The Conservatives have taken another Worthing Borough Council seat following a second by-election win in three weeks.

The Heene ward by-election was called after former councillor Richard Mulholland stepped down in August.

The by-election saw Conservative candidate Luke Houghton, 25, beat Labour’s Anthony Squires, 56, by fewer than 40 votes.

The full results were as follows: Luke Houghton (Conservative), 742; Anthony Squires (Labour), 704; Katie Thornton (Green), 186; Trudi Starling (Liberal Democrats), 133. Turnout was 27 per cent.

Mr Houghton said it was a ‘fantastic’ result and the ‘old style’ campaign the party ran helped contribute to the win in both Heene and the Marine ward by-election in September, when the Conservatives won another former Labour seat.

He said: “Almost 12 weeks of Labour, it’s already not been great and I think people are seeing that – I think people are trying to send a message out there. At the moment I’m not really focused on national politics, my focus is local, that’s what I’ve been elected to do. There’s lots of issues that residents have that I’ve noted down and I’ll try and get straight to it.

“I’m going to get to grips with local issues, that’s anti-social behaviour, its cleaning up the streets, which is going to be leaves and mud blocking up the drains and causing flooding, and petitioning against the winter fuel allowance as well.”

Mr Squires said the election was ‘clearly down to national issues’ and that the Conservatives had played a ‘fear’ campaign centred around the winter fuel allowance, adding if he would look to run again if selected in the future.

He said: “We got positive reactions on the doorstep, but not to happen this time. Luke and the Conservatives made a lot of pledges there and I look forward to them delivering on them.”

The Conservatives now hold 11 seats on the council. Labour as ruling party has 21, the Greens two, and there are three Worthing Community Independents.