LABOUR won the Lochs Fife Council by-election by a majority of 139.
Mary Lockhart polled 1318 votes to beat the SNP's Lea McLelland who totalled 1079.
Scottish Conservative and Unionist candidate Malcolm McDonald finished in third place with 270 votes with Communist Thomas Kirkby mustering 86 and the Greens' Bradford Oliver 45.
The result leaves Labour firmly in control of the Cowdenbeath Area Committee with six councillors and the SNP with three.
The result has provided a boost for Labour at area level at a difficult time nationally and Mary Lockhart will have her first meeting of the Cowdenbeath Area Committee on Wednesday.
The by-election was caused by the resignation of chairman of the committee Willie Clarke for health reasons.
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