Summary

  • The latest updates on the 2019 local elections in Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk

  • The Liberal Democrats unexpectedly win Chelmsford from the Tories, and North Norfolk from No Overall Control

  • Conservatives lose Basildon, Southend, St Albans, Tendring and Peterborough to No Overall Control

  • The Tories also fail to take one of their target councils, Colchester, where group leader Darius Laws lost his seat to the Greens

  • Conservatives hold Epping Forest, Castle Point, Rochford, Braintree, Maldon and Brentwood

  • Labour hold Ipswich, Harlow and Cambridge

  • Independents make gains in Thurrock, which remains in No Overall Control

Live Reporting

  1. Tendring District Council: No Overall Control gain

    The Conservatives have lost control of Tendring District Council as independents made gains.

    The authority reduced from 60 seats to 48 at this election.

    Conservatives won 16 seats, independents 17, Labour six, UKIP five and the Liberal Democrats two.

    The Tories are likely to seek a coalition with some of the independents.

    Two seats remain in St Osyth which will be voted for on 23 May after a candidate died.

  2. Chelmsford MP: 'Seats lost due to national picture'

    Chelmsford MP Vicky Ford said national frustration impacted the Conservative vote locally.

    She said: "It is a very disappointing night and I think it is really disappointing when you look at some of the individuals who have lost their seats tonight.

    "People who have worked their socks off for Chelmsford.

    "Some of those councillors who have really worked so hard and helped to make Chelmsford so fantastic.

    "They have lost their seats as a result of what is happening nationally reflecting back in people not wanting to turn out and vote locally."

    Vicky Ford

  3. Election results in maps and charts

    Find your result and follow the others as they come in using our interactive map.

    Read More

  4. Chelmsford City Council: Lib Dem gain

    The Liberal Democrats have gained control of Chelmsford City Council in a surprise victory.

    The Conservatives held 51 of 57 seats before the start of the day but with all seats up for grabs the Liberals pulled off a shock.

    MP Ed Davey had been out campaigning for the Lib Dems in Essex on Thursday.

    Lib Dem's celebrate

  5. Braintree District Council: Conservative hold

    The Conservatives have held Braintree District Council.

    The Tories started the election with a majority of 29.

    Turnout was 31.22%.

  6. North Norfolk District Council: Lib Dem gain

    The Liberal Democrats have gained control of North Norfolk District Council, which was previously under No Overall Control.

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy and privacy policy before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

  7. Count ongoing at Chelmsford as Lib Dems make gains

    Doug Faulkner
    BBC News Online

    The Liberal Democrats have won 22 out of 25 wards to declare in Chelmsford.

    They started the day with six of 57 seats on Chelmsford City Council and have made massive in-roads into the Conservative majority already.

  8. Ipswich: Tories lose three seats as Labour hold strengthens

    Sarah Jenkins
    BBC News

    Labour strengthened its hold on Ipswich Borough Council, winning two seats, Whitton and Rushmere, from the Tories.

    The Conservatives also lost a seat to the Lib Dems in St Margarets.

    No other seats changed hands.

    Ipswich count

  9. Labour retain control of Cambridge City Council

    Katy Lewis
    BBC Local Live

    Labour has retained control in Cambridge, holding all the nine seats they were defending.

    The Lib Dems have gained a seat, taking the Market ward from the Greens.

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy and privacy policy before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

  10. Maldon District Council: Conservative hold

    The Conservatives have held on to Maldon District Council where all wards were up for election.

    The Tories held 25 of the 31 seats but their majority was cut to one seat with the independents gaining 13 seats.

    UKIP also lost one seat.

  11. Liberal Democrats 'smiling'

    Andrew Sinclair
    BBC Look East political correspondent

    I think the Conservatives will still be the main party of government in the East, but the big story seems to be the Liberal Democrats.

    They've made gains in Braintree and Southend; they are making gains in Chelmsford, have taken a seat from the Greens in Cambridge, and seem to be confident of taking control of North Norfolk.

    The smiles are on the faces of the Liberal Democrats. The Conservatives? I am not sure they are smiling.

  12. Labour councillor 'proud' of re-election

    Ipswich Borough Council remains under Labour control.

    This was the reaction from councillor Julian Gibbs to retaining his seat in Westgate ward.

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy and privacy policy before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

  13. Tories lose power at Peterborough City Council

    Katy Lewis
    BBC Local Live

    Peterborough City Council has gone to No Overall Control after the Conservatives lost five seats, three to Labour, one to the Lib Dems and one to the Greens, but also gained one from Labour.

    Labour also took one seat from the Lib Dems, who gained two seats - one from the Tories and one from UKIP - and the Greens gained one.

    UKIP lost the only seat it held.

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy and privacy policy before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

  14. Cambridge City Council: Labour hold

    Labour has retained control of Cambridge.

  15. Ipswich Borough Council: Labour hold

    Labour has retained control of Ipswich Borough Council.

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy and privacy policy before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

  16. Delays hit Tendring count

    Doug Faulkner
    BBC News Online

    Tendring District Council's count has been running slightly behind schedule.

    Returning officer Ian Davidson told the hall the delay was caused by the late arrival of postal votes.

    Some 200 votes were inadvertently sent to Chelmsford and had to be sent on by express delivery.

  17. West Suffolk: 33,000 ballot papers issued

    Sarah Jenkins
    BBC News

    More than 33,000 ballot papers were issued in the West Suffolk council election.

    The council has only been in existence for a month, having been formed from a merger of Forest Heath and St Edmundsbury.

    The council said the turnout was 31.79%.

    Votes will be counted from 09:00 BST, with a result expected at about 14:00.

    This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
    Skip twitter post

    Allow Twitter content?

    This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy and privacy policy before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

  18. Defeated Tory group leader: 'Brexit a contributing factor'

    Doug Faulkner
    BBC News Online

    Colchester Borough Council Conservative group leader Darius Laws said Brexit had played a part in his in losing his seat to Green Mark Goacher.

    He told BBC Essex: "Brexit definitely is a contributing factor but perhaps some bigger national newspapers have wanted it to be a bigger issue.

    "It came up on the doorstep but people almost just shrugged their shoulders on it."

  19. Southend-on-Sea Borough Council: No Overall Control gain

    The Conservatives have lost control of Southend Borough Council.

    Labour, the Lib Dems and independents all made gains.

    The Conservatives now hold 20 seats, a loss of eight, while Labour gained two, the Lib Dems three and the Independents took three.

  20. Peterborough City Council: No Overall Control gain

    In Peterborough, the Conservatives have lost power as the council goes to No Overall Control.