mr Barton, who was also chairman of Warwick District Council in the 1970s and early 1980s, explained his defeat after one year in the position could mean the end of his political career.

The 64-year-old said: “I’m taking a back seat - I worked really hard over the past 12 months and I felt I had done my best for everybody.

“What we can’t understand is that around the country we did brilliantly but in the district we lost five seats. I feel really wrenched by it.”

Mr Barton, who formerly owned the Percy Whale furniture store in Leamington which closed in 2005, said he would now be concentrating on the development of his new house in Harbury and on his job as a furniture consultant.

Coun Mann (Lib Dem, Harbury) was surprised to have won the election at her first attempt.

The 47-year-old said: “I am very happy - it has always been a Conservative area for whatever reasons so it was a nice surprise to have won.

“I would like to thank all of the residents in the ward who voted for me.”

Coun Mann explained that her first aim is to establish an open forum for Bishops Itchington residents to say where they would like social housing to be built in the village. She said she would also be backing a similar scheme in Harbury, which fellow Lib Democrat councillor Andrew Patrick is overseeing.

Another of Coun Mann’s aims is to continue with the Councillor’s Corner scheme, which is open for parish, district and county councillor to stand next to landmarks and ask residents about village issues.

She said: “We found by doing this it is much better than having a meeting in a village hall where people are more intimidated to come along.”

Coun Mann will communicate with constituents from all the villages in her ward by contributing to parish news letters. She said: “Chesterton and Deppers Bridge are the smaller villages but if there are any problems I will try and do what I can.”