▁record ▁in ▁comb ating ▁crime ▁and ▁sur pass ing ▁national ▁targets ▁for ▁reducing ▁class ▁sizes . ▁However ▁the ▁Conserv atives ▁were ▁optim istic ▁of ▁making ▁g ains ▁and ▁said ▁they ▁could ▁deliver ▁good ▁services , ▁while ▁keeping ▁council ▁tax ▁levels ▁low . ▁ ▁E lection ▁result ▁The ▁results ▁saw ▁the ▁Conserv atives ▁make ▁ 3 ▁g ains ▁to ▁strength en ▁their ▁position ▁as ▁the ▁largest ▁party ▁on ▁the ▁council ▁with ▁ 2 4 ▁seats , ▁but ▁failed ▁to ▁make ▁the ▁ 5 ▁g ains ▁they ▁needed ▁to ▁take ▁majority ▁control . ▁The ▁Conserv atives ▁easily ▁gained ▁the ▁ 2 ▁seats ▁cont ested ▁in ▁Sh ir ley ▁West ▁and ▁another ▁in ▁El md on ▁from ▁Labour , ▁but ▁fell ▁short ▁in ▁another ▁ 2 ▁seats . ▁They ▁were ▁just ▁ 1 5 ▁votes ▁from ▁winning ▁Sh ir ley ▁East ▁from ▁the ▁Liberal ▁Democr ats , ▁while ▁in ▁Pack wood ▁the ▁Liberal ▁Democr ats ▁held ▁on ▁by ▁ 7 6 ▁votes ▁over ▁the ▁Conserv atives ▁after ▁ 2 ▁rec ount s . ▁Over all ▁turn out ▁in ▁the ▁election ▁was ▁ 2 8 . 3 %. ▁ ▁The ▁Conserv atives ▁won ▁over ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁votes ▁in ▁the ▁election , ▁but ▁combined ▁the ▁Labour ▁and ▁Liberal ▁Dem ocrat ▁parties ▁retained ▁more ▁seats . ▁However ▁following ▁the ▁election ▁the ▁Liberal ▁Democr ats ▁refused ▁to ▁make ▁any ▁agreement ▁with ▁Labour , ▁thus ▁allowing ▁the ▁Conserv atives ▁to ▁take ▁control ▁as ▁the ▁largest ▁party ▁from ▁Labour ▁who ▁had ▁run ▁the ▁council ▁since ▁ 1 9 9 6 .