HAMPSHIRE County Council Chief Executive has set out the timetable for the council after the local elections yesterday.

John Coughlan said: “The majority Conservative party will now meet to consider its key appointments.

“At the councils’ annual general meeting on Thursday, May 25, councillors will elect a chairman, vice chairman and council leader.

“The new leader will make appointments to the Cabinet ahead of its first meeting on June 19.

“I look forward to working with all of Hampshire County Council’s members in serving the county’s 1.3 million residents over this next Administration period – delivering important public services; from education, roads, highways and social care for vulnerable children and adults, to access to the countryside and libraries.

“The county council elections have run very smoothly and I would like to thank all of the staff in the district and borough councils, and the County Council for their contribution in the process.”

Of the 78 county council seats, the Conservatives won 56, the Liberal Democrats won 19, Labour two, and the Community Campaign (Hart) won one.

This compares with the results of the 2013 elections, when the political make up of the council was 45 Conservatives, 17 Liberal Democrats, ten UK Independence Party, four Labour, one Independent, and one Community Campaign (Hart).The turnout for the elections was 36 per cent of the electorate.