TORY MP Nigel Evans was the first to congratulate newly-elected Ribble Valley councillor for Waddington Roger Harold Chaplin after a closely fought by-election.
The Conservative candidate, who has lived in Waddington for 20 years, received 220 votes in the by-election, narrowly beating Liberal Democrat William Le Breton, who received 194.
The by-election was called after the sudden resignation of Ribble Valley Council deputy leader Harry Backhouse, who quit the Waddington seat in July because of farming responsibilities.
The turnout for the by-election was 39.7 per cent, which Ribble Valley Council chief legal officer Paul Timson described as good.
Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans said: "We are delighted to have retained the seat and Roger will make an excellent councillor.
:Quite clearly living locally played an important part in his victory and Roger and I will be working closely together on local rural issues."
The Ribble Valley Council is currently divided among 18 Tories, 16 Lib Dems, three independents and one Labour member.
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