The winner of the Oakham South by-election, Paul Browne, says his landslide result is "a clarion call to the council as to the discontent within the county."

The Liberal Democrat took the ward from the ruling Conservatives on Rutland County Council by 886 votes to 420, as Nub News reported this morning.

The ward had been held by Conservative Nick Woodley, who resigned after the planning committee of Rutland Council approved a housing development off Braunstone Road, after the councillor spoke out against it.

This helped set a theme of the campaign , for Mr Brown, a retired solicitor, who ran a practice in Oakham.

He told Nub News: "I am surprised at the extent of the victory and am very pleased that the people of Oakham have put their trust in me.

"We thought it would be pretty well even-stevens, a tight battle between me and the Tory but it's proved a clarion call to the council as to the discontent within the county."

The now Coun Browne says the main issues were problems people are facing in getting an appointment at the Oakham Medical Practice, and following on from that "the headlong rush by the Tory Council to keep granting planning permission without any infrastructure to back it up."

"Both of these two issues I concentrated on in my campaign."

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He continued: "I will do all I can do. These are two very urgent matters. The Local Plan comes up [at a council meeting ] on September 1.

"The position at Oakham Medical Practice is very difficult for everybody, including the doctors. There must be something that can be done."

"We also have to rejuvenate the high street, find reasons to stimulate the high street, and find somewhere for mental health assessment. I have got plans for that."

For this afternoon, Oakham's newest councillor was to rest and recharge his batteries for the battles ahead.

"We are a bit tired today. We have put out 12,000 leaflets and knocked on 1,000 doors," he added.

Nub News will be seeking comment from the Conservatives.