James Pearson
Political reporter, Hereford & Worcester

Results are starting to come in now so let's get across some more of the key battlegrounds.

Labour candidate Beverley Nielsen has held the Malvern Langland division since 2021, when she won her seat as an independent. Historically, Labour has struggled to hold a foothold in Malvern, so it will be quite the achievement if she can win this time.

Last time the Conservatives trailed by only 70 votes, while both the Liberal Democrats and Reform are hopeful of a chance at success here.

Gavin Kermack
Reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

Reform's Rob Peters has been elected to the Wyre Forest seat of St Peters, a gain from the Tories.

We've had the results of two votes now - and they've both gone to Reform.

James Pearson
Political reporter, Hereford & Worcester

Counting for Worcester's divisions began at the Guildhall about 20 minutes ago. We can expect the first results between 1300 and 1400, I'm told.

Turnout was 34.38%, so similar to the last county council elections. But that overall figure hides a really mixed picture.

James Pearson
Political reporter, Hereford & Worcester

Could it really be anything other than Tory?

Maybe this time.

Conservative Adrian Hardman won 68% of the vote here in 2021. It seems almost impossible that any party would be able to challenge that success, but this time local residents report that the Liberal Democrats have been campaigning hard.

James Pearson
Political reporter, Hereford & Worcester

"Unpredictable".

It’s a word that’s kept coming up in this local election campaign, with traditionally safe seats thought to be in play for the first time in a generation. Some big names in local politics could also be in the news.

Let's delve into some more of these potentially significant seats as we wait for more results to come in.

James Pearson
Political reporter, Hereford & Worcester

Verification at the Guildhall is finished and counting has begun.

I’m told one seat that will be very close will be Rainbow Hill & Fort Royal. It’s currently held by Labour, but whatever happens there’ll be a new councillor as incumbent Lynn Denham has stepped down.

Labour’s candidate Jabba Riaz (wearing the red rosette below) is bidding to take over the seat.

James Pearson
Political reporter, Hereford & Worcester

Reform UK has taken the first seat to be declared in Worcestershire.

All eyes in these elections are on Reform, and the potential difference the populist party might make.

In 2021 the party fielded seven candidates; this time it has a full slate of 57.

But will it have done enough to win a wave of seats, or simply split the vote of the Conservatives - or even Labour?

Tom Edwards
Reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

Reform UK have their first win of the day in Worcestershire - Kidderminster gym owner Mark Crosby takes St Georges from the Tories.

“It’s a great day for us - it feels amazing,” he says.

James Pearson
Political reporter, Hereford & Worcester

Reform and Green candidates look the most upbeat here at Worcester's Guildhall right now. Counting hasn’t yet begun but the parties will have had a sense of the way things are going, from watching the ballot papers being verified, and from being out campaigning yesterday.

One Labour candidate tells me they think Reform have done very well here.

I’ve been speaking to Reform’s candidate for Claines, Martin Williams. He tells me it’s his first time standing for election, and that he’s been surprised by the level of positivity he’s received on the doorstep. Voters are concerned about the council’s finances and the lack of provision for children with special educational needs, he says - adding that his grandson’s recent autism diagnosis was a major motivation for entering politics.

He says people are ready for change.

Alistair Binney
Reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

Counting is underway at Pershore Leisure Centre, where we'll be getting the results for Wychavon District Council.

As it stands, every seat here is Conservative apart from Pershore, which Dan Boatright-Greene won four years ago for the Lib Dems.

But the Tories are nervous here, as elsewhere.

One candidate tells me the vote has been split three ways - between the Conservatives, Reform and the Lib Dems - and described it as "too close to call".

One Lib Dem source tells me things are looking good for them - as for Reform UK, it's difficult to know which way things will land.

James Pearson
Political reporter, Hereford & Worcester

Local government boundary changes may have altered the shape and name of the borough’s divisions, but the presence of Reform could be the main gamechanger here.

Back in 2021, the Conservatives had a clean sweep in Redditch, winning all eight county council seats. But they’ve been on the back foot since then; last May they lost control of the borough council to Labour.

Each of Redditch’s four divisions will elect two councillors this time around. It could be Redditch East that holds the most interest, where one of Reform’s candidates – Joanne Monk – is hoping for re-election after switching from the Conservatives. Reform campaigners are confident of taking seats here, and cite the success of UKIP in the 2013 local elections.

The party is also hopeful of winning the Worcester divisions of Bedwardine, and Warndon and Elbury Park.

Tom Edwards
Reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

The Conservative MP for Wyre Forest, Mark Garnier, is all smiles at the leisure centre in Kidderminster this morning.

But his mood doesn't match - he told me he's very downbeat about the Tory prospects in these elections.

“It’s looking like a really difficult one,” he tells me.

James Pearson
Political reporter, Hereford & Worcester

West Mercia’s Conservative police and crime commissioner, John Campion, is attempting to make a return to council politics in this Kidderminster division, after incumbent Tracey Onslow decided to stand down.

It should be a safe seat - but Reform may split the Tory vote.

Image source, Police and Crime Commissioner

James Pearson
Political reporter, Hereford & Worcester

This electoral division in Worcester is currently held by the council’s Conservative leader, Simon Geraghty. He’s been on the council since 2005, but is this election one too many?

The main challenge is likely to come from the Greens: their parliamentary candidate Tor Pingree won Riverside’s city council seat from the Conservatives in 2023.

Her party will be confident of their chances this year.

James Pearson
Political reporter, Hereford & Worcester

I'm here at the Guildhall in Worcester where the ballot boxes have arrived.

Before counting can start, the process of verification has to take place. Staff check the number of ballot papers matches the number issued, and assess the reason for any discrepancies.

Only then will the number of votes for each candidate be counted.

It'll be a while yet before we get any results - none of the counts in Worcestershire are likely to come back before mid-afternoon.

In the meantime I'll talk you through some of the key battlegrounds.

James Pearson
Political reporter, Hereford & Worcester

The key question today: will Worcestershire’s Conservatives hold onto control of the county council?

The Tories have run the local authority since 2005. 2021’s election were a high water mark for the party as they won more than three quarters of seats, but the mood this time is very, very different - especially since the Tory vote across the country halved in last year’s general election.

James Pearson
Political reporter, BBC Hereford & Worcester

Talking to councillors in the run-up to the election, usually a reliable barometer of the political weather, it was harder than usual to gauge expectations.

"I've absolutely no idea", said one.

These elections last year happened just after the introduction of Covid vaccines, giving a boost to the fortunes of the then-Conservative prime minister Boris Johnson.

We have had three prime ministers since him, a new party in charge, and Reform UK making inroads into the other parties' vote shares in national polling.Read more about the build-up to this week's poll.

Going in to yesterday's election, the Conservatives held nearly two-thirds of the 57 seats on the county authority.

Among the opposition groups, the Greens and Independents had five seats each as did Labour (including Labour & Co-operative members).

The Liberal Democrats were on three with Reform UK on two.

Hello and welcome to our coverage of the Worcestershire County Council election.

You will hear the latest from our reporters at today's counts and the winners and losers as nearly 60 individual races are declared across the county.

Although it is the county authority which is being elected, the elections are organised by each of the six borough, district and city councils which make up the area.

It might be the last time that happens, with the government pushing authorities to move to unitary councils - where counties and districts merge into a single layer.