The Conservatives romped to victory in Billericay and Wickford as the Liberal Democrats slumped in the Basildon Council elections.

But Labour was celebrating too after holding every seat in Basildon and easily hanging on to the reins of council power.

In Billericay and Wickford, out went Liberal Democrat councillors Frank Bellard and Alan Banton, chairman of Wickford area committee.

Former Tory councillors Tony Archer, in Billericay East, and Don Morris, in Wickford South, were back while Stephen Horgan claimed Billericay West at his sixth attempt.

The changes mean the Conservatives take over as the main opposition party to Labour on the council.

Jubilant Conservative Billericay MP Teresa Gorman said: "The Tory party is on its way back and Basildon is proof of that.

"What Basildon does today the rest of the country will do tomorrow - we picked up five seats and this time next year we will be in control of Basildon Council.

"The great revival has begun and those people that have been doing the Communist salute will get their comeuppance."

Despite increating their share of the vote, Tories failed to take control of Southend, which remains under no overall control, a situation that was mirrored in Rochford.

Labour remains in control of Castle Point despite the Tories gaining 13 seats.

Elsewhere in Essex, the Tories took control of Maldon, which was previously under no overall control and the Lib Dems lost control of Chelmsford, now under no overall control.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.