THE LIBERAL Democrats were today celebrating a comprehensive victory in Sheffield that proved the party was breaking out of its traditional heartlands of

THE LIBERAL Democrats were today celebrating a comprehensive victory in Sheffield that proved the party was breaking out of its traditional heartlands of the South West and Scotland. In one of the biggest upsets of the local elections, the party managed to take control of Sheffield council - which was formerly led by Education Secretary David Blunkett - winning a 10-seat majority. Paddy Ashdown, the Liberal Democrat leader, welcomed the result, stressing that early polls showed his party's nationwide share of the vote had increased by 10 per cent to 27 per cent since the 1997 general election."This is great news for the Liberal Democrats. After gaining Liverpool last year Sheffield is now the second great British city we control," he said."Now we have to concentrate on making sure it is great news for the people of Sheffield too."The Liberal Democrats also made significant gains in northern industrial Labour strongholds such as Stockport and Leeds; they also managed to gain an overall majority in Leicester.They dramatically improved their majority in Liverpool by nine seats with an overall share of the vote of 56 per cent, compared to Labour's 28 per cent.While Millbank sought to crack down on Liverpool's Labour Party, installing a new, more moderate leader, Gideon Ben-Tovim, the Liberal Democrats were seen to have delivered on local issues since they took over the council last May.For example, within 24 hours of that election, Lib Dem leader Mike Storey was promising a freeze on Liverpool's council tax, the highest in the land.He also took on the issue of ridding the city's pedestrianised thoroughfare, Church Street, of market traders. It was a popular move with many locals but was furiously resisted by the traders. Coun Storey also put a stop on the sell-off of open spaces.A Liberal Democrat spokesman said last night's result showed that the party was becoming the "natural party of local government. Labour has failed to deliver on a local level and they are now paying the price."But the party's performance in other areas was patchy and it suffered setbacks in the south of England, where it lost councils such as Worthing to the Tories It lost also overall control in Harrogate and Eastbourne. Overall, the Liberal Democrats were down three councils and up 57 seats.Simon Hughes, the party's health spokesman and a likely leadership contender, played down the losses, stressing that nationwide it had been a "pretty good night" for the Liberal Democrats."We expected to lose district councils in southern England to the Tories.

We made spectacular gains in 1995 and these are traditional Tory areas"Paddy Ashdown added that any losses by his party last night were "massively" outweighed by the gains which, he said, were "to have gained Sheffield, the great jewel in the crown, the second great city that we now run; to have increased by 10 per cent on our general election poll; and, the thing that really marks it out for me, to have increased even on the point that everybody said was a high-water mark four years ago by 3 or 4 per cent."The Liberal Democrats are no longer a fringe party, no longer a party of protest, but are now a party of real power governing right across the face of Britain.". METROPOLITAN BARNSLEY Ind, 2; LD, 2; C, 3; Lab, 59Lab, No change.BIRMINGHAMOthers, 1; Vacant, 1; LD, 16; Ind, 2; C, 20; Lab, 77Lab, No change.BRADFORDLD, 10; C, 26; Lab, 54Lab, No change.BURYOthers, 1; LD, 3; Lab, 36; C, 8Lab, No change.CALDERDALEInd, 1; LD, 14; C, 19; Lab, 20NOC No change.COVENTRYOthers, 2; Lab, 44; C, 8Lab, No change.DUDLEYLD, 10; Lab, 54; C, 8Lab, No change.GATESHEADLib, 1; Others, 1; LD, 15; Lab, 49Lab, No change.KIRKLEESC, 10; LD, 23; Green, 3; Lab, 36Lab, lose to NOC.KNOWSLEYLD, 2; Lab, 64Lab, No change.LEEDSGreen, 1; Ind, 1; C, 12; LD, 14; Lab, 71Lab, No change.LIVERPOOLInd, 2; Lab, 28; Others, 4; Lib, 5; LD, 60LD, No change.MANCHESTERLD, 18; Lab, 82Lab, No change.NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNELD, 14; Lab, 64Lab, No change.OLDHAMC, 1; LD, 26; Lab, 33Lab, No change.ROCHDALELD, 19; Lab, 35; C, 6Lab, No change.ROTHERHAMLD, 1; C, 2; Lab, 63Lab, No change.SALFORDLD, 4; Lab, 56Lab, No change.SANDWELLC, 2; Lab, 61; LD, 9Lab, No change.SEFTONC, 15; LD, 24; Lab, 30NOC No change.SHEFFIELDC, 1; Lab, 39; LD, 47LD, control new council.SOLIHULLR, 1; LD, 11; Lab, 15; C, 24NOC No change.ST HELENSLD, 14; C, 3; Lab, 37Lab, No change.STOCKPORTC, 2; Lab, 26; Ind, 3; LD, 32LD, gain from NOC.SUNDERLANDLD, 3; Lab, 64; C, 8Lab, No change.TAMESIDELD, 2; Others, 3; C, 4; Lab, 48Lab, No change.TRAFFORDC, 27; LD, 3; Lab, 33Lab, No change.NORTH TYNESIDEInd, 1; C, 13; Lab, 38; LD, 8Lab, No change.SOUTH TYNESIDEOthers, 3; Lab, 51; LD, 6Lab, No change.WAKEFIELDC, 3; Ind, 3; Lab, 57Lab, No change.WALSALLInd, 2; C, 21; Lab, 31; LD, 6Lab, gain from NOC.WIGANLD, 2; Lab, 70Lab, No change.WIRRALLD, 10; C, 17; Lab, 39Lab, No change.WOLVERHAMPTONVacant, 1; C, 17; LD, 3; Lab, 39Lab, No change.NON-ADURLD, 13; Lab, 16; R, 2; C, 8LD, lose to NOC.AMBER VALLEYC, 11; Lab, 32Lab, No change.ASHFIELDC, 1; LD, 1; Ind, 2; Lab, 29Lab, No change.BABERGHOthers, 1; C, 10; Ind, 13; LD, 13; Lab, 5NOC No change.BASILDONC, 11; Lab, 23; LD, 8Lab, No change.BASSETLAWC, 12; Ind, 3; LD, 3; Lab, 32Lab, No change.BEDFORDLD, 18; Lab, 19; Ind, 7; C, 9NOC No change.SOUTH BEDFORDSHIRELab, 15; C, 16; LD, 19; Ind, 3NOC No change.BLABYC, 25; Lab, 6; LD, 8C, gain from NOC.BLYTH VALLEYBoundary ChangeC, 2; Ind, 3; Lab, 36; LD, 9Lab, No change.BOLSOVEROthers, 1; Lab, 32; Ind, 4Lab, No change.BRAINTREEC, 16; Green, 2; Lab, 31; LD, 4; Ind, 7Lab, No change.BRENTWOODLib, 1; Ind, 2; Lab, 2; LD, 25; C, 9LD, No change.BRIDGNORTHInd, 21; C, 4; LD, 4; Lab, 4Ind, No change.BROADLANDLab, 12; C, 25; Ind, 3; LD, 9C, gain from NOC.BROXBOURNEBoundary ChangeC, 33; Lab, 5C, No change.BROXTOWEInd, 1; C, 10; LD, 11; Lab, 27Lab, No change.BURNLEYC, 3; Lab, 31; Ind, 5; LD, 9Lab, No change.CAMBRIDGELD, 18; Lab, 21; C, 3NOC No change.EAST CAMBRIDGESHIREC, 1; Ind, 12; LD, 20; Lab, 4LD, control new council.CHELMSFORDInd, 2; C, 21; LD, 28; Lab, 5LD, lose to NOC.CHELTENHAMLab, 1; LD, 17; C, 18; Others, 5LD, lose to NOC.CHERWELLLab, 19; Ind, 2; C, 26; LD, 5NOC No change.CHESTERC, 18; LD, 18; Ind, 2; Lab, 22NOC No change.CHESTERFIELDLD, 19; Lab, 28Lab, No change.CHORLEYInd, 2; Lab, 31; LD, 6; C, 9Lab, No change.COLCHESTERR, 1; Lab, 15; C, 18; LD, 26NOC No change.CORBYBoundary ChangeC, 1; LD, 1; Lab, 27Lab, No change.CRAVENLab, 1; Ind, 10; C, 19; LD, 4C, gain from NOC.CRAWLEYLD, 2; Lab, 25; C, 5Lab, No change.DARTFORDInd, 1; C, 14; Lab, 28; R, 4Lab, No change.DAVENTRYBoundary ChangeLab, 13; Ind, 2; C, 20; LD, 3C, gain from NOC.NORTH EAST DERBYSHIRELD, 3; Others, 3; Lab, 38; C, 9Lab, No change.SOUTH DERBYSHIREInd, 1; Lab, 24; C, 9Lab, No change.DERBYSHIRE DALESC, 21; Ind, 4; Lab, 5; LD, 9C, gain from NOC.DERWENTSIDELab, 47; Ind, 8Lab, No change.DURHAM CITYLD, 13; Ind, 3; Lab, 33Lab, No change.EASINGTONLD, 1; Lab, 45; Ind, 5Lab, No change.EASTBOURNEC, 15; LD, 15LD, lose to NOC.EASTLEIGHLD, 29; C, 7; Lab, 8LD, No change.ELLESMERE PORT & NESTONBoundary ChangeLD, 1; Lab, 37; C, 5Lab, No change.ELMBRIDGEInd, 2; R, 20; C, 24; Lab, 6; LD, 8NOC No change.EPPING FORESTOthers, 1; Lab, 14; LD, 15; C, 19; Ind, 3; R, 7NOC No change.EPSOM & EWELLR, 27; Lab, 3; LD, 9R, No change.EREWASHC, 15; Lab, 29; Ind, 4; LD, 4Lab, No change.EXETERLab, 22; C, 3; Lib, 3; LD, 8Lab, No change.FAREHAMLD, 14; Others, 2; C, 21; Lab, 5NOC No change.FOREST HEATHInd, 1; Lab, 1; LD, 2; C, 21C, gain from NOC.GEDLINGLab, 18; C, 29; Ind, 3; LD, 7C, control new council.GLOUCESTERLab, 23; C, 8; LD, 8Lab, No change.GOSPORTC, 10; Lab, 11; Others, 2; LD, 7NOC No change.GREAT YARMOUTHC, 19; Lab, 29Lab, No change.HAMBLETONLab, 2; C, 35; LD, 4; Ind, 6C, No change.SOUTH HAMSBoundary ChangeC, 29; Lab, 3; Ind, 4; LD, 4C, gain from NOC.HARLOWLab, 34; C, 4; LD, 4Lab, No change.HARROGATEC, 15; Lab, 3; LD, 41LD, No change.HARTLD, 14; C, 16; Ind, 5NOC No change.HASTINGSLD, 12; Lab, 18; C, 2Lab, No change.HAVANTLib, 1; LD, 11; C, 16; Ind, 3; Others, 3; Lab, 8NOC No change.HERTSMERELab, 13; C, 20; LD, 6C, control new council.HIGH PEAKC, 10; Ind, 2; Lab, 27; LD, 5Lab, No change.HINCKLEY & BOSWORTHC, 11; LD, 14; Lab, 9NOC No change.HUNTINGDONSHIREVacant, 1; LD, 14; Ind, 2; C, 36C, No change.HYNDBURNInd, 1; C, 23; Lab, 23Lab, lose to NOC.IPSWICHLD, 1; C, 10; Lab, 37Lab, No change.WEST LANCASHIREInd, 2; C, 21; Lab, 32Lab, No change.NORTH WEST LEICESTERSHIREInd, 1; Lab, 31; C, 8Lab, No change.LEWESInd, 1; R, 1; C, 16; LD, 30LD, No change.LINCOLNC, 2; Lab, 31Lab, No change.MACCLESFIELDLD, 13; R, 3; C, 37; Lab, 7C, No change.MAIDSTONELab, 13; C, 15; LD, 22; Ind, 5NOC No change.MALDONC, 17; Lab, 6; Ind, 7C, gain from NOC.MANSFIELDLD, 2; Lab, 39; C, 5Lab, No change.MENDIPBoundary ChangeLab, 10; LD, 16; C, 18; Ind, 2NOC No change.MID SUFFOLKLD, 14; C, 15; Others, 2; Ind, 3; Lab, 6NOC No change.MOLE VALLEYLab, 1; LD, 16; C, 17; Ind, 7NOC No change.NEWARK & SHERWOODC, 20; Lab, 26; Ind, 3; LD, 5Lab, lose to NOC.NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYMEOthers, 1; LD, 12; Lab, 36; C, 7Lab, No change.NORTHAMPTONBoundary ChangeLD, 11; Lab, 28; C, 8Lab, No change.SOUTH NORTHAMPTONSHIREBoundary ChangeC, 28; LD, 3; Ind, 4; Lab, 7C, gain from NOC.NORWICHLD, 14; Lab, 34Lab, No change.NUNEATON & BEDWORTHLab, 40; C, 5Lab, No change.OADBY & WIGSTONLD, 22; C, 4LD, No change.OXFORDLD, 16; Lab, 28; Green, 7Lab, No change.WEST OXFORDSHIREInd, 10; LD, 13; C, 19; Lab, 7NOC No change.PENDLEInd, 1; Lab, 20; LD, 23; C, 7LD, lose to NOC.PENWITHVacant, 1; Others, 2; Lab, 5; Ind, 8; C, 9; LD, 9NOC No change.PRESTONC, 13; LD, 14; Ind, 2; Lab, 28Lab, lose to NOC.PURBECKBoundary ChangeLab, 1; C, 13; Ind, 5; LD, 5C, gain from NOC.REDDITCHLab, 20; LD, 3; C, 6Lab, No change.REIGATE & BANSTEADLab, 13; C, 22; R, 6; LD, 8NOC No change.RICHMONDSHIREInd, 17; Soc Dem, 2; C, 6; LD, 9Ind, lose to NOC.ROCHFORDInd, 1; C, 11; Lab, 12; LD, 13; R, 3NOC No change.ROSSENDALEC, 15; Lab, 21Lab, No change.RUGBYC, 11; Ind, 2; Others, 2; Lab, 22; R, 4; LD, 7NOC No change.RUNNYMEDELD, 2; C, 25; Ind, 6; Lab, 9C, No change.RUSHCLIFFEInd, 1; LD, 11; Lab, 11; C, 31C, gain from NOC.RUSHMOORLab, 13; LD, 14; C, 18NOC No change.SALISBURYLab, 11; LD, 16; C, 27; Ind, 4NOC No change.SEDGEFIELDR, 1; LD, 2; Ind, 3; Lab, 43Lab, No change.SEDGEMOORBoundary ChangeInd, 1; Lab, 16; LD, 2; C, 31C, gain from NOC.SHREWSBURY & ATCHAMLD, 11; C, 13; Lab, 20; Ind, 4NOC No change.SOUTH SOMERSETC, 13; LD, 41; Ind, 6LD, No change.ST EDMUNDSBURYLab, 16; LD, 2; C, 23; Ind, 3C, gain from NOC.STAFFORDInd, 1; C, 23; Lab, 28; LD, 8Lab, lose to NOC.STAFFORDSHIRE MOORLANDSR, 10; C, 13; Lab, 15; Ind, 9; LD, 9NOC No change.STEVENAGEC, 3; LD, 3; Lab, 33Lab, No change.STRATFORD-ON-AVONLD, 20; C, 24; Lab, 4; Ind, 7NOC No change.STROUDC, 17; Lab, 24; Green, 4; Ind, 5; LD, 5NOC No change.SWALELab, 17; LD, 23; C, 9NOC No change.TANDRIDGELD, 17; C, 18; Lab, 7NOC No change.TAUNTON DEANEBoundary ChangeGreen, 1; C, 21; LD, 23; Ind, 4; Lab, 5LD, lose to NOC.TEESDALEC, 1; Lab, 10; Ind, 20Ind, No change.TEIGNBRIDGELD, 16; C, 19; Lab, 2; Ind, 21NOC No change.TORRIDGEC, 1; Green, 1; LD, 12; Lab, 2; Ind, 20Ind, gain from NOC.TUNBRIDGE WELLSInd, 1; LD, 12; C, 28; Lab, 7C, No change.TYNEDALEBoundary ChangeLD, 10; Lab, 14; C, 22; Ind, 6NOC No change.WANSBECKBoundary ChangeInd, 1; LD, 19; Lab, 25Lab, No change.NORTH WARWICKSHIREInd, 1; LD, 2; Lab, 22; C, 9Lab, No change.WAVENEYInd, 2; LD, 3; Lab, 38; C, 5Lab, No change.WEAR VALLEYLab, 30; Ind, 5; LD, 5Lab, No change.WELLINGBOROUGHBoundary ChangeInd, 1; C, 15; Lab, 20Lab, gain from NOC.WEYMOUTH & PORTLANDLD, 12; Lab, 15; C, 2; Ind, 6NOC No change.WINCHESTERC, 12; LD, 34; Lab, 4; Ind, 5LD, No change.WOKINGInd, 1; Vacant, 1; C, 12; LD, 14; Lab, 7NOC No change.WORCESTERC, 11; LD, 2; Lab, 20; Ind, 3Lab, No change.WORTHINGLD, 16; C, 20C, control new council.WYRE FORESTInd, 12; Lab, 18; Lib, 3; LD, 4; C, 5Lab, lose to NOC.UNITARYBATH & NORTH EAST SOMERSETC, 16; Lab, 17; Ind, 2; LD, 30NOC No change.BLACKBURN & DARWENC, 16; LD, 3; Lab, 43Lab, No change.DERBYLab, 34; LD, 4; C, 6Lab, No change.HALTONC, 1; Vacant, 1; Lab, 46; LD, 8Lab, No change.HARTLEPOOLInd, 1; LD, 10; Lab, 30; C, 6Lab, No change.KINGSTON-UPON-HULLC, 1; Ind, 4; LD, 4; Lab, 51Lab, No change.MIDDLESBROUGHInd, 1; C, 4; Lab, 41; LD, 7Lab, No change.MILTON KEYNESInd, 1; LD, 19; Lab, 27; C, 4Lab, No change.PORTSMOUTHC, 10; Lab, 20; LD, 9Lab, No change.READINGC, 3; Lab, 36; LD, 6Lab, No change.SLOUGHLib, 3; Lab, 32; C, 6Lab, No change.NORTH SOMERSETBoundary ChangeGreen, 1; Lib, 1; LD, 11; Lab, 13; Ind, 3; C, 32C, gain from NOC.SOUTHAMPTONLD, 14; Lab, 27; C, 4Lab, No change.SOUTHEND-ON-SEALD, 12; C, 19; Lab, 8NOC No change.STOKE-ON-TRENTOthers, 1; C, 2; LD, 4; Lab, 48; Ind, 5Lab, No change.SWINDONLD, 10; Lab, 39; C, 5Lab, No change.THURROCKC, 1; Lab, 45Lab, No change.WARRINGTONLD, 11; C, 4; Lab, 45Lab, No change.WOKINGHAMLD, 24; C, 30C, No change.YORKInd, 1; LD, 22; Lab, 27; C, 3Lab, No change.Key To The PollsThere were elections in 326 local authorities yesterday - 308 in England, 32 in Scotland, and 22 in Wales covering 13,000 seats The Welsh council results will be announced today. A full list of results will be in tomorrow's Independent.C ConservativeLab LabourLD Liberal DemocratPC Plaid CymruSNP Scottish National PartyGreen Green PartyInd IndependentR Ratepayers or ResidentsLib LiberalSoc Dem Social Democrat. SOME VOTERS from other European countries were turned away from Scottish polling booths yesterday because of confusion over voting rules for the new parliament. Of the four million people registered to vote in yesterday's Scottish elections, some 17,000 were citizens of other European Union countries. As polling began sluggishly in heavy rain across much of central Scotland, some electoral officers were forced to contact polling stations to clear up misunderstandings.The Act which introduced the new parliament made clear that EU citizens were allowed to take part in yesterday's national election as well as in local ballots, even though people from other EU countries cannot vote in general elections.The problem came to light after a Danish man was turned away from a polling station in Edinburgh.

John Rasmussen said the polling officers had two documents, one showing the rules correctly and another simply saying EU citizens could not vote in parliamentary elections. "There is no document stating we are clearly entitled to vote in this election. If all polling stations don't have that message, people will be refused their civil rights," Mr Rasmussen said.Alex Thomson, deputy returning officer for Edinburgh, said his staff had tried to contact Mr Rasmussen to ask him to come back to vote. "Just in cast there are problems and there are people interpreting the rule in that way, we are phoning around polling stations to make sure everyone understands," he said.Some returning officers said the problem arose because of a government document which said simply that EU voters could take part in local elections. Officials in Edinburgh, East, Mid and West Lothian and the Borders were being telephoned to alert them to the problem after the incident during the morning.

In Glasgow, a spokeswoman for the city's electoral registration office said a small handful of EU voters had rung in to say they had experienced problems "There does seem to be this bit of confusion. Because people think they can only vote in local government elections, they are only giving them that paper," she said.A press officer for the council later added that he was not aware of anyone actually being turned away "All our presiding officers have been advised of this. We have had two or three calls and have been able to clear up any misunderstanding immediately," he said.A Scottish Office spokesman said there should be no reason for mistakes to happen. "In our discussions with returning officers it has always been clear that these people were part of the register. That has always been the intention, and our publications have said that.