CONSERVATIVE councillors in South Lakeland have set their eyes on the prize of winning overall control after a successful election campaign.

One week on from the local elections the dust in South Lakeland is beginning to settle as political parties take stock.

It was a bruising encounter for several councillors as newly redrawn boundaries saw wards won and lost by dozens of votes.

In Ulverston the town saw spoils equally divided between Tory and Labour, but, one of the leading Conservative politicians in the area says the town, and the rest of the district is ready for the taking.

Tory councillor James Airey, member for Furness Peninsula, said: "We're very pleased. We really did well in the Furness wards but to be honest we did well right across South Lakeland, winning seats across the area against the Lib Dems.

"We were very close in a lot of areas and we can take some seats which come up next year. Ultimately we will take control of the council."

In spite of this fighting talk, Labour retained its stronghold in the east of Ulverston. All three seats in the ward up for grabs fell into its hands.

Cllr Dave Webster said: "We're very pleased from last week. It was a good result.

"Next election we would look at the western wards. The Conservatives took the west. No doubt next time we will target west and they will target the east."

Overall the Lib Dems held on to the council with 29 elected councillors to the Conservative's 19, and Labour's three.

The council's leadership has expressed its happiness with remaining the largest party in the district.

The council's leader, the re-elected member for Kendal Town Giles Archibald, said the result was a good one taking into account the Tory's aggressive campaign, and a resurgent Green Party.

He said: "When compared to the general election results this is a much better result for us as Lib Dems.

"We have 29 seats now compared to 19 for the conservatives. That is still a large majority."

Cllr Archibald said results came for the Lib Dems thanks to a positive campaign, rooted in its manifesto pledges. He continued saying Ulverston and the Furness Peninsula would form a prominent part of the council's future investment.

He said: "We are spending money on the Cross-a-Moor junction, cultural events in Ulverston, the Prom and the Lido in Grange. We are not a Kendal centric council and I am very careful to maintain this."