The Labour Group is celebrating in Lambeth after regaining a firm grip on their traditional heartland after four years lost in a hung council.

Labour gained 20 seats resulting in a grand total of 41 Labour councillors. The group enjoys a comfortable overall majority of 18.

The Lib Dems lost seven seats so although they retain second place they have a depleted stock of 18 councillors.

The Tories took a hammering in the polls, they lost 10 seats and are now left with only four.

Bernard Gentry, the Tory Leader, was one of the casualties losing his Clapham town seat to a Labour new-comer.

Councillor Jim Dickson, Leader of the Labour Group, said: "People have recognised that Labour in Lambeth has completley transformed itself. They have given a ringing endorsement of new Labour's plans to transform the council. We will work with all political parties on the new Council to clean up the borough and turn round Lambeth's poor schools and housing."

Councillor Mike Tuffrey, leader of the Lib Dem Group, said: "We have won 33 per cent of the vote compared to 34 per cent in the last full election so we are pleased to have held our vote.

"It is one of the quirks of the election system that we have lost the seats.

"Labour have won Tory votes promising council tax but they can only do that by cutting spending on services.

"The Liberal Democrats as the official opposition will make the case for improvement in the quality of services."

Lambeth Local Election results by ward:

ANGELL Ambrose Hogan Lab

Donatus Anyanwu Lab

Simon Stevens Lab

BISHOPS Peter Truesdale LibDem

Leslie Boodram Lab

Stephen Bourne Lab

CLAPHAM PARK Ruth Ling Lab

Roland Doven Lab

Martin McEwan Lab

CLAPHAM TOWN Christopher Henley Lab

Michael English Lab

Claudette Hewitt Lab

FERNDALE Richard Jarman Lab

Mohammed Abu-Bakr Lab

Paul McGlone Lab

GIPSY HILL Janet Grigg Con

Russell A'Court Con

Gareth Compton Con

HERNE HILL James Dickson Lab

Kirsty McHugh Lab

Peter O'Connell Lab

KNIGHTS HILL Paul Connolly Lab

Colin Crooks Lab

Robert McConnell LibDem

LARKHALL Kevin Craig Lab

Rupert Bawden Lab

Esther McCauley Lab

OVAL Marietta Crichton Stuart LibDem

John Feenan LibDem

Andrew Sawdon LibDem

PRINCES Michael Tuffrey LibDem

Keith Fitchett LibDem

Sandra Lawman LibDem

ST LEONARD'S Clive Bennett LibDem

Brian Palmer LibDem

Roger Giess LibDem

ST MARTINS Judith Brodie Lab

Thomas Franklin Lab

Toren Smith Lab

STOCKWELL Anthony Bottrall LibDem

Hugh David Lab

Abigail Melville Lab

STREATHAM HILL Ashley Lumsden LibDem

Roger O'Brien LibDem

June Fewtrell LibDem

STREATHAM SOUTH Alan White Lab

John Kazantzis Lab

Timothy Sargeant Lab

STREATHAM WELLS Julian Heather LibDem

Sheila Clarke LibDem

Daphne Hayes-Mojon LibDem

THORNTON Anthony Hewitt Lab

Julie Minns Lab

THURLOW PARK Clare Whelan Con

John Whelan Con

TOWN HALL Christopher Cattermole Lab

Geraldine Curtis Lab

Steven Reed Lab

TULSE HILL Teifion Goddard Lab

Jacqueline Meldrum Lab

Johanna Sherrington Lab

VASSALL Katherine Ussher Lab

Michael Criuckshanks Lab

Alexandra McKenna Lab

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.