A PULLING of straws determined the winner of the Skipton West and West Craven division of North Yorkshire today after Independent Andy Solloway and Labour's Peter Madeley both drew 503 votes in the council elections.

Just two votes behind was Patrick Mulligan for the Conservatives with 501 votes; the Green Party's Claire Nash picked up 166 votes.

There followed two recounts at the count in Skipton Town Hall and then a drawing of straws with fellow Labour candidate Brian McDaid taking the place of Peter Madeley who was not in the hall at the time.

Afterwards, both Cllr Solloway and Mr McDaid criticised the way the way the winner had been selected, with Cllr Solloway saying he would have preferred a by-election to have taken place in a year's time, at the start of the new North Yorkshire Council.

The nine councillors selected to represent the nine Craven divisions will serve as county councillors for the last year of North Yorkshire County Council and then for the first four years of the new North Yorkshire Council, which will replace the current system of district, borough and county councils in April, 2023.

Results:

Skipton West and West Craven: Andy Solloway (Ind), 503; Peter Madeley (Labour); 503; Patrick Mulligan (Con), 501, Claire Nash (Green) 166.

Skipton North and Embsay with Eastby: David Noland (Green) 742; Brian Shuttleworth (Ind) 637; John Dawson (Con) 485; Michelle Winthrop (Lib Dem) 180; Phil Street (Yorkshire Party) 95.

Skipton East and South: Robert Heseltine (Ind) 640; Brian McDaid (Lab) 620; Heather Midwinter (Con) 347; Rick Judge (Ind) 165 and Kate Ward (Lib Dem) 134.

Settle and Penyghent: David Staveley (Con) 1078; Aidan Higgins (Labour) 436 and Luke Allan (Lib Dem) 434.

Glusburn, Cross Hills and Sutton-in-Craven: Philip Barrett (Ind) 1061; Andy Micklethwaite (Con) 418; Christopher Thorp (Labour) 340 and Fran Graham (Green) 197.

Mid Craven: Simon Myers (Con) 992; Simon Watkins (Green) 718.

Bentham and Ingleton: David Ireton (Con) 1149; Lewis Morgan (Labour) 454; John Smithson (Lib Dem) 367 and Anne Weinhold (Green) 287.

Aire Valley: Andy Brown (Green) 1602; Stuart Handley (Con) 419.

Wharfedale: Richard Foster (Con) 1164; Tony Serjeant (Green) 311; Chris Rose (Labour) 279 and Sian Wheal (Lib Dem) 153.