Summary

  • The former Conservative MP Paul Bristow has been elected as mayor for the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority

  • Paul Bristow won the ballot with 60,243 votes

  • The Liberal Democrats have taken control of Cambridgeshire County Council

  • No single party had a majority at the county council after the last set of elections

  • Counting takes place at various sites across the county after yesterday's ballot

  • The last mayor of the combined authority was Labour's Nik Johnson, but he did not stand for election this time

  • The leader of the county council is re-elected to the authority

Live Reporting

By Shariqua Ahmed, Emma Howgego, Kate Moser Andon and Harriet Heywood. Edited by Christiana Bishop

  1. Reform UK win in Littleport

    John Roberts wearing a dark blue checked shirt. He has a white lanyard hung around his neck and a light blue Reform UK rosette attached to his shirt.Shariqua Ahmed/BBC

    The total turnout for Littleport was 25.98%

    Cambridgeshire County Council results are being declared in Soham.

    John Roberts has won the Littleport seat for Reform UK, with 675 votes.

    Roberts says he "wasn't sure" he would win, adding "I have set myself up for very hard work".

    The total turnout for Littleport was 25.98%.

    • John Roberts (Reform UK): 675
    • Martin Goodearl (Conservatives):489
    • Rebecca Dennes (Labour Party): 218
    • Lee Denney (Lib Dems): 426
    • Paul Osborne (Green Party): 129

  2. Lib Dems celebrate winning eight seats so far

    Laura Foster
    BBC News, Cambridgeshire

    A group of people, each wearing yellow Liberal Democrat rosettes are clapping and celebrating with their hands in the airLaura Foster/BBC

    The Lib Dems celebrating Ros Hathorn winning the seat for Histon and Impington

    The Liberal Democrats have won eight out of 15 seats available in south Cambridgeshire.

    There has been plenty of hugging and smiling amongst party supporters and lots of arms raised in the air in celebration.

    However will this good mood continue all afternoon?

  3. County council leader wins her seat
    Breaking

    Lucy Nethsingha standing in front of a treeEmma Howgego/BBC

    Lucy Nethsingha, Liberal Democrat leader of Cambridgeshire County Council, has won the Cambourne seat, previously held by the Conservatives.

    She has been leader for the the last four years. This was a new seat for her as she previously lived in Newnham in Cambridge.

    • Lucy Nethsingha (Lib Dem): 1,127
    • Shrobona Bhattachyra (Conservative): 1,015
    • Alison Elcox (Reform UK): 594
    • Jansev Jemal (Labour and Co-operative): 256
    • Guy Lachlan (Independent): 151

  4. Second win at mayoral count for Conservatives

    Here are the mayoral results from Huntingdon - one of the six sites where votes are being counted:

    Paul Bristow (Conservative): 13,797 Ryan Coogan (Reform UK): 13,376Lorna Dupre (Lib Dem): 9,024Bob Ensch (Green): 3,206Anna Smith (Lab): 6,694

    The total turnout here was 33.36%.

  5. Reform UK win most mayoral votes at Wisbech count

    The Reform UK candidate has taken the most votes in the mayoral election count in Wisbech.

    • Ryan Coogan (Reform UK): 9,246 votes
    • Paul Bristow (Conservative): 8,302
    • Anna Smith (Labour): 2,176
    • Lorna Dupre (Lib Dem): 2,050
    • Bob Ensch (Green): 1,063

    It is one of six sites where votes are being counted.

    We should have the final result quite soon.

  6. Conservatives win at Peterborough count

    Former Peterborough MP Paul Bristow of the Conservatives comes out top as the votes for mayor are counted in the city.

    Turnout was 26.1% with 38,291 votes polled - the lowest in the six areas where votes are being counted separately.

    • Paul Bristow (Conservative): 15,769 votes
    • Ryan Coogan ( Reform UK): 9,221
    • Anna Smith (Labour): 7,629
    • Lorna Dupre (Lib Dem): 2,907
    • Bob Ensch (Green): 2,649

    Once votes are in from all six mayoral counts, we will know who has got the job.

  7. What have been key election issues?

    Kate Moser Andon
    BBC political reporter. Cambridgeshire

    Tackling skills shortages, improving public transport and boosting the local economy have all emerged as campaigning issues for both the mayoral and council elections.

    There has been a lot of talk over how to improve bus services in the county, especially in areas where people struggle to access training and education.

    Voters have also brought up their own frustrations to do with potholes on local roads and fly-tipping.

    Read more: What can a new mayor do for Peterborough?

  8. Lib Dems wins at count in Cambourne

    The Liberal Democrat mayoral candidate has taken the biggest share of votes at Cambourne - one of the six sites where votes are being counted.

    • Lorna Dupre (Lib Dem): 13,817
    • Paul Bristow (Conservative): 11,600
    • Anna Smith (Labour): 9,927
    • Ryan Coogan (Reform UK): 8,758
    • Bob Ensch (Green): 4,477

  9. Lib Dems win count in Soham

    PodiumShariqua Ahmed/BBC

    Total turnout for East Cambridgeshire was 34.5%

    Six separate counts are taking place for the mayoral election and the first result is in - from the Soham count, where some 23,629 ballot papers have been counted.

    • The Liberal Democrats' Lorna Dupre is out in front with 7,473 votes.
    • Ryan Coogan of Reform UK follows with 5,924.
    • Paul Bristow of the Conservatives polled 5,733.
    • Anna Smith of Labour got 2,863.
    • Ben Ensch of Green Party received 1, 528 votes.

    The total turnout for votes in the East Cambs district was 34.5%, although remember there are no district council elections, just voting for the mayor and county council.

    Results from Fenland are also expected shortly.

  10. 'Uncertain' and 'potentially unrepresentative' - Lib Dems

    Lorna Dupre wearing a yellow and black patterned dress. She is standing in aShariqua Ahmed/BBC

    Lorna Dupre called the mayor elections 'unpredictable'

    Lorna Dupre, the Liberal Democrat candidate for mayor, calls it an "interesting election" and said "it is still anyone's guess" who will win the post, previously held by Labour's Nik Johnson.

    "It has been a gruelling one. It has been very uncertain and very different to what I have known in the many years I have been involved [in elections]," she says.

    Charlotte wearing a yellow dress and a yellow jacketShariqua Ahmed/BBC

    Charlotte Cane says Liberal Democrats remain 'hopeful'

    Charlotte Cane, Liberal Democrat MP for Ely & East Cambridgeshire, says she is expecting "some good results" for the party across the county council wards.

    "It is an interesting one and highlights the problems of first-past-the-post as a voting system.

    "Potentially people could be elected on 25% of the vote. It is going to be hard to say that's representative. So it highlights [problems with] the voting system needs to be addressed urgently."

  11. Mayoral candidates start to arrive at count

    Ben Ensch wearing a black suit and a Green Party badge. He is standing in a sports hall where the election count is taking place. Tables and lots of people behind him.Shariqua Ahmed/ BBC

    Ben Ensch from the Green Party said it was too early to comment on where the results were heading

    Reform UK's mayoral candidate Ryan Coogan and his Green Party opponent Ben Ensch are at the count in Soham.

    Ryan wearing a blue checked shirt standing behind a glassed barrier taking notesShariqua Ahmed/BBC

    Ryan Coogan keeping an eye on the counting process

    Several candidates standing for Cambridgeshire County Council are also here at the Ross Peers Sports Centre, and about 80 people are counting the votes.

    The final results for both the mayor and the county council will be declared at this venue later today.

  12. Turnout figures are in - and down on last time

    Kate Moser Andon
    BBC political reporter, Cambridgeshire

    A village hall has a sign saying "Way in, polling station"

    Total turnout for the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough mayoral election is 33.1%. This is slightly lower than the previous 2021 elections when it was 36.4%.

    Turnout by individual district :

    • Cambridge City: 38.58%
    • East Cambridgeshire: 34.5%
    • Fenland: 30.08%
    • Huntingdonshire: 33.33%
    • Peterborough: 26.09%
    • South Cambridgeshire: 38.24%

  13. Where are counts taking place?

    Votes are being counted in Peterborough, Cambridge, Cambourne, St Ives, Wisbech and Soham.

    We'll be hearing updates as they come in from each area, but the final results for Cambridgeshire County Council and the mayor of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough will be declared in Soham.

    The final results aren't expected until well into the afternoon.

  14. Cambridgeshire's political picture

    Kate Moser Andon
    BBC political reporter, Cambridgeshire

    Outside of New Shire Hall in Alconbury Weald, the county council's offices.LDRS

    Cambridgeshire County Council is based in New Shire Hall in Alconbury Weald

    With 61 Cambridgeshire County Council seats up for election, a party would need 31 councillors for a majority.

    The authority has been led by a coalition of Liberal Democrat, Labour and Independent councillors since 2021, when the Conservatives failed to secure a majority.

    In 2021 the results were:

    • Conservatives: 28
    • Lib Dems: 20
    • Labour: 9
    • Independents: 4

    Since then, due to by-elections and defections, the Liberal Democrats have become the biggest party. The political make-up until yesterday was:

    • Lib Dems: 23
    • Conservatives: 21
    • Labour: 10
    • Independents: 7

  15. The race to be mayor

    Kate Moser Andon
    Cambridgeshire political reporter

    Nik Johnson headshot

    Cambridgeshire and Peterborough mayor Nik Johnson is not standing for re-election

    The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority mayor has the power to make decisions over public transport, infrastructure, economic development, business planning and support, skills and regeneration.

    There are five candidates standing to be Cambridgeshire and Peterborough's next mayor.

    The post was last won by Labour's Nik Johnson in 2021, but he is not seeking re-election.

    Last time round, Johnson won in the second round of a "supplementary" voting system, after no candidate initially won more than 50% of the vote.

    This time, the candidate with the most votes will win, regardless of whether they have a majority of not.

    There has been no clear frontrunner during the last few weeks of campaigning, making this a particularly exciting race.

  16. Election counts due to get under way

    Welcome to our live updates page.

    Voters went to the polls on Thursday for all 61 seats at Cambridgeshire County Council.

    They were also voting for who will be the new mayor of the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority.

    We'll bring you the latest as the results and reaction comes in from counts across the county.

    Generally, there are no district council elections this year, but there have been two by-elections for seats on Cambridge City Council and one by-election on Peterborough City Council.