TWO leading councillors lost their seats by a landslide in the battle of the two Independent Parties on Canvey.

Canvey Independent Group councillors Anne and Brian Wood lost out to first time Canvey Independent Party candidates Gail Barton and Barry Campagna, in the fight for Canvey East and South wards.

The Tories maintained their majority on the mainland in Benfleet, Hadleigh and Thundersley, with green belt activist Simon Hart taking up the seat in Victoria ward from long-serving councillor Enid Isaacs who stood down this year.

This means there will be three new faces sitting in Castle Point Council this year.

The Labour Party failed to gain any seats despite contesting all 13 places this year.

However, competition proved fierce as in St Mary’s ward only 71 votes stood between Labour and Co-Operative Party candidate Brian Wilson and Conservative David Cross, who kept his seat.

The Green Belt Party, who fielded two candidates this year, also did not gain any seats.

READ MORE IN MONDAY’S ECHO.